Openings: Kehinde Wiley – “The World Stage: Israel” @ Roberts & Tilton

Just this Saturday night, Roberts & Tilton packed the house for the latest installment of Kehinde Wiley’s The World Stage series (teased). Taking his signature brand of portraiture to Israel and the surrounding region, rife with tumultuous conflict and historical context, was a natural next step for the New York-based painter, as he continues his exploration of power and politics. Mostly large scale paintings from urban anthropologist and artist filled the spacious gallery and its multiple rooms with richly detailed works featuring youths assuming the poses of old renaissance paintings surrounded by the patterns, language, and imagery of Israel.