Week 4 - Kehinde Wiley and inter-textuality

Kehinde Wiley

  

3. Kehinde Wiley Count Potocki, 2008 oil on canvas, 274.3 x 274.3cm

Kehinde Wiley is a Gay American based painter born in Los Angeles, who has an international reputation. Wiley lives and practices between Beijing and Brooklyn.


This weeks ALVC class focuses on the Postmodern theme "INTERTEXTUALITY", re-read Extract 1 The death of the author on page 44 of your ALVC books and respond to the oil paintings of Kehinde Wiley. 




1. Find a clear definition of Intertextuality and quote it accurately on your blog using the APA referencing system. Use your own words to explain the definition more thoroughly. 

"Notwithstanding the origins of the term in post-structuralism, intertextuality has now come to be used as an umbrella term, grouping together approaches which share common assumptions.I will suggest below that there are three common features which typify an intertextual approach:

• textual creation - texts are a "mosaic" of quotations of other texts;

• textual meaning - meaning comes from a "dialogue" between texts;

•  (textual)  hermeneutics  - a readers role in the production of the meaning. "                         ( Stead, 2009)

This definition here clearly states  the dynamics in which intertextuality can be defined as. In simpler terms Intertexuality is the use of one(or more) texts that has a direct ( and obvious) link to another text. Text in intertexuality isn't just limited to physical writing texts but also relates to film, painting, sculpture and anything which can be 'seen' . To break down the three main points

• Textual Creation : Using Other peoples words,quotations and  phrasing to relate or directly link your point clearly and accurately
• Textual Meaning : Texts have a direct link with one another exchanging of methods,processes or ideas
• ( Textual) Hermeneutics: us as viewers being able to subconsciously identify and relate the text to something we know or have seen.

2. Research Wiley's work and write a paragraph that analyzes how we might make sense of his work. Identify intertextuality in Wiley's work. 

Napoelon Crossing the Alps Artist                                                    Napoleon Leading the Army Over the Alps Artist: Kehinde Wiley         

 Jacques-Louis David Year: 1800                                                           :Year: 2005  Oil-on-canvas Dimensions: 9’ x 9’ Location: 

 Oil-on-canvas Dimensions: 260 cm × 221 cm (102⅓ in × 87 in)                 Rumors of War at Deitch Projects, New York, NY

 Location:Château de Malmaison, Rueil-Malmaison 

The Three Graces Artist: Raphael Year: 1500-1505                                            The Three Graces Artist: Kehinde Wiley Year: 2005 
 Oil on panel Dimensions: 17 cm × 17 cm                                                  Oil and enamel on canvas Dimension: 8' x 10' 
(6.7 in × 6.7 in) Location: Musée Condé, Chantilly                                               Location: Hort Family Collection, Los Angeles, California

"By using subjects who come from underserved communities, creating a global conversation around who has power, who deserves to be seen in the great museums throughout the world, I don't think I'm throwing any systems" (Wiley, n.d)

Wileys portraits clearly show Black american ' gangsters'  in a new limelight. Giving them a Chivalry;  adding beauty to the typical view of these men.

To make sense of his work would mean you would need to have seen or know about the works or "texts" he has referenced to because of the obvious relation we see here by both portraits and their poses the the ones from that of the Masters work. To identify this as intertextuality would mean the mind subconsciously recognises these poses and content from something the have previously known or seen. Without any sense of the ' original' pieces the viewer would just see this as an elaborate and controversial painting.

3. Wiley's work relates to next weeks Postmodern theme "PLURALISM" . Read page 51 and discuss how the work relates to this theme.

Defining Pluralism is simply  the inclusion of all histories,backgrounds,cultures, genders and anything which is ' not ideal'  going against the ideal view of the white, male and middle class culture. Pluralism is looking at things in a different light in a sense, It is grabbing the ideas of visual culture and interpreting the indigenous histories onto it and displaying to a group of people who can find a relation of themselves in it.
According to Caldwell (1999):

" Pluralism in art refers to the nature of artforms and the artists as diverse. The cultural context of art is all encompassing in its respect for the art in the world's cultures. Inclusion of individuals of different ethnicities, genders, ideologies, ages, religions, economic status and educational levels is valued. Pluralism honours differences within and between equitable groups while seeing their commonalties, (para.1) "

His works identify the black american culture and given them a sense of power. By incorperating both the ideas in on work has him accepting and identifying past idealogies and recognising how they are today in his dominant culture, yet not forgetting how western influences have changed its as a whole.

4. Comment on how Wiley's work raises questions around social/cultural hierarchies , colonisation, globalisation, stereotypes and the politics which govern a western worldview. 

Wiley takes this stereotypical view of the 'Black American Gangster' and put them in a common Neoclassical style of work, raises and question the hierarchies of the black man who has always been seen as a 'slave' and shows 'equality' how he replaces the figures with those from the ghetto. The clothing identifies these figures also in a stereotypical view because of the aggression and 'low class' take of presentation of themselves by a western society. So Wiley putting them in this classy and " Expensive" outlook but they are in 'their ' culturally identified garments expresses the nature of their society and where they fit into the western points of views in the society today.

5. Add some reflective comments of your own, which may add more information that

you have read during your research.

Personally I feel his works are identifying issues that need more understanding and recognition not just in an american society but in all minority cultures of the world. How globalisation has affected cultures and how they have been portrayed and identified. Coming from a multicultural background myself has helped me identify these problems in his work and how identities have now become a stereotypical view of what is seen not necessarily what's really inside. His skills also show the delicate nature and patients he has, he takes great care in his works so he can fully enhance the meaning of his paintings, utilising this skill has greatly helped the ideas to be conveyed because it helps us directly relate them to a Neoclassical style painting even if you haven't studied them you would be able to recognise the style as an "old" one.

References:
http://www.cretique.com/archives/4012
http://www.deitch.com/artists/sub.php?artistId=11
http://www.thinkcontra.com/kehinde-wiley-on-current/
http://topics.nytimes.com/topics/reference/timestopics/people/w/kehinde_wiley/index.html
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-19454025
http://www.deitch.com/artists/sub.php?artistId=11
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702303513404577352152061211214.html
http://www.rizzoliusa.com/book.php?isbn=9780847835492
http://www.artnet.com/awc/kehinde-wiley.html
http://www.interviewmagazine.com/art/kehinde-wiley/#slideshow_39.1
http://www.skny.com/artists/kehinde-wiley/
http://www.npg.si.edu/exhibit/recognize/paintings.html
http://www.kehindewiley.com/an_Economy_of_grace/Dacia_Carter.html

Chandler D., Semiotics for Beginners. p. 44, Academic Literacies in Visual Commuinications 2, 2012






Stead, M . (2009). The Intertextuality of Zechariah 1-8. London, New York: T & T Clark International