Kehinde Wiley: The Yellow Wallpaper, William Morris Gallery

To limit the spread of Covid-19, certain UK museums have decided to close. Those due to attend an event should contact their ticket provider for more information.

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Nigerian-American artist Kehinde Wiley shot to international stardom when he painted Barack Obama's official portrait for the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery. Known for his heroic images of black subjects, Wiley mixes a photorealistic portraiture with highly patterned backdrops, which reference the floral motifs of William Morris. What better place, then, for his first UK exhibition than the William Morris Gallery.

For his London Show Wiley has painted Dalston's women, inspired by Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s feminist text, The Yellow Wallpaper (1892), a book that explores the treatment of women through an autobiographical lens. Gilman also has a connection to the William Morris Gallery. In 1896 she met and befriended William Morris' daughter, May Morris at an International Socialist Conference in London.

This promises to be a powerful exhibition, exploring the power of London's modern women. Watch this space for more information nearer the time.