Fall 2009

Kehinde Wiley painted this in his signature style, popping a contemporary figure against a backdrop of vibrant florals. Imagine him layering those patterns, one bloom at a time. It's not just decoration, though, is it? It's almost like the flowers are trying to climb off the canvas, creating this wild tension with the calm, cool guy in the foreground. I wonder if Wiley was thinking about wallpaper when he made this? You know, the way it flattens space and pushes everything forward. I love how the light catches his skin, making him almost glow. It reminds me of those old master paintings, but with a fresh twist. And that pose! So casual, so confident. It's like he's saying, "Yeah, I'm here, deal with it." Painters, we're always riffing off each other, borrowing ideas, and remixing them into something new. It’s a conversation across time, a kind of visual jam session. And ambiguity is the name of the game.