Kehinde Wiley

Question 1

Subject matter/imagery

Answer 1

Shantavia is the subject of the painting, her strong powerful pose and the foliage around her shows her importance

The decorative background has also been inspired by historical art periods such as baroque which helps to suggest the absence of African Americans in classical paintings

Question 2

Media handling and techniques

Answer 2

Wiley has used oil on canvas as this takes a long time to dry, allowing him to gradually build up colour and tone

The paint has been applied smoothly and seamlessly creating a photorealistic effect

Question 3

Mood & atmosphere

Answer 3

The use of bright vibrant colours in the background give the painting a contemporary feel

The use of the subject, Shantavia being portrayed as a strong confident black women creates an empowering feel to the painting

Question 4

Style

Answer 4

Photorealistic style as the painting looks like it’s a photograph due to it being painted so realistically

Despite being inspired by classical paintings, this piece has a modern style due to the bright colours and the contemporary clothing and hairstyle of Shantavia

Question 5

Scale

Answer 5

The large scale of the painting gives a larger than life feel which creates a dramatic piece

Shantavia is accurately proportioned which adds to the realism of the piece

Question 6

Composition or arrangement

Answer 6

The subject of the painting- Shantavia is positioned in the foreground

She is standing in a powerful pose with her shoulders back and head slightly to one side and chin raised in a confident stance