In just an hour, artist Kehinde Wiley, widely known for depicting young Black male subjects in poses derived from old master paintings of saints, kings, emperors, prophets, and military leaders, will be speaking at the Cleveland Museum of Art’s Gartner Auditorium at 2 p.m. This presentation is absolutely free and worth checking out. 

Kehinde is popular for replacing the lily white images that we often see in renaissance art with brown faces. You can love it or hate it, just go!

Honestly, I haven’t decided what I think about the necessity for people of African descent to mimic any life or any history outside of that of our ancestors. I see us in our own light. However, I do believe that it is important to see positive images of Black people in “contemporary art.” Our art should reflect our journey and our faces. So much of our history and so many of our stories have been hidden and manipulated to keep us submissive, making exhibits and presentations like this beneficial to our struggle.

It is the responsibility of the scholar, Kehinde, to make the connection between self-awareness and self-empowerment, and the struggle of Brown people descending from the cradle of civilization, especially that of our young Brown boys. We, the descendants, are still reconnecting our dots and tracing the greatness within us. If Kehinde is on board with uplifting Brown people, than I say, yes! We MUST begin to see OURSELVES again.

Furthermore, I believe that brown people were everywhere in history! The cradle of civilization really does lie within- on the walls of Pyramids, our spirits never die.

Peace and love,

i am Kush

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Let me know what you think!