Kehinde Wiley creates paradigm shift in the art world – CBS Sunday Morning

Published in November 2015 by CBS Sunday Morning

Brief overview

Kehinde Wiley, a rising young painter, is creating a paradigm shift in the art world by depicting men of color in street dress using classical styles. His work is both socially relevant and artistically significant, drawing attention from high art culture mavens and those who are drawn to his hip-hop and street culture references.

Highlights

• Wiley’s work is considered so hip that it has been used as a backdrop in the Fox series Empire.
• Wiley’s paintings sell for as much as $400,000 and are considered important enough that a survey of his career is now on view at the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth.
• Wiley’s work is not without its critics, who argue that he is exploiting his subjects and that his work is cartoonish.
• Wiley’s work has evolved over time, and he now includes women in his artistic repertoire, often painting them in designer gowns.
• Wiley has traveled the world painting young men from Brazil to Morocco to Israel, and his work has become increasingly popular.

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