Titus Kaphar (1976-) and Kehinde Wiley (1977-) are artists currently working and producing massively popular works. Many of their artistic pieces invoke historical themes and comment on influential figures by artistically challenging the stereotypes and notions concerning these individuals. For this one page, single-spaced paper, you will need to compare one of their works with a more traditional history painting. You will then compare and contrast your selection with Wiley or Kaphar’s work with one that is more historically canonical. Using the biographical and historical information from lectures, you will begin to craft your project.
How does their use of more traditional poses with themes and objects representing issues like gender, slavery, and race, complicate our gaze at Founding Fathers and other historical figures? What themes do Wiley or Kaphar invoke in his works that challenge current viewers concerning these figures? In this paper I would like you to describe both pieces, compare them, and then analyze their significance.
Why are they popular artists now? Did you like their pieces? Select why or why not. If you did like them, why might critics disagree? Did you find their style irreverent, or does it represent a better or clearer examination of iconic images? This paper will have an introductory paragraph, body paragraphs, and a conclusion paragraph.
• To begin: Visit https://kapharstudio.com/category/painting/ to get started
• Pick a painting from Titus Kaphar, Kehinde Wiley, or a comparable artist
• Compare your more recent choice with a similar (for example -same person depicted, same pose- this can be loosely constructed) history painting –Think about artists like Rembrandt Peale (Portrait of George Washington at the Dallas Museum of Art and Amon Carter Museum)
• Write a one-page single spaced essay – one inch margins, 12 point font, around 600 words
• On the second page please include: Both images, sources consulted
o Make sure to include all the links/books/journal articles/websites that you consulted
o You need to consult one scholarly book, one journal article , one website (news article, museum site, artist’s webpage etc.), and one more source of your choice
o Use whatever format you feel most comfortable using (historians use Chicago or Turabian, but many of you might rather use MLA, APA, etc.)
