Terence Nance 2012

Kehinde Wiley painted this portrait of Terence Nance, and let me tell you, it's a trip. I can only imagine Wiley in his studio, surrounded by those lush, floral patterns, figuring out how to balance the real and the decorative. The floral background explodes with colour, and there are gorgeous blooms on Nance's emerald cardigan. There's a conversation going on here between the figure and the ground. The figure emerges from the background, but is also consumed by it. You can see how Wiley uses thin layers of paint to build up those intricate details in the flowers, and how, in contrast, the figure is rendered with a smooth, almost photographic precision. Wiley is in dialogue with historical portraiture, updating it for a contemporary vision. You know, painting is like a conversation across time. Each artist adds their voice to the chorus, and Wiley is definitely bringing something new to the table, or, should I say, to the canvas.