Kehinde Wiley

By applying the visual vocabulary and conventions of glorification, wealth, prestige, and history to subject matter drawn from the urban fabric, Kehinde Wiley makes his subjects and their stylistic references juxtaposed inversions of each other, forcing ambiguity and provocative perplexity to pervade his imagery. As technically impressive as they are conceptually complex, Wiley's portraits feature young black men in classic heroic poses, destabilising canonical ideas of white masculinity and power. In his related, ongoing 'World Stage' series, Wiley's heroic figures are depicted in front of colourful background patterns that make specific reference to textiles and decorative patterns of various cultures, from 19^th-century Judaica paper cutouts to Martha Stewart's interior colour swatches. Wiley's penchant for jarring juxtapositions stems from his desire to complicate notions of group identity.