Morthyn Brito II 2012

Editor: Here we have Kehinde Wiley's "Morthyn Brito II" from 2012, an incredible mixed-media painting. The contrast between the floral wallpaper and the contemporary figure is striking! What are your initial thoughts on how Wiley tackles representation in this piece? Curator: Wiley consistently reclaims historical portraiture, often referencing specific works by European masters, to insert young Black men into canons that have historically excluded them. Think about the grand manner portraits of nobility - now reimagined with contemporary figures encountered on the streets. The patterned backgrounds, referencing fabrics and design, aren’t merely decorative. Editor: Right, it's like he's directly challenging the power dynamics inherent in those traditional portraits. How does that impact the viewer's understanding? Curator: It reframes the gaze. He disrupts the established visual language of power and privilege. Instead of detached authority, we see an assertion of presence, individuality and also a vulnerability by contrasting them with, in the older tradition, backdrops denoting power and class. It is as much an internal exploration as external representation. Does the floral backdrop celebrate and uplift, or imprison our hero? Editor: That’s such an important distinction – the flowers could represent celebration or confinement. Curator: Exactly. It also encourages us to examine the institutions – museums, galleries, art history itself – that have perpetuated these power structures. Wiley makes us think about whose stories are told and whose are not, and why. What does inserting modern young Black men into history say about access to opportunities in education and the fine arts, versus media’s impact? Editor: I hadn’t considered the power structures present in the fine arts, especially about whose stories were chosen. It opens up so many interesting discussions! Curator: Absolutely! Art gives voice to ideas and starts meaningful conversations.