St. Francis 2007

Kehinde Wiley made this painting of St. Francis with oils and a lot of skill. The contrast between the figure and the decorative background must have presented so many challenges in the act of painting itself! I can only imagine Wiley, thinking about historical portraiture, but wanting to replace the status and class of the original models. What did it feel like for him to make this move? To place a contemporary figure in the role and garb of a historical saint. There's something so smart about how he uses colour to bring those things together – like the blues and whites in the floral wallpaper that are echoed in the man’s tracksuit and sportswear. I love this painting as a dialogue across time.