Fall 2009

Kehinde Wiley made ‘Fall’ at an unspecified date, and I’m immediately drawn to the way he balances realism with flat pattern. It's like, how do you make a painting that's both a window and a wall? The colours are really saturated, and the way the figure is rendered is super smooth and almost hyperreal, contrasting with the ornamental background. The flowers in the background create a dizzying effect, making the figure almost pop out. Look at the way the figure is lit, how the light falls on their face and clothes, and how this contrasts with the flat areas of pure color. Wiley, to me, is in conversation with artists like David Hockney, who also play with flatness and depth. Both ask, how can we create a sense of space, while reminding the viewer that this is just paint on a flat surface? It's not about tricking the eye, but about opening up new ways of seeing.