Exhibited at the John Michael Kohler Arts Center in Wisconsin, The World Stage: China is a series of monumental paintings that continues his investigation into the blurry divide between urban/highbrow and traditional/contemporary representations. These paintings evolved as a result of an invitation to Wiley to start a studio in Beijing. While interested in working in China, Wiley felt it was important for the paintings to embody a specific reference to Chinese culture. In his discovery of historic propaganda posters from China’s Cultural Revolution, Wiley found a correlation between the ways in which African American identity has and continues to be manufactured and manipulated by both the media and society, and how Chinese national identity was distorted during the Maoist era.
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THE WORLD STAGE: CHINA
Defend and Develop the Island Together , 2006
Oil on canvas 96 x 72 inches
THE WORLD STAGE: CHINA
Threefold Defense , 2007
Oil and enamel on canvas 84 x 96 inches
THE WORLD STAGE: CHINA
Bamboo Shoots , 2007
oil on canvas 96 x 72 inches
THE WORLD STAGE: CHINA
Design For A Stained Glass Window With Wildman II , 2007
oil on canvas 96 x 72 inches
THE WORLD STAGE: CHINA
Ivelaw I , 2007
oil on canvas 28.5 x 22.5 inches
THE WORLD STAGE: CHINA
Romaine III , 2007
oil on canvas 37.5 x 30.5 inches
THE WORLD STAGE: CHINA
Romaine II , 2007
Oil on canvas 46 x 34 inches
THE WORLD STAGE: CHINA
Romaine I , 2007
Oil on canvas 26 1/2 x 22 inches
THE WORLD STAGE: CHINA
Cheick I , 2007
Oil and enamel on canvas 46 x 34 inches
THE WORLD STAGE: CHINA
Acting in Accordance with Chairman Mao’s Instructions Means Victory , 2007
Oil on canvas 72 x 60 inches
THE WORLD STAGE: CHINA
Support the Rural Population and Serve 500 Million Peasants , 2007
Oil and enamel on canvas 72 x 60 inches
THE WORLD STAGE: CHINA
Regard the Class Struggle as the Main Link in the Chain , 2007
Oil and enamel on canvas 96 x 72 inches
THE WORLD STAGE: CHINA
Support the Army and Look After the People , 2007
Oil and enamel on canvas 96 x 72 inches
THE WORLD STAGE: CHINA
Two Heroic Sisters of the Grassland , 2007
Oil and enamel on canvas 96 x 72 inches
THE WORLD STAGE: CHINA
Great Celebration of the Victorious People , 2007
Oil and enamel on canvas 96 x 72 inches
THE WORLD STAGE: CHINA
Encourage Good Manners and Politeness; Brighten Up Your Surroundings with Plants , 2007
Oil and enamel on canvas 60 x 60 inches
THE WORLD STAGE: CHINA
Learn from Comrade Wang Guofu! , 2007
Oil and enamel on canvas 96 x 84 inches
THE WORLD STAGE: CHINA
Carry out the Four Modernisations of the Fatherland , 2007
Oil on canvas 96 x 72 inches
THE WORLD STAGE: CHINA