Kehinde Wiley: Fragments from the treasure house of darkness

Stephen Friedman Gallery presents ‘Fragments from the treasure house of darkness’, Kehinde Wiley’s first solo exhibition in London in three years following ‘The Prelude’ at The National Gallery.

Wiley is known for his vibrant and highly naturalistic paintings of contemporary African American and African Diasporic men and women, reconstructing hierarchies and conventions of classical portraiture. Marking a new direction in his practice, the artist has created two multi-part paintings for the exhibition alongside a series of 60 paintings inspired by historic miniature portraits that first appeared in European royal courts in the sixteenth century. These deeply personal objects were used throughout centuries to symbolise love, and to commemorate births and deaths.