Kehinde WIley's "Israel" at the Jewish Museum of NYC

THE HUFFINGTON POST | ARTS

Abed Al Ashe and Chaled El Awari (The World Stage: Israel), 2011

NEW YORK - Kehinde Wiley's paintings challenge our conventional views of portraiture by featuring black men in a mix of regal and street poses, using the brightest palette imaginable. The subjects are dressed in their own clothes, but the backdrop is anything but normal. For his new exhibition at the Jewish Museum in New York, Wiley turned his focus to Israeli youth from a range of ethnic backgrounds and religious beliefs. Inspired by the traditional Jewish papercuts in the museum's collection, Wiley integrated ritualistic patterns and designs into the 14 new large-scale paintings that make up the "The World Stage: Israel" series. If you'd like to see it in person, "The World Stage: Israel" will be on display at the Jewish Museum from March 9 - July 29, 2012.  [link]