There are moments in art and design when I struggle with the decorative nature of

There are moments in art and design when I struggle with the decorative nature of the things I love. I know that these parts of design (pattern, color, furniture) have the power to make people feel at home in their spaces, but I also know that they don’t begin to touch on deeper topics that rattle around in my mind and heart — especially right now. But every now and then there are artists and artworks that are able to brilliantly blend decorative arts and art history with deeply meaningful and symbolic statements about cultural and political issues. One of the artists I admire most for this ability (and so much more) is Kehinde Wiley.
Born in Los Angeles, CA in 1977, Kehinde now lives and works in New York City where he is known for his striking portraiture. Kehinde’s work references classic paintings and composition from art history and replaces the main figures with young black men and women. Their striking portraits are complemented by richly colored and patterned backgrounds that recall a wide range of decorative styles, from baroque and rococo to floral and damask prints.
While discussing his portraiture focusing on black men and women, Kehinde said:
“I loved when I walked into LACMA as a kid and seeing Kerry James Marshall?s grand barbershop painting. But it was thrown into very sharp relief when thinking about the absence of other black images in that muse...