Baptism Of Clovis 2005

Editor: Here we have Kehinde Wiley's "Baptism of Clovis," painted in 2005, using oils. The way the subject is centered against that striking patterned background is pretty arresting. What’s your take on this work? Curator: Looking at Wiley's use of oil paint here, it’s clear he’s engaging in a complex conversation about art history and labor. The very act of rendering a contemporary Black man in the style of classical portraiture brings up questions of access and power within art's traditional spaces. Who gets depicted, and by whom? Editor: I see that. So, you're saying the choice of materials itself is a commentary? Curator: Precisely. Oil paint, traditionally associated with European masters and the elite, is used to elevate a figure not usually seen in those hallowed halls. The backdrop, a William Morris-inspired pattern, speaks to the industrialization of design and its global distribution. It’s not just about representation, it's about the materials that enable and constrain representation, and the social narratives they carry. Think about the labor involved in producing both the portrait and that background pattern. Editor: So, he's almost challenging the boundaries between fine art and craft through the subject matter and that intricate background, suggesting maybe neither is inherently superior? Curator: Exactly! By placing a contemporary figure within that meticulously crafted environment, Wiley challenges the hierarchies of art, craft, and labor. What does it mean to reproduce a “fine art” painting? And what does mass production change? He forces us to confront these production and consumption processes that shape our understanding of value. Editor: Wow, I never considered the industrial element within that design. That gives me a totally different perspective. Thanks! Curator: My pleasure! It is a powerful thing, considering the making of images, isn't it?