For this assignment, I watched Kehinde Wiley's artist lecture at the Oklahoma Museum of Art for 50 minutes. Wiley outlined his process and the path of experimentation he took to get to his very recognizable style of painting. I think it was very interesting to see some of his earlier works and explorations of his subject matter. It is inspiring to see the different phases he went through to get to the one we see here. It is also interesting to see him explain the build up to the meanings behind many of his pieces, that he still tries to convey with many of his current works. I think that I really am trying to find a meaning to go behind my art and its starting in a really abstract way, just like some of Wiley's earlier pieces. He started exploring black hair with general themes and symbols, mostly focusing on the hair but also incorporating the concept of twins into it. As he continued to create, he was inspired by portraiture and the ways it is seen in less artistic ways, like a mugshot. this led to him experimenting with models, where he eventually led to focus on the construct of black masculinity, which informs much of his current work. It is comforting to see such a established, skilled artist that really had a struggle to get to the brand they hold today.
23cgolden
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