Treisha Lowe 2012

Kehinde Wiley made this fabulous portrait of Treisha Lowe, layering paint and pattern to create something really special. The background is super dense, almost claustrophobic with flowers, but then Treisha herself is painted with a smoother, more traditional touch. Looking closely, you can see how Wiley builds up the colours in layers. It’s especially noticeable in her skin, where you can see the underpainting glowing through. And then there are these crazy vines and blossoms crawling up her dress - it’s like she’s literally growing out of the wallpaper! Wiley isn't afraid to mix it up, he's not trying to hide the process, and I love that. Wiley reminds me a little of Chris Ofili, in the way he takes classical portraiture and gives it a modern, and very personal, twist. It's like he's saying, art history is a conversation, and everyone's invited.