Kehinde Wiley, Great Celebration of the Victorious People, 2007

Kehinde Wiley, Count Potocki, 2008

Kehinde Wiley and the Representation of Identity

Justin Beale

Art 309 Visual Art and Migration

Greene

The contemporary New York City based portrait painter Kehinde Wiley has been turning exhibition goers heads on end in recent years as his art attempts awaken complex issues within the art world and society itself. Wiley has strongly asserted his position within art history’s western canon and portrait painting traditions by using historically based compositions and references that are then carried out and represented by young urban black and brown men from around the world. Following in the footsteps of many avant-garde artists alike, Wiley uses juxtaposed composition inversions that blur the boundaries of representation and identity of the urban male, as Niru Ratnam states, “using the devices of art to highlight the contradictions of reality” (1). Wiley engages these devices in a way that stimulates visual thought about the many socio-political issues challenging contemporary urban black and brown men in today’s institutions and societies.

Wiley draws upon a large array of influences for his work, from the portraiture of the Baroque period such as Peter Paul Rubens to his contemporary urban surroundings. Becoming very interested in the subject of portraiture, Wiley continues to contradict and challenge essentialist identities within the long held traditions of western canon. Favoring the non-essentialist idea that identity is something constructed and not inherently possessed, Wiley challenges these traditions by incorporating young black and brown men from within the urban setting in positions usually reserved for the powerful and wealthy European upper class. In art historical terms the portrait has been typically been reserved as an event or occasion for the elite, which presents their power and wealth in a thoughtful and heroic manner. Wiley has repeatedly challenged these notions, by utilizing chance moments that can be turned into something that not only opposes but participates in the traditions of western portraiture (2). In Count Potocki (Wiley, 2008, www.kehindewiley.com: March 14^th, 2010) (3) Wiley has appropriated the subject composition from the French painter Jacque-Louis David, in which the original composition portrays the equestrian Polish patron, politician, and writer Count Stanislas Potocki sitting atop a horse with his hat outstretched in his right hand. In Wiley’s version of Count Potocki (2008) (Ibid, 3), the black male subject is situated in the same position upon the horse as in the original composition, which can be seen to symbolically represent the displacement of European models of high culture and power within his work.

While history has generally looked upon the black male subject as something of a commodity or a fetishized object, Wiley has once again appropriated the tools of the traditional western canon to allow them to operate in a similar role while still critiquing the institutions they originate from. In Count Potocki (2008) (Ibid, 3), Wiley explores the legacy of the African subject within the western canon by engaging in a dialog of essentialist notions and the commodification of desire. In this portrait the subject projects a gaze that directly confronts the viewer in a position that the black male subject would not have traditionally taken within western portraiture. This new position seems to be representative of how Wiley is challenging issues regarding the definition of identity in terms of essentialism for the black male subject in today’s society. Wiley is attempting to show how as Stubblefield states that “ essentialism about race grants inappropriate and excessive meaning to features that are only skin deep” (4) thereby defying the idea that the black male subject is something of a commodity or fetishized object. This can be seen as a movement on Wiley’s behalf to refuse the ‘or’ in regards to the identity constructions of the urban black male within the legacy of the western canon (5). An assertion of power by the black male subject the Africanizes the European to represent the wide variety of identities we now see in our contemporary world.

Although Wiley is most notably known for his works in which he juxtaposes the compositions and traditional subject positions of the historically rich and powerful, yet like any true artist Wiley does not limit or define himself by this practice. Recently Wiley has expanded his gaze by working with subjects from urban areas abroad and outside of the American cities and streets in which his practice originated (Ibid, 2). While the subjectivity of the portraits has slightly changed, Wiley continues to engage in similar dialog and conversations of power that he introduced in his earlier American based subjects. As he continues to consider notions of power within his paintings, he has recently focused on the social realist poses of the Moa years that were developed during the Chinese Cultural Revolution that began in 1949. These poses that consider global, social, and political patterns illustrate a strong public presence that occupies space and represents the shift in power away from the traditional canons of the east and west. In Great Celebration of the Victorious People (Wiley, 2007, John Michael Kholer Arts Center, Sheboygan WI) (6) Wiley’s subject is seen energetically waving two red banners through the air against a highly decorative patterned background. Done in oil on canvas like most of his paintings, Wiley continues to raise questions and issues of identity through new and innovative ways. This portrayal almost immediately engages the viewer in questions of racial and national identity through illusions to dominance and power of the national presence. Making connections to national identity, the flags waved by the subject can be directly associated with the Chinese culture through the vibrant red color as it is the dominate color of the People’s Republic of China’s national flag. The color red also holds strong connections to the Communist party style of government implement in China during the Chinese Cultural Revolution. This association to the propaganda of the Moa years brings questions of racial identity to the forefront as Wiley explores the representation of our transnational world and the new identities we now see in the contemporary. In the context of Wiley’s use and execution regarding notions of powers, the composition seems to be a new take on his art historical representations of positions of power and identity. As the recent economic success of China’s Industries have positioned the country as one of the main players within the global market, Wiley seems to be acknowledging this fact and playing with the notion as he paints juxtaposes the subject positions of the urban black and brown male that assert their power and relevance within our world just as the People’s Republic of China has done. Appadurai explains this notion clearly as a whole new type of role within the contemporary world,

“The crucial point, however is that the United States is no longer the puppeteer of a world system of images, but is only one node of a complex transnational construction of imaginary landscapes. The world we live in today is characterized by a new role for the imagination in social life” (7).

The portrait Great Celebration of the Victorious People (2007) (Ibid, 6), can be seen as an example of how Wiley continues to represent the ever-changing geo-political constructions and notions of power that we see today in the contemporary era of globalizations as it relates to the identities of the urban black and brown male.

Kehinde Wiley uses traditional devices of the avant-garde like juxtaposition and appropriation that visually engage the viewer in complex conversations about the socio-political climate and how this affects urban black and brown identities. Basing a large majority of his earlier work in art historical composition inversions, Wiley initiates a variety creative ways to critique and participate in the western portraiture traditions he is working within. All off the portraits created focused primarily on the experience of the subject and what his experiences represent on a larger socio-political scale. Wiley’s increasingly popular status as a pop culture figure within the art world has allowed him to explore and present complex issues he has experienced as a young black man from Los Angeles, or to put it in more direct terms Wiley states “I do it because I want to see people who look like me” (8).

Endnotes

(1) Niru, Ratnum, “Art and Globalisation” Themes in Contemporary Art. Eds. Gill Perry and Paul Wood. New Haven and London: Yale University Press, 2004. 280-284.

(2) Brandon Brame, Fortune. “Interview with Kehinde Wiley.” National Portrait Gallery. Smithsonian, 03/14/2010. Web. March 14^th, 2010.

http://www.npg.si.edu/exhibit/recognize/interview_paintings.

(3) Wiley, Kehinde. Count Potocki. 2008. www.kehindewiley.com/main.html (March 14^th, 2010).

(4) Anna, Stubblefield. “Racial Identity and Non-essentialism about Race.” Social Theory & Practice. Volume 21 Issue 3 (1995): 341-68.

(5) Stuart, Hall. “What is this ‘Black’ in Black Popular Culture?” Black Popular Culture. Gina Dent. (Seatlle: Bay Press, 1992) pp.465-75.

(6) Wiley, Kehinde. Great Celebration of the Victorious People. 2007. John Michael Kohler Arts Center, Sheboygan WI. . www.kehindewiley.com/main.html (March 14^th, 2010)

(7) Arjun, Appadurai. “Disjuncture and Difference in the Global Cultural Economy.” Public Culture. Volume 2.2 (1990): 324-38.

(8) David, Keeps. “Wiley World.” Advocate Jun, 2009: 107-09.

Works Cited

Appadurai, Arjun. “Disjuncture and Difference in the Global Cultural Economy.” Public Culture. 2.2 (1990): pp. 324-38. Print

Fortune, Brandon Brame. “Interview with Kehinde Wiley.” Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery. Web. March 14^th, 2010. http://www.npg.si.edu/exhibit/recognize/interview_paintings.

Hall, Stuart. “What is this ‘Black’ in Black Popular Culture?” Black Popular Culture. Seatlle: Bay Press, 1992, pp. 465-75. Print.

Keeps, David. “Wiley World.” Advocate Jun, 2009: pp. 107-09. Print.

Niru, Ratnum, “Art and Globalisation” Themes in Contemporary Art. Gill Perry and Paul Wood. New Haven and London: Yale University Press, 2004, pp. 278-310. Print.

Stubblefield, Anna. “Racial Identity and Non-Essentialism about Race” Social Theory & Practice. Tallahassee: Florida Statue University, 1995.

Wiley, Kehinde. Count Potocki. 2008. Web, March 14^th, 2010. www.kehindewiley.com/main.html.

Wiley, Kehinde. Great Celebration of the Victorious People. 2007. John Michael Kohler Arts Center, Sheboygan WI. Web, March 14^th, 2010. www.kehindewiley.com/main.html.

Kehinde Wiley, Count Potocki, 2008

Kehinde Wiley, Great Celebration of the Victorious People, 2007

Justin Beale

Art 309: Migration and Visual Art

Greene

Kehinde Wiley and the Urban Male Identity

The contemporary New York City based portrait painter Kehinde Wiley has been turning exhibition goers head on end in recent years as his art awakens complex issues within the art world and society itself. Wiley has strongly asserted his position within art history’s portrait painting traditions by using historically based compositions and references that are then carried out and represented by young urban black and brown men from around the world. Following in the footsteps of many avant-garde artists alike, Wiley uses juxtaposed composition inversions that blur the boundaries of representation and identity if the urban man, as Niru Ratnam states, “using the devices of art to highlight the contradictions of reality” (1). Wiley engages these devices in a way that stimulates visual thought about many socio-political issues within human history that still remain relevant today.

Wiley draws upon a large array of influences for his work from the portraiture of the Baroque era such as Peter Paul Rubens to his contemporary urban surroundings. Becoming very interested in the subject of portraiture, Wiley continues to contradict and challenge the long held traditions of portraiture by incorporating urban men in positions usually reserved for the powerful and wealthy. In art historical terms the portrait was reserved as an event or occasion of the elite, which presented their power and wealth in a thoughtful and heroic manner. Wiley has repeatedly challenged these notions, favoring chance moments that can be turned into something that not only opposed but participates in the traditions of Western portraiture (2). In Count Potocki (Wiley, 2008, www.kehindwiley.com: March 14, 2010) (3) Wiley appropriates the subject composition from the French painter Jacque-Louis David, the original composition portrays the equestrian Polish patron, politician, and writer sitting on a horse hat outstretched in his right hand. In Wiley’s version of Count Potocki the black male subject is positioned on the horse, which can be symbolically seen as a representation of the contradictions of power seen in his work. While the artist does not directly state a connection, the political climate of the year in which this portrait was made could very well have been a source of inspiration or site of focus and at the very least a coincidental compliment, as this black male figure is juxtaposed into the historically political position of this composition in the same year Barack Obama became the first African American president of the United States.

Although Wiley is most notably known for his works in which he juxtaposes the compositions and subject positions historically traditional of the rich and powerful, yet like any true Artist Wiley does not limit or define himself by this practice. Recently the artist has expanded his gaze by working with subjects from urban areas abroad and outside of the streets and cities of American (2). While the subjectivity of the portraits has slightly changed, Wiley is still continuing to engage in the dialogs and conversations of power he introduced in his earlier American based subjects. As he continues to explore notions of power in his paintings, he has focused recently on the social realist poses of the Moa years during the Chinese Cultural Revolution that began in 1949. These poses, which consider the global social political patterns often occupy the space in a way that presents a strong public presence. In Great Celebration of the Victorious People (Wiley, 2007, John Michael Kohler Arts Center, Sheboygan WI) (4) Wiley’s subject is seen waving red banners through the air against a highly decorative patterned background. Done in oil on canvas like most of his paintings, Wiley continues to raise questions and issues of identity through new and innovative ways. This portrayal almost immediately engages the viewer in questions of racial and national identities through the illusions to dominance and power of the national presence. Making connections to national identity the subject’s red flags being waved energetically can be associated to the Chinese culture through the color as it is the dominant color of the Peoples Republic of China’s flag, which also has strong associations with the communist party and style of government implemented during the Chinese Cultural Revolution. This association with the propaganda of the Moa years brings questions of racial identity to the forefront in this composition. In the context of Wiley’s use and execution of power, the recent economic success that has positioned China as one of the main players in the globalized world seems to be a new take on art historical plays on power positions and the juxtaposed positions urban black and brown men are incorporated in. Appadurai explains this clearly as a whole new type of role,

“The crucial point, however is that the United States is no longer the puppeteer of a world system of images, but is only one node of a complex transnational construction of imaginary landscapes. The world we live in today is characterized by a new role for the imagination in social life” (5).

This exhibition of The World Stage: China, can be seen as an example of how Wiley represents the ever changing geo-political constructions and politics of power we are seeing today in this era of globalization as it relates to identities of the urban male.

Kehinde Wiley uses traditional devices of the avant-garde like juxtaposition and appropriate that visually engages the viewer in the complex conversations about the socio-political climate and how this affects urban black and brown identities. Basing a large majority of his earlier work in art historical compositions, Wiley initiates creative ways to critique and participate in the portraiture traditions he is working within. All of the portraits created focus primarily on the experience of the subject and what his experiences represent on a larger socio political scale. Wiley’s increasingly popular status as a pop culture figure in the art world has allowed him to explore and present complex issues he experienced as a young black man from Los Angeles, or to put it in more direct terms Wiley states “I do it because I want to see people who look like me.”

End Notes

(1) Niru, Ratnum, “Art and Globalisation” Themes in Contemporary Art. Eds. Gill Perry and Paul Wood. New Haven and London: Yale University Press, 2004. 280-284.

(2) Fortune, Brandon Brame. “Interview with Kehinde Wiley.” National Portrait Gallery. Smithsonian, 03/14/2010. Web. 14 Mar 2010. http://www.npg.si.edu/exhibit/recognize/interview_paintings.

(3) Wiley, Kehinde. Count Potocki. 2008. www.kehindewiley.com/main.html (14 March, 2010).

(4) Wiley, Kehinde. Great Celebration of the Victorious People. 2007. John Michael Kohler Arts Center, Sheboygan WI. . www.kehindewiley.com/main.html (14 March,2010)

(5) Keeps, David. “Wiley World.” Advocate Jun, 2009: 107-09.

Works Cited

Appadurai, Arjun. “Disjuncture and Difference in the Global Cultural Economy.” Public Culture. 2. 2 (1990): 324-38. Print

Fortune, Brandon Brame. “Interview with Kehinde Wiley.” National Portrait Gallery.

Smithsonian, 03/14/2010. Web. 14 Mar 2010. http://www.npg.si.edu/exhibit/recognize/interview_paintings.

Keeps, David. “Wiley World.” Advocate Jun, 2009: 107-09. Print.

Niru, Ratnum, “Art and Globalisation” Themes in Contemporary Art. Eds. Gill Perry and Paul Wood. New Haven and London: Yale University Press, 2004. 278-310. Print.