Anthony Of Padua 2013

Kehinde Wiley made this painting, Anthony Of Padua, with oil paint, in a style that is highly detailed and realistic, but also embraces pattern and decoration. I love the combination of the figure's contemporary clothing with the traditional pose and the ornate floral background. Notice how the bright red of the background clashes with the green of the tracksuit, and yet they somehow work together. The flowers spill over onto the figure's pants, blurring the line between foreground and background. Look at how the light catches the figure's skin, making it glow. Wiley's mastery of light and shadow gives the figure a sculptural presence, as if he were emerging from the canvas. Wiley’s work calls to mind artists like Chris Ofili who mix the sacred and the profane to challenge art historical conventions. But Wiley's paintings have a unique voice, speaking to issues of race, representation, and power in a way that is both beautiful and provocative.