Known for his large paintings of contemporary African-Americans in heroic poses inspired by the great history and portrait painters of the past, Kehinde Wiley's clever and ironic "reversals" haveprovided rich commentary on the nature of race and power in our society. His work began primarily from photographs he took of young men on the street in Harlem that he remixed with a fusion ofhistoric painting styles, including elements of the French rococo. Wiley's work has drawn attention since his earliest shows in 2001. In the last decade, he has become one of the most important artistsof the moment, with work as relevant and resonant to the hip-hop generation as it is to high-end collectors and major museums. This volume - the only comprehensive monograph on Wiley's work- features over 200 images, and offers an in-depth understanding of this important artist's work. Renowned art historian Robert Hobbs considers Wiley's work's intersection with historical paintingand genres of art creating the most thoughtful, in-depth close readings of the myriad of historical paintings that have influenced Wiley's work. It chronicles both the earliest paintings and photographsand his recent forays into sculpture-bust portraits in bronze in the manner of Renaissance artists.
