Kehinde Wiley Named One Of TIME Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People with profile written by LL Cool J
Nigerian-American artist, Kehinde Wiley – known for creating naturalistic paintings of everyday black men and women in the style of the old master – is finally getting the attention and acclaim he clearly deserves.
After making history earlier this year for his official presidential portrait of Barack Obama (he’s the first black artist to ever get the job), Wiley has now been named one of TIME Magazine‘s 100 most influential people in the world.
The 41-year-old is in really great company this year. He is joined by the likes of Chadwick Boseman, Issa Rae, Rihanna and Cardi B. The list isn’t only made up of creatives, however, as Zimbabwe’s president, Emmerson Mnangagwa, and Kenyan activist, Nice Nailantei Leng’ete, also made the cut.
Wiley’s profile, which was written by LL Cool J, said:
“[He] is transforming the way African Americans are seen — going against the grain of what the world is accustomed to.
Some consider him irreverent; I see an iconoclast. Some of his subjects come from hip-hop culture, but he’s not a hip-hop painter. To put it simply, he does dope sh-t.
When you see a Kehinde Wiley painting, you recognize it. He has created a visual brand that remains artistically fresh.”
You can check out Wiley’s full LL Cool J-penned profile right here.
