Kehinde Wiley is an American artist best known for his portraits that render people of colour in the traditional settings of Old Master paintings. Here, Wiley responds to famous landscapes in a brand new exhibition.
His work references the canon of European portraiture by positioning contemporary Black sitters, from a range of ethnic and social backgrounds, in the poses of the original historical, religious, or mythological figures.
His images raise questions about power, privilege, identity, and above all highlight the absence or relegation of Black figures within European art.
In a new collaboration with the National Gallery, Wiley responds to the Western landscape tradition and its epic ocean and mountain scenes, with new artworks on display for the first time.
