Kehinde Wiley: A NEW REPUBLIC is now at the Seattle Art Museum. The exhibit showcases the powerful and poignant work of one of America’s leading contemporary artists. Composed of approximately 60 works—including paintings, sculptures, videos, and stained glass windows—the exhibition provides an overview of Wiley’s prolific 14-year career, prominently featuring his signature figurative canvases of black men in which he ingeniously reworks the grand portraiture traditions of Western culture. During a residency at the Studio Museum in Harlem in the early 2000s, Wiley found inspiration in the assertive and self-empowered young men of the neighborhood. He engaged subjects for portraits, asking them to pick a pose and dress themselves as they would like to be seen. Wiley then recast these photographic studies in the style of traditional history painting. Like the mashup or remix in hip hop, Wiley combined details from diverse sources—aristocratic portraits of 18th-century Europe, bucolic 19th-century wallpapers, electric contemporary colors, and the presence of his contemporary subjects—to present something provocatively new. This process allows him to reenter the established history and power structure, reaching back in time to imagine a different future – a new republic.

Kehinde Wiley shows the artist’s progression as he began to work in various mediums and deepened his explorations of race, gender, sexual innuendo, and the politics of representation. The exhibition includes a selection from Wiley’s ongoing World Stage project, which he initiated in 2006 by establishing a satellite studio in Beijing followed by cities in other countries including Nigeria, Brazil, India, Israel, Jamaica, and Haiti. The series touches on the commonalities found across nations and cultures with a history of colonialism and diverse populations.

“Kehinde Wiley’s work is absolutely gorgeous and fascinating. Moreover, it engages with timely issues in a very compelling way. The Brooklyn Museum has been a wonderful partner in organizing this exhibition, and I’m thrilled to bring these vibrant and necessary works to Seattle. Prepare to be wowed.” Kimerly Rorschach, SAM’s Illsley Ball Nordstrom Director and CEO.

Kehinde Wiley: A New Repblic is at the Simonyi Special Galleries at The Seattle Art Museum from February 11 – MAY 8 2016.