Most widely acclaimed for his reverent paintings of Black young men, Kehinde Wiley has also created photographs of the same subject matter and utilizes the medium as an integral element of his studio practice. In September 2009, Deitch Projects showcased 17 of his pictures in the exhibition Black Light.
Rather than oil and canvas, Wiley employed illumination and post-production processes to generate regal likenesses. Wiley’s sitters – posed in the style of the Old Masters are surrounded by vivid, lively patterns sampled from 1950s home décor magazines and a 1999 Martha Stewart furnishings collection. Shot from a slightly lower angle, the camera peers upwards towards the subjects, conferring status and prestige onto the men. In keeping with Wiley’s paintings, the photographs subvert traditions of portraiture by recasting the subject as a modern, Black man whilst retaining the grand backgrounds and formal physicality.
