Renowned for his iconic portrait of Barack Obama, artist Kehinde Wiley has dedicated his artistic career to capturing the vibrancy of everyday Black people. His latest exhibition, “An Archaeology of Silence,” delves into themes of grief, mourning, and the inherent value of living. In an interview with Jeffrey Brown for PBS’s arts and culture series, […]
NEW YORK (AP) — As the nation debates what to do with civic statues that glorify slavery and white supremacy, one artist has a solution. Kehinde Wiley wants more art. Wiley, who was tapped to paint Barack Obama for the National Portrait Gallery, thinks monuments to Confederate figures need to be placed in their social […]
NEW YORK (AP) — Artist Kehinde Wiley will unveil his first monumental public sculpture in New York’s Times Square this fall in response to Confederate statues nationwide. Times Square Arts, the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts and gallery owner Sean Kelly announced Thursday that the bronze “Rumors of War” sculpture features a young black male […]
As the highly anticipated portraits of former president Obama and first lady Michelle are unveiled at the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery on Monday morning, history is made. Amy Sherald and Kehinde Wiley, personally selected by the Obamas, are the first African-Americans commissioned to paint official presidential portraits. The artists of choice are stirring conversations […]