Gallery: Highlights From "Kehinde Wiley/The World Stage: Israel" At The Jewish Museum

Image via Complex Original

Kehinde Wiley, one of the the most significant young artists working today, unveiled the latest in his series World Stage last week at The Jewish Museum. The greater project is devised to endow status on young, urban subjects by painting them in the grand tradition of nobles, saints, and colonial rulers.

The fifth in the World Stage series focuses on Israel. Whiley scouted discos, malls, and more to find his subjects. The new portraits, completed since 2010, find his figures painted against rich backgrounds inspired by traditional Jewish papercut from the Museum's collection. To contextualize Wiley's process, curator Karen Levitov hung the paintings alongside papercuts and textiles from the collection chosen by Wiley himself.

The exhibition is a triumph of fusing contemporary culture with art historical reference. The works are on view through March 9, 2011.

Above is shown Alios Itzhak, a nine foot portrait of a young Jewish Ethiopian-Israeli man that was acquired by The Jewish Museum and served as the impetus for this exhibition.

Credit: Kehinde Wiley, Alios Itzhak (The World Stage: Israel), 2011, oil and gold enamel on canvas. The Jewish Museum, New York; Purchase: Gift of Lisa and Steven Tananbaum Family Foundation; Gift in honor of Joan Rosenbaum by the Contemporary Judaica, Fine Arts, Photography, and Traditional Judaica Acquisitions Committee Funds, 2011-31.  © Kehinde Wiley.  Courtesy Roberts & Tilton, Culver City, California.

Check out Highlights From Kehinde Wiley/The World Stage: Israel.

Mizrah, Israel Dov Rosenbaum, Podkamen, Ukraine, 1877 (date of inscription), paint, ink, and pencil on cut-out paper.  The Jewish Museum, New York; Gift of Helen W. Finkel in memory of Israel Dov Rosenbaum, Bessie Rosenbaum Finkel, and Sidney Finkel, 1987-136.

Kehinde Wiley, Kalkidan Mashasha (The World Stage: Israel), 2011, oil and gold enamel on canvas.  Private Collection.  © Kehinde Wiley.  Courtesy Roberts & Tilton, Culver City, California.

Kehinde Wiley, Leviathan Zodiac (The World Stage: Israel), 2011, oil and gold enamel on canvas. Private Collection.  © Kehinde Wiley.  Courtesy Roberts & Tilton, Culver City, California.

Kehinde Wiley, Solomon Mashash (The World Stage: Israel), 2011, oil and gold enamel on canvas. Private Collection.  © Kehinde Wiley.  Courtesy Roberts & Tilton, Culver City, California.

Kehinde Wiley, Mukat Brhan (The World Stage: Israel), 2011, oil and gold enamel on canvas.  Private Collection.  © Kehinde Wiley.  Courtesy Roberts & Tilton, Culver City, California.

Marriage Contract, Ancona (Italy), 1793, ink and paint on cut-out parchment.  The Jewish Museum, New York; From the Elkan N. Adler Collection, S 604.

Mizrah/Shiviti, Mordecai Reicher, Brooklyn, New York, 1921/22, ink and watercolor on cut-out paper.  The Jewish Museum; Purchase: Phil and Norma Fine Foundation Funds and the Judaica Endowment Fund, 1993-181.

Wall Hanging or Bed Cover (Suzani), Bukhara, Uzbekistan, late nineteenth–early twentieth century, linen embroidered with silk thread, printed cotton lining, ikat silk binding.  The Jewish Museum, New York; Purchase: The Jewish Museum, JM 208-68a.

Kehinde Wiley.  Photo:  Kwaku Alston.  Courtesy of Roberts & Tilton, Culver City, California