Renowned artist Kehinde Wiley, celebrated for being the first African-American artist to officially depict a US president in his 2018 portrait of Barack Obama, has extended his artistic talents to current and former African leaders.
Wiley has completed a striking collection of 11 paintings featuring portraits of various African heads of state, including Ghanaian President Nana Akufo-Addo, former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo, and Ethiopia’s President Sahle-Work Zewde.
The exhibition, titled “Kehinde Wiley: A Maze Of Power,” recently opened at the Musée du Quai Branly – Jacques Chirac in Paris, France, and will be on display until January 2024.
These remarkable portraits, a decade in the making, were informed by Wiley’s extensive travels across Africa from 2012 to the present. During these journeys, he engaged in discussions with diverse leaders, delving into themes such as the historical context of aristocratic, royal, and military portraiture prevalent in 17th to 19th-century Europe.
These conversations profoundly influenced his artistic compositions, allowing him to capture each leader’s unique perspective on the role of a contemporary African leader. Wiley’s objective with this exhibition is to provide viewers with a fresh and expansive outlook on art’s connection to Africa, its culture, and the concept of power.
Source: BBC
