Renowned Artist Kehinde Wiley Debuts New Exhibition, “An Archeology of Silence” in Houston

Light and Darkness Hopkins: An Emerging Trend in Black Art

At the iconic Museum of Fine Arts Houston, the highly esteemed Kehinde Wiley’s latest exhibition has been grabbing headlines. Alongside a wave of other Black artists, Wiley uses a stunning interplay of light and shade to intensify the resonance of his art pieces. The exhibition titled, “An Archaeology of Silence,” is a showcase of Wiley’s adeptness in articulating the enforced quietude stemming from systemic violence imposed upon Black and Brown individuals. Wiley, in his museum’s website description, emphasizes the exhibition delves into the grim reality of police violence and state control over the bodies of Black and Brown youth worldwide. This follows the artistic direction of his 2008 exhibition, “Down,” which drew heavily from Hans Holbein the Younger’s 16th century work, particularly “The Dead Christ In The Tomb.”

Art Reinforced With Modern Lighting Techniques

Wiley’s art pieces are ingeniously lit with “framing projectors,” serving to focus the light specifically around the artwork’s boundary — eliminating unwanted shadows or light spillage. This innovative technique yields the same visual allure associated with light streaming through stained glass.

Wiley Among Others: The Broader Black Art Movement

This strategic use of light in artwork echoes practices seen in exhibitions by other distinguished Black artists. This includes Betye Saar’s “Drifting Towards Twilight” at the Huntington Library, Art Museum and Botanical Garden in Southern California, and Dawoud Bey’s recently concluded “Elegy” exhibition at the Virginia Museum of Fine Art. These artists, among others, use mood-appropriate lighting to evoke strong emotions in their large-scale depictions of historic sites from the Underground Railroad to the Richmond Slave Trail.

Wiley And His Art Amid Social Movements and Global Disease

Wiley’s current works, developed alongside the Black Lives Matter movement and the COVID-19 pandemic, portray Black and Brown figures in contemporary attire. These figures mimic saints, martyrs, and heroes from European historical painting masters, such as Goya, Titian, and Michaelangelo. After wrapping up in Houston on May 27, the “An Archeology of Silence” will continue its journey at the Perez Museum of Art in Miami, Florida. It will then move on to the Minneapolis Institute of Art by June next year.

DPH Hot Take

Our DPH hot take is that the captivating interplay of light and darkness in Kehinde Wiley’s work, coupled with his poignant narratives, vivifies the Black experience, unearthing silenced histories and confronting systemic oppression. Wiley’s innovative use of lighting technique demonstrates how the Black art scene is not merely replicating but driving artistic innovation. This trend extends beyond Wiley, further asserting the significant role Black artists play in pushing the boundaries of traditional art, and their continued influence on contemporary artistic expression, making them an essential part of our cultural zeitgeist.