“Portraiture is trying to approximate the temperature of someone. The way that they dress, the way that they see themselves as elevated. I encourage my models to go through art history books and look at the poses that old aristocrats were holding in original paintings.”
-Kehinde Wiley, episode 315 of Talk Easy with Sam Fragoso
Today, we sit with renowned artist Kehinde Wiley on the opening night of Colorful Realm, his new exhibition at Roberts Projects in Los Angeles.
At the top, Wiley walks through the Japanese influence behind his latest paintings (5:05), his upbringing in South Central Los Angeles (10:36), and the profound impact of artist Kerry James Marshall’s 1993 piece De Style (12:57). Then, he reflects on a formative MFA program at Yale (19:41), his residency at the Studio Museum under Thelma Golden (19:41) and how he began casting portrait subjects from the streets of New York City (22:42).
On the back-half, we discuss Wiley’s 2001 piece Conspicuous Fraud #1 (Eminence) (26:02), the guiding philosophy behind his work (27:48), his enduring portrait of former President Barack Obama (32:07), and what he hopes to create in years to come (34:55).
Kehinde Wiley: A Virtual Exhibit
Portrait of John Adewumi, 2023
Oil on linen
96 x 72 in (243.8 x 182.9 cm) canvas
104 x 80 x 5 in (264.2 x 203.2 x 12.7 cm) framed
Photo by: Robert Wedemeyer
Courtesy: Kehinde Wiley and Roberts Projects, Los Angeles, CA
Portrait of Prince Anthony Hall, 2020
Oil on linen
96 x 72 in (243.8 x 182.9 cm) canvas
106 x 80 x 5 in (264.2 x 203.2 x 12.7 cm) framed
Photo by: Robert Wedemeyer
Courtesy: Kehinde Wiley and Roberts Projects, Los Angeles, CA
Conspicuous Fraud #1 (Eminence), 2001
Oil on canvas
72 1/2 x 72 1/2 in.
Courtesy: Kehinde Wiley and The Studio Museum in Harlem, New York
Barack Obama, 2018
Oil on canvas
84 1/18 x 57 7/8 x 1 1/4 in.
(213.7 x 147 x 3.2 cm)
Courtesy: Kehinde Wiley and National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution
Show-notes:
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- See Kehinde’s new exhibition Colorful Realm at Roberts Projects in Los Angeles through April 8th, 2023.
- For more of his work, visit his website.
- Learn about Kehinde’s artist in residence program Black Rock Senegal.
- Follow him on Instagram and Twitter.
- For more, hear our recommended talks with Hank Willis Thomas, Toyin Ojih Odutola, Marina Abramović, Antwaun Sargent, and Joel Meyerowitz.
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Original illustration by: Krishna Shenoi. Reference image by: Bradley Ogbonna.
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