The former United States President, Barack Obama, recently bestowed the honour of drawing his official portrait for the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery on Nigerian-American artist Kehinde Wiley.
Although his name, Kehinde, is known to be of the Yoruba tribe, Wikipedia states that his father is Ibibio/Akwa Ibom State, while his mother is African-American.
Kehinde’s selection by Obama is not all ‘race’ and ‘color.’ The California-born artist is truly a master of his craft. He is known for his paintings of African-Americans and reinterpretations of classic artworks.
Here are 8 remarkable paintings by Kehinde portraying his genius.
1. Portrait of Lynette Yiadom-Boakye, Jacob Morland of Capplethwaite
https://www.instagram.com/p/BVafGyElyJn/
2. Portrait of Carrie Mae Weems, Eris, 2017
https://www.instagram.com/p/BVAgjb9FplJ/
3. Resilient
https://www.instagram.com/p/BMmrl-5jaK3/
4. Two Cameroonian farmers oil on canvas
https://www.instagram.com/p/8ik9kFDg3G/
5. “A New Republic” MORPHEUS 2008 oil on linen
https://www.instagram.com/p/BA98XWpjg9p/
6. A Dead Soldier, 2007
https://www.instagram.com/p/2TYW2ijg2T/
7. World Stage Jamaica ” Alexander I, Emperor of Russia, 2013
https://www.instagram.com/p/BPnxZoWloKU/
8. Glenn Ligon, Hermes, 2017
https://www.instagram.com/p/BU12KgxlrRI/
