The first painting I saw from Kehinde Wiley was Napoleon Leading the Army over the Alps. My eyes fell in love instantly. The first thing that caught my attention was the elegant patterns that seem to be like fancy wallpaper. The second thing that I found interesting because it was the first time I have ever seen anything like it was this black man dressed in an army camo outfit, not the official uniform but ones that you buy from a store for fashion. The man wore a white bandana tied on his head, some red athletic baseball wristbands that appeared to be the Starter brand, and some Classic New York Timberlands. What was out of the ordinary was that this man was on a white horse with a golden yellow cape, posing like he’s ready for war. Then it hit me, I have seen this pose somewhere. I couldn’t name where it came from at the moment because I really hate history but this painting came from Napoleon Crossing the Alps made in 1801 by Jacques-Louis David. That painting seemed like a regular history book image of a white man on a horse, from a really long time ago, getting ready for war. After realizing what the original image was, the meaning behind this painting is so deep to me.
Born in Los Angeles, 1977, he earned his BFA from the San Francisco Art Institute and his MFA from the Yale University School of Art. Wiley’s early work consists of Photo-Realistic paintings of men, whom he had met on the streets in Harlem, set against a floral background. He developed an early interest in portraiture and frescos, particularly the work of Venetian painters such as Titian and Giambattista Tiepolo, and draws inspiration from French Rococo painting, Islamic architecture, African textile design, contemporary fashion, and urban hip hop. As he says, “I use French Rococo influences, with its garishness and vulgarity, to complement the flashy attire and display of ‘material consumption’ evident in hip-hop culture.”
Wiley’s purpose for his painting was to show more of what history doesn’t show. He says,“The history of painting by and large has pictured very few black and brown people, and in particular very few black men. My interest is in countering that absence.” His art influence people to embrace black culture through painting. JP Mika is an artist who was inspired by Wiley. He uses patterns and floral backgrounds.And just as Wiley’s painting, fashion was used as a great way to embrace the people in the images, he says it “adds strength to the image”. The image to the left is called Kiese na Kiese which means Happiness and Joy. A colorful painting of a stylish young couple. This image was chosen for Mika’s exhibition poster and catalogue cover.
In October 2017, Wiley was selected by former U.S. President Barack Obama to paint his official portrait to appear in Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery America’s Presidentsexhibition. Wiley and Amy Sherald, who painted former First Lady Michelle Obama, are the first black artists to paint official portraits of the President or First Lady for the National Portrait Gallery. In 2015 he had exhibition in the Brooklyn Museum called A New Republic. Wiley’s series titled The World Stage, work has been exhibited at the National Portrait Gallery in London, the Brooklyn Museum of Art, and the Studio Museum in Harlem, New York. He lives and works in Beijing, Dakar, and New York.
WORKS CITED
http://www.seattleartmuseum.org/WILEY
https://www.brooklynmuseum.org/exhibitions/kehinde_wiley_new_republic
