Kehinde Wiley’s exhibition “Daedalus of Power” at the Musée du Quai Branly in Paris aroused great interest and many reactions. In this dark labyrinth, eleven monumental portraits of African heads of state are on display, creating a disturbing juxtaposition between black pride, colonial history, African power and innovative pictorial art.
The exhibition intrigues from the start by keeping the list of presidents portrayed secret. Each portrait is presented individually, with lighting and a certain distance between them. This intentional staging invites visitors to decipher for themselves the identities of the heads of state represented. Some wonder whether Wiley is praising or mocking these political leaders, creating an interesting provocation.
Kehinde Wiley’s artistic commitment is evident in each of her paintings. He refuses to judge the politics of his models and remains neutral while being passionate about his subject. This approach allows an exploration of the staging of power, rarely shown in Western painting. However, some critics point out that this exhibition has a sincere but foreign vision of the diversity of Africa, echoing the works of the writer Kipling on India.
The pictorial aesthetic of art history is central to Wiley’s exploration. Each model is represented in a monumental manner, with a slightly low-angle framing, creating an impression of grandeur and power. The bright colors used by the artist revive the imagination and visual references of each visitor. For example, the portrait of Paul Kagame evokes the green hills of Rwanda as well as the history of German colonization of the country. The multiple shades of red in his portrait can be interpreted as an expression of supreme power or an allusion to bloodthirsty symbolism.
This new series by Kehinde Wiley seems to mark a break with his usual approach. While his art focused on the visibility of the unknown and the dignity of the discriminated, the question arises as to whether this approach is as effective when he puts his talent at the service of African heads of state. Despite this, the exhibition offers a stimulating reflection on the artistic representation of power and continues to explore new possibilities in the context of 21st century Africa.
In conclusion, Kehinde Wiley’s exhibition “Daedalus of Power” at the Musée du Quai Branly offers a disturbing and intriguing artistic experience. Through his luminous staging and his reinterpretation of Western aesthetic codes, the artist explores African power, colonial history and black pride. Despite the debates sparked by this exhibition, it is undeniable that it opens new doors in the field of art and the representation of power in Africa.