Anderson S. Da Fonseca 2009

Kehinde Wiley created this portrait of Anderson S. Da Fonseca, and it strikes me how the painting holds this person in a powerful gaze against a flat yet vibrating background. Imagine Wiley, brush in hand, building this image layer by layer, wrestling with the realism of the figure against the patterned ground, and the colours! How they buzz and sing together, those oranges, pinks, and teals, each layer a step towards something resolved, yet open. That upward glance—is it defiance, or is it an invitation? It reminds me of Warhol and Hockney, these painters who knew how to freeze a feeling, and how a painting can invite endless stories and possibilities. It’s not just about likeness; it’s about presence, and what it means to look, to see, and to be seen. The conversation continues.