The former United States President, Barack Obama, recently bestowed the honour of drawing his official portrait for the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery on Nigerian-American artist Kehinde Wiley.

Although his name, Kehinde, is known to be of the Yoruba tribe, Wikipedia states that his father is Ibibio/Akwa Ibom State, while his mother is African-American.

Kehinde’s selection by Obama is not all ‘race’ and ‘color.’ The California-born artist is truly a master of his craft. He is known for his paintings of African-Americans and reinterpretations of classic artworks.

Here are 8 remarkable paintings by Kehinde portraying his genius.

1. Portrait of Lynette Yiadom-Boakye, Jacob Morland of Capplethwaite

2. Portrait of Carrie Mae Weems, Eris, 2017

3. Resilient

 

4. Two Cameroonian farmers oil on canvas

5. “A New Republic” MORPHEUS 2008 oil on linen

6. A Dead Soldier, 2007

7. World Stage Jamaica ” Alexander I, Emperor of Russia, 2013

8. Glenn Ligon, Hermes, 2017