From Kitsch to Kehinde: The Bold and the Beautiful in Wiley's Wild World

Kehinde Wiley is a renowned Nigerian-American painter, best known for his naturalistic portraits of African Americans. He has a net worth of approximately $5 million, earned primarily through his artwork sales, exhibitions, and commissions, including a famous presidential portrait of Barack Obama.

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NEGATIVE THINGS LUMINARIES HAVE SAID ABOUT HIM

1. "Wiley's work trades in a kind of sensationalism that verges on kitsch." - Jerry Saltz, art critic for New York Magazine
2. "His portraits can feel like one-liners." - Roberta Smith, art critic for The New York Times
3. "Wiley's art is too often accused of being shallow, flashy and superficial." - Artnet News
4. "Wiley's work is often criticized for its reliance on decorative elements at the expense of deeper meaning." - Artnews
5. "His work is too dependent on the old-school tradition, which doesn't have the same relevance today." - ArtRevie

POSITIVE THINGS LUMINARIES HAVE SAID ABOUT HIM

1. "Kehinde has an extraordinary talent for capturing the grace and dignity of his subjects." - Barack Obama, 44th President of the United States
2. "Wiley is a master at synthesizing history, identity, and style." - Thelma Golden, Director and Chief Curator of the Studio Museum in Harlem
3. "Kehinde Wiley's art is powerful, arresting and unapologetic." - Alicia Keys, musician and activist
4. "He is a unique artist who has a tremendous ability to mix the traditional with the contemporary." - Jeffrey Deitch, art dealer and former director of the Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles
5. "Kehinde Wiley is a truly transformative force in the world of contemporary art." - Anne Pasternak, director of the Brooklyn Museum

HOW HE GOT STARTED

Kehinde Wiley's interest in art began at a young age when his mother enrolled him in weekend art classes at the age of 11. He later attended the Los Angeles County High School for the Arts and continued his studies at the prestigious San Francisco Art Institute, where he earned his BFA.

Wiley went on to complete his MFA from Yale University's School of Art. His focus on African American portraiture began as a response to the lack of representation of Black individuals in traditional Western art.

HIS BIG BREAK

Wiley's big break came in 2001 when his work was included in the exhibition "Freestyle" at the Studio Museum in Harlem. The show featured young African American artists, and it was here that Wiley's signature style of portraying African American subjects in classical poses against vibrant, decorative backgrounds caught the attention of the art world.

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

1. Exhibition at the Studio Museum in Harlem (2001)
2. Solo exhibition at the Brooklyn Museum (2015)
3. Presidential portrait commission for Barack Obama (2018)
4. Inclusion in the permanent collection of the National Portrait Gallery (2018)
5. Solo exhibition at the National Gallery in London (2020)

WHEN HE CAME OUT

Kehinde Wiley has been open about his sexuality throughout his career. As an openly gay man, he has been a role model for young LGBTQ+ artists and individuals. Wiley has discussed his experiences as a gay Black artist in numerous interviews, emphasizing the importance of representation and visibility for the LGBTQ+ community.

PHILOSOPHY

Wiley's artistic philosophy is centered on the reclamation and celebration of Black identity within the context of Western art history. He often draws inspiration from traditional European portraiture, reimagining these historical works with contemporary Black subjects. By placing African Americans in the context of classical art, Wiley challenges and subverts traditional notions of power, beauty, and representation. In a 2018 interview with The Guardian, Wiley stated, "My work is about cultural power and painting as a Trojan horse for getting these ideas out into the world"

RELATIONSHIP STATUS

Kehinde Wiley has kept his personal life private and has not publicly discussed his romantic relationships.

LGBT PHILANTHROPY

While specific details about Kehinde Wiley's philanthropic efforts are not publicly available, he has been an outspoken advocate for LGBTQ+ rights and representation. He has used his platform to raise awareness about issues facing the LGBTQ+ community and has encouraged visibility and acceptance through his artwork and public statements.

CONTROVERSIES

1. Use of assistants in the creation of his artworks: Wiley has been criticized for employing a team of assistants to help produce his paintings, leading to debates about the authenticity and originality of his work.
2. Accusations of plagiarism: In 2018, Wiley was accused of plagiarizing elements of a painting by a lesser-known artist. While the claim was later dismissed, it sparked conversations about artistic appropriation and originality.
3. Sexualized portrayal of women in his work: Wiley has faced criticism for his portrayal of women in some of his paintings, with critics arguing that these depictions can be overly sexualized and objectifying.

LITTLE KNOWN FACTS

1. Wiley's father is Nigerian, and his mother is African American.
2. He spent time in Nigeria during his childhood, where he was inspired by the rich culture and artistic heritage.
3. Wiley has a twin brother named Taiwo, who is a doctor.

SPEECHES

In a 2015 TEDx talk, Wiley discussed his artistic journey and the importance of representation in art:

"In a strange way, I began to see the power that art has in the world...The ability to be able to say yes in a world that's constantly telling you no, to be able to say yes to the people who look like me, to be able to say yes to the kids who grew up in South Central, to say yes to the people who never imagined that they'd see themselves in this context. And so in a strange way, the work began to take on a life of its own, and I began to see that the power of art is not only in its ability to tell stories, but it's also in its ability to change the world."

BOOKS

1. Kehinde Wiley: A New Republic (2015) - This book, published in conjunction with Wiley's solo exhibition at the Brooklyn Museum, explores the artist's career and features over 60 of his paintings.
2. Kehinde Wiley: The World Stage (2010) - This publication focuses on Wiley's "World Stage" series, in which he portrayed individuals from various countries and cultural backgrounds in the style of classical portraiture.

DOCUMENTARIES

Kehinde Wiley: An Economy of Grace (2014) - This documentary, directed by Jeff Dupre, provides an intimate look at Wiley's creative process and artistic philosophy as he embarks on a new series of paintings featuring Black women.

QUOTES ATTRIBUTED TO KEHINDE WILEY

1. "Art is about changing what we see in our everyday lives and representing it in such a way that it gives us hope."
2. "The whole conversation of my work has to do with power and who has it."
3. "My love affair with painting is bittersweet. I love the history of art – you understand that good artists borrow but great artists steal."
4. "Painting is about the world we live in. Black people live in the world. My choice is to include them. This is my way of saying yes to us."
5. "The world is full of images. Our culture is saturated with them. I'm interested in making something that is absolutely beautiful but has the power to change the conversation."