Kehinde Wiley

Kehinde Wiley born February 28, 1977 is a melanted artist from Los Angeles who received his Masters Degree in Fine Arts from Yale University in 2001 . Wiley made a name for himself by recreating classical portraits with a vibrant modern twist— often replacing Caucasian figures with modern urban melanated subjects, primarily young men situated in front of intricate floral backgrounds.

Using oil paint to create his soulful masterpieces, Wiley’s art focuses on the shift of perspective, by placing his melanated subjects in colonial esthetics and poses that have never before been seen in melanated communities until Wiley’s art.

Wiley’s work is unique in the context of diversification of Melanated subjects. In his travels to various countries such as Mumbai, Senegal, Dakar, and Rio de Janeiro, he’s beautifully captured many types of individuals of African descent. Wiley named this diverse epic collection “World Stage.”

Wiley’s award winning art has been exhibited in major cities like Los Angeles, New York, Berlin, Milan, and Paris. Major galleries such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles, Nasher Museum of Art, and several others all hold Wiley’s paintings.

Kehinde Wiley won the 2014 National Medal of Arts, Apollo’s Artist of the Year Award 2021, and the U.S. Department of State Medal of Arts. Wiley’s piece titled ‘Dimietrus Study’ sold for $649,200 USD at Sotheby’s in 2021.

Jean De Carondelet

Kehinde Wiley, 2013

Beth Conse A Rubel