By Adewale Adekanbi Jr.
Kehinde Wiley: The World Stage Jamaica, an exhibition that features Jamaican men and women assuming poses taken from 17th and 18th Century British portraiture was seen in New York at Stephen Friedman Gallery from October 15 2013 – November 16, 2013. The collection was the first one in the ‘World Stage’ series to feature portraits of women.
The juxtaposition between the sitter and the art historical references reflects on the relationship between the island and her former colonial power. The subjects’ proud posturing refers to both the source painting and the symbolism of Jamaican culture, with its singular people and specific ideals of youth, beauty and style.
Kehinde Wiley : The World Stage Jamaica