Since I have been starting my research, this week I wanted to share some work by artist Kenhinde Wiley, who I am using as the subject of my research paper. I remember the first time I saw one of his paintings - it was huge, unexpected, a little bit funny, and very conceptually satisfying. Since then, he has expanded his worked to include women and a variety of people from other nations as a part of his "World Series."
I think this portion of his Artist Statement sums up the impact of his work:
"Without shying away from the complicated socio-political histories relevant to the world, Wiley’s figurative paintings and sculptures “quote historical sources and position young black men within the field of power.” His heroic paintings evoke a modern style instilling a unique and contemporary manner, awakening complex issues that many would prefer remain mute."
Below you can see examples of him deriving poses from famous heroic paintings, one of his newer female subjects, and one of his newer international pieces. I love how he pairs these modern people with the pomp and baroque/rococo patterns of past times!
I love Kenhinde Wiley and the way he replaces historical figures with the African American lifestyle of today. He has to have a great understanding of history in order to accomplish this. I did a report on him during my undergraduate and I wish I had the time to study his work more closely. He has been in a lot of exhibits that I never thought would depict urban lifestyles. Great post and you did a great job selecting your artist.
ReplyDeleteThanks for introducing me to Wiley's work. I love his concept and mission. I find the background patterns very complimentary to the images, and his work is aesthetically appealing. I don't see what complex issues he's awakening, though.
ReplyDeleteHe does replace non black historical art pieces with black faces, and that's an eye-catcher. But have any controversial discussions or topics formed based on his work.
I wonder if he's explored creating pieces based on black historical figures. I would be interested in seeing those many untold stories displayed in contemporary artworks.
Thanks again for the post.
I have never heard of this artist, but I will certainly keep track of them now! As a lover of art history, I find great enjoyment when artists today reference the past in their works, playing with the themes and bending them to make the imagery their own. Great post, and thank you for introducing me to this artist!
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