The Phoenix Art Museum will present
Kehinde Wiley: Memling, an exhibition of a new series of works by Kehinde Wiley. The eight portraits included in the exhibition take their poses and contexts from the oeuvre of the 15th century Flemish master Hans Memling, but substitute the figures with contemporary young men of color. The exhibition will be on view from February 20 through June 23, 2013.
Memling was among the first portrait painters to depict individuals who were not royalty or members of the clergy; his images of the growing, powerful merchant class of his day represent a quiet revolution within Flemish society and a significant break from the tradition of portraiture. Wiley's homage to Memling’s paintings are part of his larger project exploring the place of the individual within society by reevaluating questions of how young men of color are seen and defined. Presented in elaborate frames echoing the Flemish tradition against a landscape referencing Memling's style, Wiley’s portraits place his contemporary sitters in a position that is deeply coded within the context of art history.
On the occasion of the opening of the exhibition, Kehinde Wiley will be in conversation at the museum with curator Sara Cochran discussing his new body of work and his on-going interest in using art history to explore contemporary issues.
For more information on the exhibition and the speaking engagement, please visit the
Phoenix Art Museum's website.
For press inquiries, please contact Maureen Bray at 212.239.1181 or via email at maureen@skny.com. For all other inquiries, please contact Janine Cirincione at 212.239.1181 or via email at janine@skny.com.
Photography: Kwaku Alston
