:::watch:::Kehinde Wiley::Isreal

i recently saw kehinde wiley speak at LACMA (la county museum of art) and i am so excited to see his new exhibit! robert & tilton, here i come! Viva Kehinde!

Kehinde Wiley vs. Michael Jackson

So, it is no secret that I love the artist Kehinde Wiley! I love everything thing he does. I just found this while poking around on the internet this morning. The story goes, that the King of Pop commissioned some portraits by Wiley. He contacted Wiley, and Wiley thought it was a joke, but looked into it and it turned out that MJ was really trying to reach him. He was in the middle of completing the piece when he heard of MJ's passing, but decided to finish it and display it. It is a most beautiful tribute to a fascinating man. Enjoy! Thanks racewire, for sharing :)

Kehinde Wiley is Bonkers with the Art!

So I have been following Kehinde Wiley since my boy Ali Evans, from the Studio Museum in Harlem, put me up on him. Up until last week, I had only seen his work online and in books. I've always appreciated the portrayal of young black men represented as renaissance royalty. Something about it warmed my heart and really captured the beauty and strength of my folks. Then last week, my artsy fartsy friends and I swooped in on the Roberts & Tilton Gallery (http://www.robertsandtilton.com/) in Culver City, CA to see Kehinde's art, up close and personal. First of all, not only is it even more stunning in person, but the pieces are massive. Like mural size! I wasn't ready for the scale of the art, but it only added to the grandiosity that is Kehinde and his work. This particular exhibit was entitled The World State, and in this third installment which has also covered West Africa and China) he plays artist/anthropologist and takes us with his to Brazil. The colors are incredible and if I win the lottery I am buying on of those pieces, for sure! If you are in LA, please don't miss a chance to check out his work before the end of May. Did I mention that he is originally from LA, maybe that is why he is so dope! (smiles)