Jean De Carondelet III 2013

Kehinde Wiley made Jean De Carondelet III using oil on canvas. I can imagine Wiley, born in '77, grappling with art history, questioning representation. It's like he's saying, "Let's take these old power structures and flip them." He merges classical portraiture with contemporary black culture, creating a vibrant dialogue. The bright yellow jacket pops, while the floral backdrop hums with life, almost swallowing the figure. The brushwork in the face is smooth, precise. The jacket, though, has a certain heft, doesn't it? You feel its weight, its texture. Those little gestures of the hand—what are they saying? It's like a modern saint, a street-style icon, bathed in a historical glow. Wiley's paintings, they're not just images, they’re conversations, arguments, celebrations. It's painting in the expanded field.