Jacob De Graeff 2018

Kehinde Wiley made this painting, Jacob De Graeff, using oil on canvas. It’s all about the layering, you know? The way Wiley mixes the classical portrait vibe with modern streetwear and a wallpaper backdrop. Look at the surface. The paint isn't trying to hide itself. It’s pretty flat in some areas and the botanical elements almost seem stenciled on, but then there are these little details like the subtle shading on the figure's face, which has this soft, diffused quality. Notice that floral pattern creeping all over the guy’s blazer, the way it kinda melts into the background but also pops out? I mean, that’s some serious visual play right there! It’s like Wiley’s saying painting doesn’t have to be one thing or another, it can be a whole messy conversation between different styles and times. It puts me in mind of David Hockney, maybe, that same love for pattern and unexpected color. It's a fresh take, and I'm here for it.