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.
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.
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