The main subjects are now urban, black and brown men found throughout the world.
They have a similar naturalistic form with attention to light and detail.
The distinct difference, however, is representation.
Kehinde Wiley“Young Tree Shots on Jinggang Mountain (The World Stage: China),” 2007Oil Painting250 x 180cm©Courtesy Templon, Paris – Brussels
Wiley places people of color at the forefront, and therefore in power, while dressed in everyday attire.
The visual vocabulary of paintings from the Renaissance to Rococo is a vital part of Wileys contemporary works.
If you look at my paintings, theres something about lips, eyes, and mucous membranes.
Kehinde Wiley“Bonaparte in the Great Mosque of Cairo,” 2012Oil Painting178.5 x 148cm©Courtesy Templon, Paris – Brussels
Is it only about that?
It asks, What are these guys doing?Wiley explains.
Theyre assuming the poses of colonial masters, the former bosses of the Old World.
Wiley has the first major survey of his work in France at theCentre d’Art La Malmaison in Cannes.
The retrospective, titledKehinde Wiley: Peintre de L’Epopee, covers over a decade of his artistic practice.
It is on view until November 1, 2020.
Artist Kehinde Wiley has a retrospective of his work on view in Cannes, France.
It’s the first major survey of his work in the country.
