St. Croix Educational Complex High School students created two large-scale paintings inspired by Kehinde Wiley, a contemporary African American artist. Wiley explores Power, race, and identity issues by exploring portraiture. Wiley’s portraits depict everyday people he meets on the streets. His artwork references artwork created by older European masters, thereby encouraging the viewer to contemplate the role of identity and Power in portraiture. By utilizing Wiley’s approach to art-making as a starting point, students created two 8ft by 4ft portraits of actual student models. Early adolescence is a time that is overwhelmed with change: physical, mental, social, intellectual, and emotional. While this age group can be very egocentric, they are also highly influenced by how the rest of the world perceives them. We encourage spectators to become a part of the creative space by holding a decorative frame while posing beside each painting, then share #scechspoweroftheportrait on the social media platforms Power of a Portrait Project St. Croix.
SCECHS student model Gelysia Anderson
The project began in 2020 with SCECHS Advanced Art
students. Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, it was completed during the summer of 2021 by VIDE Fine Arts Summer Academy students.
SCECHS Fine Arts Educator Contributors
Danica David
Dwydale Dariah
2020 SCECHS Student Contributors
Gelysia Anderson
Symone Carter
Era Daniel
Kervon Flavius
Kayniah Florence
Jaquan Hughes
John Parrilla
Sofia Sargeant
2021 VIDE Fine Arts Summer Academy Contributors
Solanj Cornelius
Zakiya Encarnacion
Earnest Jackson III
Karim Henry
Gabriella Alexander
LaRysha Bedford
Ivan Rojas
Arielle Orendain