Bklyn Museum Hosts 2 Major Exhibits by Kehinde Wiley & Jean-Michel Basquiat

There is much to be excited about with 2 major shows by Wiley & Basquiat @ The Bklyn Msm.   Basquiat (b. Amer. 1960-1988) and Beshty (b. UK 1976) whose works stands on their own merits do draw some parralells.  Most significantly, both boldly mark the importance (and shamefully overlooked) works in history contributed by black artists. Basquiat's show consists of his iconic graffiti images with black, primitive masks over elaborate backgrounds of text and detailed components.  His poetry & notes are also prominently displayed.  Wiley's show has appropriated paintings from major int'l museum with figures are now featured with black individuals.  His masterly paintings are colorful, and visually stunning.  Like Basquiat, the works are arresting & thought provoking.  Staying with Wiley's exhibit, note his paintings, sculptures & videos. The large-scale, exquisite paintings feature elaborate designs in the background & forefront: floral decorations, detailed wallpaper prints and majestic symbols of power.  A huge impact comes from the realistic figures juxtaposed with religious & historic individuals as well as paintings of contemporary, revered black artists & athletes.  The stain-glass paintings of men with halos & religious frocks are both benevolent and ambiguous.  Do they represent black men who were killed young or do they represent the absence of historic devout black men, or both?  A bronze figurehead has a nike shoe atop his head.  This references sneakers strewn over wires as well as contemporary materialism.  Michael Jackson is painted atop a braying war horse.  There are other paintings depicting young men in youthful attire sprawled out whose eye have a deathlike stare.  Both artists are featured in videos discussing their lives & their art.  Wiley's black/white video featuring 4 blackmen smiling appeared disingenous & unsettling; perhaps alluding to slaves or "Uncle Toms."    There is 1 explicitly violent painting of Wiley's.  It portrays a black woman holding a bloodied sword & a beheaded white woman.  Other paintings depict black women with a regal haughtiness if not outright distain.  One woman is painted with her back fully turned.  Both exhibits contain vital works that earmark 2 major artists of great brilliance and flair.