Gay African-American Artist Kehinde Wiley Chosen to Paint Barack Obama's Portrait For Smithsonian Gallery! Details About Wiley's Dating Life Here
Best-known for using some of the hip-hop and pop stars names in his paintings, African-Americans portrait painter, Kehinde Wiley, has created a legacy of his own.
Wiley who was recently selected by the former American President Barack Obama for his official presidential portrait in the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery became the first black painter chosen for formal presidential portraits for the Smithsonian.
Is the talented portrait painter Wiley dating anyone? Or is he single? Let's start that discussion
Is Kehinde Wiley still single or Married?
The genius hip-hop portraitist's cla s sic artworks include grand portraits of hip-hop stars LL, Ice-T, and Biggie among others.The credit of the masterpiece, the ma s sive picture of the King of Pop, Michael Jackson in full armor goes to none other than Kehinde Wiley.
New York-based portrait painter Kehinde Wiley is a handsome gay African-American man. The Forty-years-old portraitist has been successful to maintain his personal life under wraps though.
He has not come open and confirmed anyone as his boyfriend. He has left almost no tracks of his past relationships as well.
New York-based portrait painter Kehinde Wiley
Source: gq.com
Wiley is quite active on his Instagram. However, he has a strict no love-life posts on Instagram policy, or so it seems. Or, he is possibly single and doesn't have a boyfriend to show off.
Wiley's Instagram is full of his mindblowing art pieces. However, he also shares pictures of friends and family on several occasions. Like the time Wiley also took to Instagram to wish his mother, Freddie Mae Wiley a happy birthday with this lovely picture:
He expressed his feelings writing:
Happy Birthday Mama! International Women's Day comes as my mother Freddie Mae Wiley celebrates her birthday. Here is to my rock and inspiration. Love you mama!
Well, it looks like Wiley is quite close to his mother. Besides her mom, Wiley is also close to his twin brother, Taiwo. He spent a wonderful holiday in Los Angeles in December 2013 with his twin and niece.
The genius hip-hop portraitist took to Instagram to share a cute snap of their holiday with a caption that read:
My twin brother Taiwo and his beautiful daughter. Holiday season in Los Angeles
Wiley indeed has a lovely family. All he needs is a boyfriend/husband, right? Well, we can only hope.
Kehinde Wiley Selected for Barack Obama's Official Portrait
The former American President Barack Obama has selected Kehinde Wiley for his official presidential portrait in the Smithsonian's National Portrait Gallery. The gallery revealed the announcement on 13 October 2017.
Also read: Barack Obama and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau Recently Had Dinner Together
The Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery commissions' long-standing tradition of keeping portraits of U.S presidents make it one of a kind; the Gallery is an exclusive spot to find pictures of all presidents outside of the White House.
Watch video: Kehinde Wiley creates paradigm shift in the art world
Michelle Obama, Obama's first lady, selected Amy Sherald to paint her portrait. Sherald is also another talented black Baltimore-based portraitist; she scored the first position in the Portrait Gallery's Outwin Boochever Portrait Competition in 2016.
Also read: Michelle Obama Dresses As Formation Beyoncé For Her 36th Birthday
Both the portraitist are first black painters selected for official presidential portraits for the Smithsonian. According to their announcement, the commission will conduct the unveiling event, educational programs, and website to raise funds from the presidential portraits of Mr. and Mrs. Obama.
Kehinde Wiley Quick Facts
- Kehinde Wiley was born in 1977.
- He is a native of Los Angeles, California, U.S.
- He was interested in art since his childhood.
- Wiley graduated from the San Francisco Art Institute where he achieved BFA; he also obtained an MFA from Yale University, School of Art.
- During his early career, Wiley used to work on Photo-Realistic paintings of the men who he met on the road.
- He was inspired by Venetian painters such as Titian and Giambattista Tiepolo.
- In October 2011, Wiley achieved several awards like the Artist of the Year Award from the New York City Art Teachers Association/United Federation of Teachers in 2011, and Canteen Magazine's Artist of the Year Award.