Kehinde Wiley: An Archaeology of Silence

Kehinde Wiley's An Archaeology of Silence is a new body of work that explores the legacy of colonialism through the visual language of the fallen figure. The artist first explored this subject in his 2008 series Down, which featured large-scale portraits of young Black men inspired by Hans Holbein the Younger's The Dead Christ in the Tomb. The paintings in An Archaeology of Silence reference iconic historical paintings of slain heroes, martyrs, or saints, offering a haunting meditation on the violence against Black and brown bodies through the lens of European art history. Wiley is a world-renowned visual artist known for his vibrant portrayals of contemporary African American and African-diasporic individuals.

Format: Hardback
Length: 192 pages
Publication date: 17 October 2023
Publisher: Distributed Art Publishers

“That is the archaeology I am unearthing: the specter of police violence and state control over the bodies of young Black and brown people all over the world.”

Kehinde Wiley's An Archaeology of Silence is a powerful exhibition that explores the legacies of colonialism through the visual language of the fallen figure. The artist's new body of paintings and sculptures confronts the ongoing issue of police violence and state control over the bodies of young Black and brown people worldwide.

The exhibition expands on a subject that Wiley first explored in his 2008 series Down, which featured large-scale portraits of young Black men inspired by Hans Holbein the Younger's The Dead Christ in the Tomb (1521–22) at the Kunstmuseum Basel. Holbein's painting triggered an ongoing investigation into the iconography of death and sacrifice in Western art, which Wiley traced across religious, mythical, and historical subjects.

In An Archaeology of Silence, Wiley extends these considerations to include men and women around the world whose senseless deaths, often unacknowledged or silenced, are transformed into a powerful elegy of global resistance against state-sanctioned violence. The resulting paintings of Black bodies struck down, wounded, or dead, all referencing iconic historical paintings of slain heroes, martyrs, or saints, offer a haunting meditation on the violence against Black and brown bodies through the lens of European art history.

Kehinde Wiley, born in 1977, is a world-renowned visual artist known for his vibrant portrayals of contemporary African American and African-diasporic individuals that subvert the hierarchies and conventions of European and American portraiture. Wiley became the first African American artist to paint an official US Presidential portrait for former US President Barack Obama. He has also helmed the production of several major exhibitions, including the 2017 Venice Biennale and the 2019 Whitney Biennial.

Through his art, Wiley challenges the dominant narratives of history and power and seeks to create a more inclusive and equitable world. His work explores the complex intersections of race, gender, and identity and challenges the viewer to consider their own role in perpetuating systems of oppression and violence.

An Archaeology of Silence is a powerful exhibition that demands attention and reflection. It is a testament to the enduring impact of colonialism and the ongoing struggle for justice and equality. Wiley's art offers a powerful lens through which to examine these issues and encourages us to work towards a more just and equitable future.”

Weight: 996g
Dimension: 235 x 265 x 22 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781636810980