The background color is often neutral unless you are trying to make some kind of statement in the work.
kehinde Wiley 2009 Without shying away from the complicated socio-political histories relevant to the world, Wiley’s figurative paintings and sculptures “quote historical sources and position young black men within the field of power.” His heroic paintings evoke a modern style instilling a unique and contemporary manner, awakening complex issues that many would prefer remain mute. http://kehindewiley.com/ | Amy Sherald, They Call Me Redbone but I’d Rather Be Strawberry Shortcake, 2009 Sherald modifies historical portrait formats to upend the dominant narrative of African American history. She notes: “I create playful yet sober portraits of black Americans within an imaginative history where I do black my way, in the European tradition of painted portraiture.” While historical portraitists aimed to reveal a sitter’s social standing or some essence of character, Sherald’s haunting figures are expressionless and dressed in unusual, costume-style clothing that she has collected. https://nmwa.org/works/they-call-me-redbone-i%E2%80%99d-rather-be-strawberry-shortcake |