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Kehinde Wiley is an American portrait painter based in New York City. He is known for his naturalistic paintings of Black people that reference the work of Old Master paintings. Wiley's work falls into the category of Identity Art and Identity Politics, which deals primarily with aspects of the artist's identity, such as race, gender, and sexuality. Wiley has kept his personal life private but identifies as a gay man. In 2017, Wiley was commissioned to paint former President Barack Obama's portrait for the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery. While there is no mention of a self-portrait, Wiley's work primarily revolves around self-expression and identity.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of Birth | February 28, 1977 |
| Place of Birth | Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Current Location | New York City |
| Occupation | Portrait Painter |
| Art Style | Naturalistic, brightly colored portraits with dramatic flowery backgrounds |
| Art Movement | Contemporary |
| Art Subjects | Young Black men, Contemporary men of color, Black folk, Former President Barack Obama |
| Art Influences | Classical paintings, Old Masters like Titian, Anthony van Dyck, and Édouard Manet |
| Art Exhibitions | "The World Stage", "Legends of Unity: World Cup 2010", "Recognize", "A New Republic", "An Archaeology of Silence" |
| Awards | Time 100 Most Influential People of 2018, 2014 National Medal of Arts |
| Personal Life | Gay |
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What You'll Learn
Kehinde Wiley's self-portrait
Kehinde Wiley, an American portrait painter, has painted several self-portraits. Wiley's self-portraits are often cropped and drawn on a square sheet of paper, with the skin and hair coloured in. The portrait is then cut out and glued onto a colourful background, with flowers sometimes drawn on top of the shirt. This style of self-portraiture is inspired by Wiley's background in classical paintings and his fascination with the mugshot, which he views as a new type of portraiture that lacks in the portrayal of black men.
Wiley's self-portraits are a part of his larger body of work, "The World Stage", which includes models from various urban landscapes worldwide, such as Mumbai, Senegal, Dakar, and Rio de Janeiro. The models in "The World Stage" are dressed in their everyday clothing, assuming poses found in paintings or sculptures representative of the history of their surroundings. This juxtaposition of the "old" and the "new" provides a discourse that is both visceral and cerebral in scope.
Wiley's self-portraits and other works engage the visual rhetoric of the heroic, powerful, majestic, and sublime in his representation of urban, Black, and Brown men found throughout the world. By applying the visual vocabulary and conventions of glorification, history, wealth, and prestige to his subjects, Wiley creates ambiguous and provocative imagery that interrupts traditional tropes of portrait painting. His larger-than-life figures often blur the boundaries between traditional and contemporary modes of representation and the critical portrayal of masculinity and physicality.
Wiley's self-portraits and other paintings are known for their bold colours and strong views on racial power. He is one of many contemporary artists who aim to shift racial power dynamics through their art. Wiley gained even more popularity when he was commissioned to paint the official portrait of former U.S. President Barack Obama for the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery in 2017. The painting, revealed in 2018, depicted Obama in a traditional black suit, sitting forward on a mahogany chair with a determined expression.
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Wiley's artistic style
Kehinde Wiley is a contemporary American portrait painter based in New York City. His artistic style is characterised by his naturalistic paintings of black people that reference the work of Old Master paintings. Wiley's portraits are known for their bold colours and strong views on racial power. He often paints larger-than-life figures that challenge traditional portrait painting tropes, blurring the boundaries between traditional and contemporary modes of representation.
Wiley's creative process typically begins with photographs of his subjects, who are dressed in their everyday clothing. He then asks them to assume poses found in paintings or sculptures representative of the history of their surroundings. This juxtaposition of the "old" inherited by the "new" creates a discourse that is both visceral and cerebral in scope.
Wiley's portraits are also known for their monumental scale. He paints his subjects in a realistic mode while making references to specific Old Master paintings, creating a fusion of period styles and influences. His influences range from French Rococo and Islamic architecture to West African textile design and urban hip hop.
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Wiley's background and influences
Kehinde Wiley, born on February 28, 1977, is an American portrait painter based in New York City. He is known for his naturalistic paintings of black people that reference the work of Old Master paintings. His father, Isaiah D. Obot, is Ibibio from Nigeria, and his mother, Freddie Mae Wiley, is African American. Wiley has a twin brother.
Wiley's mother encouraged him and his siblings to stay out of trouble by enrolling them in after-school art classes. He earned his BFA from the San Francisco Art Institute in 1999 and received a scholarship to attend the Yale University School of Art, where he completed his MFA in 2001.
Wiley's work often blurs the boundaries between traditional and contemporary modes of representation, drawing influences from French Rococo, Islamic architecture, West African textile design, urban hip hop, and more. He is particularly fascinated by mugshots, which he believes alter the view of portraiture and challenge the portrayal of black men.
Wiley's portraits initially focused on young men found on the streets of Harlem, but he later expanded his scope internationally, including models from Mumbai, Senegal, Dakar, and Rio de Janeiro. He often dresses his models in their everyday clothing, using fashion as a form of armour and a means of self-expression.
Wiley's fame exploded after he was commissioned to paint former President Barack Obama's portrait for the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery in 2017. The painting, unveiled in 2018, depicted Obama in a traditional black suit with an exuberant pattern of leafy greens and flowers symbolizing Kenya, Hawaii, and Chicago.
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Wiley's impact on the art world
Kehinde Wiley is an American portrait painter who has made a significant impact on the art world with his distinctive style and thought-provoking subject matter. Here is a detailed look at his influence and contributions:
Challenging Racial Narratives in Art:
Wiley is known for his monumental portraits of Black and Brown individuals, often set against elaborate backgrounds. He challenges the traditional Western art canon by replacing historical white subjects with contemporary subjects of colour. In doing so, Wiley addresses the status and representation of young African-American men in contemporary culture, exploring themes of racial power and masculinity. This approach has sparked conversations about diversity and the need for more inclusive narratives in art.
Innovative Artistic Techniques:
Wiley's artistic process combines modern portraiture with classic styles. He draws inspiration from Old Masters such as Titian, Anthony van Dyck, and Édouard Manet, re-imagining their works with contemporary subjects. This blend of traditional and contemporary elements creates a unique visual vocabulary that captivates audiences with its bold colours and intellectual interpretations.
International Recognition and Influence:
Wiley's work has gained international recognition, with exhibitions in various countries, including Cuba, Nigeria, Los Angeles, China, Brazil, France, and Jamaica. His growing popularity has led to collaborations with institutions like the Brooklyn Museum of Art and the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, which hosted retrospectives of his work. Wiley was also commissioned to paint the official portrait of former U.S. President Barack Obama for the Smithsonian's National Portrait Gallery, further solidifying his impact on the art world.
Community Engagement and Support:
Wiley has actively supported and engaged with the artistic community, particularly in Africa and the African diaspora. He founded Black Rock Senegal, a non-profit artist-in-residence program in Dakar, Senegal, to bring together artists, thinkers, and innovators from diverse backgrounds. Additionally, he collaborated with Puma AG to create the "Legends of Unity: World Cup 2010" series, incorporating his artwork into athletic gear and showcasing his influence beyond traditional art spaces.
Controversy and Impact:
In 2024, Wiley faced accusations of sexual assault, leading to a pause in some of his planned exhibitions. This controversy sparked important conversations about accountability and ethics in the art world. Despite this, Wiley's work continues to be influential, and his impact on challenging traditional portraiture, exploring racial dynamics, and celebrating diverse subjects in art remains significant.
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![Historic Framed Print, [Alexander Wiley, bust portrait, facing right], 17-7/8" x 21-7/8"](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41jCQFV7ZYL._AC_UL320_.jpg)
Wiley's personal life
Kehinde Wiley, born on February 28, 1977, is an American portrait painter based in New York City. He grew up in South-central Los Angeles with his twin brother. His father, Isaiah D. Obot, is Ibibio, from Nigeria, and his mother, Freddie Mae Wiley, is African American.
Wiley has kept his personal life private but identifies as a gay man. He has said that his sexuality "is not black and white. I am a gay man who has drifted. I am not bi. I've had perfectly pleasant romances with women, but they weren't sustainable. My passion wasn't there. I would always be looking at guys."
Wiley's mother encouraged her children to stay out of trouble by enrolling them in after-school art classes. Wiley's now-famous portraits can be traced back to his time in Harlem, New York, during his residency at the Studio Museum. He came across a crumpled mugshot released by the New York Police Department of an African American man in his twenties. This influenced his view of what portraiture could be and how black men were portrayed in the world.
Wiley's portraits are based on photographs of young men found on the streets of Harlem, dressed in their everyday clothing. As his practice grew, he expanded his scope to include models from various international locations, including Mumbai, Senegal, Dakar, and Rio de Janeiro. His work often juxtaposes the "old" inherited by the "new," creating a discourse that is both visceral and cerebral.
In 2017, Wiley was commissioned to paint former President Barack Obama's portrait for the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery. This brought him even more popularity, and his art has since been exhibited internationally in places like Cuba, Nigeria, and Los Angeles.
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