Kehinde Wiley (American, b. 1977). Wiley has gained acclaim for his heroic portraits which address the image and status of young African-American men and women in contemporary culture. "Wiley's signature portraits of everyday men and women riff on specific paintings by Old Masters, replacing the European aristocrats depicted in those paintings with contemporary black subjects, drawing attention to the absence of African Americans from historical and cultural narratives." Wiley's portrait of Obama is a perfect symbol of his unique and modern presidency.
