Kehinde Wiley
|
Exhibitions
"Kehinde Wiley: A New Republic"
2017 - Brooklyn Museum, New York, USA (traveled to several venues)
A major mid-career retrospective that featured over 60 works, including portraits, stained glass, and sculptures. The exhibition showcased Wiley’s exploration of race, power, and the art historical canon, reimagining traditional European portraiture with contemporary Black subjects.
"Rumors of War"
2019 - Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, Richmond, USA
This exhibition featured Wiley’s monumental sculpture, a direct response to the Confederate monuments in the United States. The piece depicts a young African American man in modern streetwear, posed on a horse in the style of traditional equestrian statues, challenging historical narratives of power and representation.
"Kehinde Wiley: Saint Louis"
2018 - Saint Louis Art Museum, St. Louis, USA
A solo exhibition that focused on Wiley’s portraits of residents from the city of Saint Louis, continuing his exploration of the relationship between power, identity, and place. The works reflect on the intersection of historical portraiture and contemporary Black identity.
"The World Stage: Africa, Lagos ~ Dakar"
2008 - Studio Museum in Harlem, New York, USA
Part of Wiley’s "World Stage" series, this exhibition featured portraits of young men from Africa, incorporating elements of traditional African textiles and patterns. The series aimed to globalize the discourse on race, identity, and power in art.
"Kehinde Wiley: The Yellow Wallpaper"
2021 - William Morris Gallery, London, UK
A solo exhibition that included new works by Wiley, inspired by Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s famous short story. The exhibition explored themes of confinement, identity, and resistance, using Wiley’s characteristic style of vibrant, detailed portraits set against ornate backgrounds.
"Kehinde Wiley: In Search of the Miraculous"
2017 - Stephen Friedman Gallery, London, UK
A solo exhibition where Wiley expanded his practice to include seascapes, exploring the theme of migration and the search for identity through a series of paintings that reinterpret traditional maritime art with contemporary relevance.