African American FinalSam Vernon & Kehinde Wiley

By Zach Davey

The reason that I have decided to place the works of Sam Vernon and the works of Kehinde wiley’s Rumor of wars pieces together was to show the different use of juxtaposition in an unusual environment. The use of juxtaposition is a powerful skill, the artist can bring in viewers with picture or art that is familiar or has a sense of comfort but by adding the juxtaposition of the work this creates a whole new feeling or idea that will translate to the audience. Sam Vernon uses fear and anxiety in her works. Sam is trying to re-tell stories of African Americans in her own black- white vernacular. Both of these artists take looks at racism and the society in the modern time. Kehinde places African American people in these large colorful pieces of old European work in a way in which the viewer is familiar with the pieces but thrown off by the change of the vocal point. Both of these artist are taking historical pieces and by using juxtaposition to alter the piece. Sam Vernon uses personal family photos mixed with historical images while Kehinde wiley recreates recognizable works of art with a new spin. Both of these artists are using their placement of images or color to alter the viewer’s emotions or thoughts and making the world see events or ideas in a different way.

Curatorial Statement

Sam Vernon Sam Vernon graduated from The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art in 2009.

Vernon is a 2010-11 A.I.R. Emerging Artist Fellow and recipient of the A.I.R. Emma Bee Bernstein Fellowship. Her first solo exhibition, Think On It Then Lay It Down For Good was on view at A.I.R. Gallery in 2011

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Ghost Rainbow : 2009 Ink

A piece of work that in the name includes two very different ideas. Rainbows in which are colorful and happy and which come after rain and the idea of growth and then ghost which is related to death and otherworldly. The black and white rainbow creating an odd feeling of anxiety and somewhat happiness

This piece of work again fits in line with the otherworldly tone that sam vernon creates. The artist looks for ways to make the viewer fearful or anxious. In this piece the piece and the name almost creates this feeling that the ink created itself a non living object that is brought to life.

Hi : 2011 Ink

Peek-a-Boo 2011 pen

This piece has a sense of uncomfortableness because of the main vocal point. This creature that if looked at has an a body that resembles a human and this strange creates head that a hand that reaches out from the top. The creature also looks as if it is being swallowed by the blackness.

Ghosts : 2009 pen

Pen is a pieces that also creates the feeling that sam vernon strives to in her work. A sense of anxiety and fear. The vocal point the ghosts of what could be past relatives or lives of african americans. Again an otherworldly living being that has a sense of life and fear that makes the viewer uneasy.

Gossip : 2011 pen

This work makes the viewer feel anxious by the crowd of people that are talking gossip as the piece is titled. The african american people have always had to deal with other crowds of people gossips about them and treating them wrongly so this piece might be a visual piece about society.

Kehinde Wiley Kehinde Wiley was born in Los Angeles, California in 1977.

He earned his BFA from the San Francisco Art Institute in 1999 and his MFA from Yale University, School of Art in 2001.

His work is found in many public collections throughout the world, including the Toledo Museum of Art;Minneapolis Institute of Art; Brooklyn Museum; Columbus Museum of Art;

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Napoleon Leading The Army Over The Alps : 2005 Oil & Enamel

Kehinde likes to explore black culture in a way in which he takes classical european painting of nobleman or men of power and then painting african americans of modern time in these roles. This piece was done of napoleon before he went off to war. Kehinde does try to keep some of the european flavor in the paintings.

The Chancellor Segue On Horseback : 2005 Oil & Enamel

This pieces was originally based off a piece namedChancellor Séguier at the Entry of Louis XIV by Charles le brun in the 17th century. The piece was keep at the louvre and was done by a french artist. Again you see men from modern day displayed in classical european surroundings and displaying power and wealth.

The Capture of Juliers : 2006 Oil & Enamel

This was piece that was based off of Thomas Francis, Prince of Carignano. The artists likes to explore the idea of power and what power was back in the times of the classical times and what power is now. The loud graphics that are used to replace the background of the original pieces also then to create a different feeling.

Le Roi A La Chassee II : 2007 Oil & Enamel

The repeating theme in all of this line of pieces and most of his other works is power and the african american modern culture and the style and people that inhabit it. Another piece of work that displays the sense of classical power and the placement of modern african american men instead of the classical european duke or nobleman.

Count Potocki : 2008 Oil & Enamel

The artist again using the skill of juxtaposition the normal surroundings of a noble steed and the pose of a classical european pieces of the background is replaced with a graphical background and vines. The main vocal point is an african american man that is too modern for the time period the piece represents but this is the point of the piece of placing african american in places of noble power.