Kehinde Wiley

When John and I first visited the Oak Park Public Library, I turned a corner and I instantly knew I was looking at a painting by contemporary artist Kehinde Wiley. Wiley blends traditional painting techniques with contemporary figures in clever juxtapositions. The specific painting I encountered at the Library displays several figures 'floating' in a realm of robins egg blue and brightly colored damask. Wiley positions individuals, typically people of color, in traditional poses found in classical paintings, specifically portraiture. An initial interpretation of his work could describe Wiley as attempting to elevate or ennoble people using gestures and postures that were usually reserved for European royalty and aristocracy. The cultural linkage in a contemporary sense makes one think of opulent and flashy hip-hop and rap stars. Wiley has a fascinating expression, that is aesthetically interesting and also historically inquisitive. A great combination of the past mixed with the present.

 

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