♥ life beats down and crushes the soul, and art reminds you that you have one.

they say a picture is worth a thousand words.

but, when it comes to the contemporary renaissance–inspired

portraiture of new york based artist, kehinde wiley,

there is no thesaurus in the world that would do his work justice.

drawing on the symbolic power and religious iconography

often found in the works of old masters like titian and ingres,

kehinde places modern black men in very classical poses,

allowing them to assume a role of power, pride and beauty

that they are rarely given in great works of art.

in a society where young black men are routinely depicted

in the media as nothing more than athletes, thugs, and threats,

and who are the furthest thing from what is to be

considered "classical beauty," isn't it empowering to

witness the majesty and grandeur of a kehinde wiley's work,

which illustrates an altogether different type of history?

"art should show you something you have never seen before.

art should take the familiar and re–present it in such a

way that it gives us hope."

wow. wow. WOW.

oil on canvas paintings from the rumors of war exhibition, 2005

at deitch projects

oil on canvas from the down exhibition, 2008

at deitch project

photography from the black light exhibition, 2009

at deitch projects

i am officially obsessed!!!

watch this video if you are equally enthralled: