Kehinde Wiley

I think Kehinde Wiley is inspired by Baroque and Rococco styles of art and he both puts a modern twist on the style and satirizes it.

In historical paintings of European royalty, like this one of the French King Louis XIV, the subjects always display their extravagant style and lifestyles. The dress and backgrounds are always ornate and showy. In Wiley's work, the subjects are the same way, just instead of royal style, they show the modern style of "gangsters". The men and women in Kehinde Wiley's work are also decked out in their culture's latest looks and sometimes represent an indulgent lifestyle. Then, Kehinde transposes these modern depictions on classical backgrounds so that he can showcase his interest in classic styles. I think he wants to show the beauty in modern culture as well as draw connections to the past. He's telling people that styles may change but people's attitudes about grandeur and life generally stay the same.

Banksy

1. Banksy is asking everyone to stop taking themselves so seriously in the things that aren't going to matter in the long run, while at the same time, pointing out the things in life that are hard to face. In some of his paintings, he uses a lot of whimsy and innocence. In some of the pictures, like the one with the girl floating on the balloons, Banksy brings a lighthearted point of view to what were once dismal and boring wallspaces. In other works, he points out hard truths like with the dove wearing a bullet proof vest with a target on its chest. I like his outlook on life because even though he exposes different truths, I think of him as an optimist.
2.I think graffiti is art, but there is such a thing as bad art. Art is so undefined and subjective that I don't think anyone has the right to say that someone's work isn't art. I would consider Banksy's works art because he clearly has a message and thinks about his work.
3.I think all artists should have the chance to showcase their work publicly. If they can't get more mainstream exposure in the form of museums or galleries, they should challenge the mainstream and try to get their work in the public eye, possibly through graffiti. Public viewings are what give artists feedback to help them grow as artists, so I definitely think it's an important component of sharing art.

Lilacs

Here we have a picture of lilacs, my favorite flower, taken from Google images. I posted this picture because I am DYING to see some real lilacs. At my old house, the months of April and May were surrounded in the pale  purple buds. When my family moved to our current house,there were no lilac trees in our yard. Planting some bushes was one of our first orders of business, but growing lush, beautiful lilacs can take years. I've lived in my new house for ten years and last spring was the first time the lilacs on our new bushes were even noticeable. Still, they're my favorite flower, and I don't mind their absence in my yard because even knowing they exist in my world is satisfying. They saturate the air with happiness, they burst out of the tail end of winter and bring me my favorite season. It's just that time of year when lilacs are always on my mind.