--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Status and class and social anxiety and…" description: "\"Status and class and social anxiety and perhaps social code are all released when you look at paintings of powerful individuals from the past.\" — Kehin..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d3c/kehinde-wiley-1194_anxiety_status-and-class-and-social-anxiety-and_1584505.jpg" --- # Status and class and social anxiety and perhaps social… ![“Status and class and social anxiety and perhaps social code are all released when you look at paintings of powerful individuals from the past.” quote by Kehinde Wiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d3c/kehinde-wiley-1194_anxiety_status-and-class-and-social-anxiety-and_1584505.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d3c/kehinde-wiley-1194_anxiety_status-and-class-and-social-anxiety-and_1584505.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d3c/kehinde-wiley-1194_anxiety_status-and-class-and-social-anxiety-and_1584505.jpg) > “Status and class and social anxiety and perhaps social code are all released when you look at paintings of powerful individuals from the past.” [Kehinde Wiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kehinde-wiley/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Viewing historic portraits of powerful figures can alleviate personal insecurities and social pressures by providing relatable role models. **In simple terms:** Seeing powerful past figures reduces anxiety. Key Takeaway Explore diverse historical role models. Themes art psychology identity social anxiety Mood contemplative inspirational Type artistic philosophical When to use this quote - museum visits - art education - personal reflection Key Concepts Representation self-esteem historical narrative Questions to Reflect On - How does art influence self-perception? - Can representation replace structural change? A Different Perspective May not address deeper systemic issues. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Anxiety](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anxiety/) [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) [Class](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/class/) [Code](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/code/) [Individual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/individual/) [Painting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/painting/) [Paintings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/paintings/) [Past](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/past/) [Programming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/programming/) [Social](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/social/) [Social anxiety](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/social-anxiety/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [I get strength from my art - all the paintings I own are powerful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madonna-ciccone/i-get-strength-from-my-art-all-the-paintings-i-own-are-powerful/) [Madonna Ciccone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madonna-ciccone/) > [When I look back at my paintings, they don't give me a sense of where I was when I first met that guy. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kehinde-wiley/when-i-look-back-at-my-paintings-they-don-t-give-me-a-sense-of-where/) [Kehinde Wiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kehinde-wiley/) > [If people would just look at the paintings, I don't think they would have any trouble enjoying them. It's like looking at a bed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackson-pollock/if-people-would-just-look-at-the-paintings-i-don-t-think-they-would/) [Jackson Pollock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackson-pollock/) > [I like all paintings. I always look at the paintings, good or bad, in barbershops, furniture stores, provincial hotels. I'm like a drinker who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-picasso/i-like-all-paintings-i-always-look-at-the-paintings-good-or-bad-in/) [Pablo Picasso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-picasso/) > [I look at my paintings for a very long time before letting them out of my studio. I like to get on the treadmill…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-scully/i-look-at-my-paintings-for-a-very-long-time-before-letting-them-out/) [Sean Scully](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-scully/) > [The best way to begin is to say: 'Balthus is a painter of whom nothing is known. And now let us have a look…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/balthus/the-best-way-to-begin-is-to-say-balthus-is-a-painter-of-whom-nothing/) [Balthus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/balthus/) > [The best way to begin is to say: Balthus is a painter of whom nothing is known. And now let us have a look…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/balthus/the-best-way-to-begin-is-to-say-balthus-is-a-painter-of-whom-nothing-2/) [Balthus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/balthus/) > [If you look at the paintings that I love in art history, these are the paintings where great, powerful men are being celebrated on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kehinde-wiley/if-you-look-at-the-paintings-that-i-love-in-art-history-these-are-the/) [Kehinde Wiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kehinde-wiley/) > [At some point in your life you have to engage with the fact that you are part of a society. Yeah the individual is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-bragg/at-some-point-in-your-life-you-have-to-engage-with-the-fact-that-you/) [Billy Bragg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-bragg/) > [Nothing is more powerful than individuals acting out of their own conscience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vaclav-havel/nothing-is-more-powerful-than-individuals-acting-out-of-their-own/) [Vaclav Havel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vaclav-havel/) > [“There are two different kinds of people in the world. There are people who instinctively look for every chance to be a “victim” and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hawke/there-are-two-different-kinds-of-people-in-the-world-there-are-people/) [Christopher Hawke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hawke/) > [Too often we forget how powerful we are as individuals to shape how other people see the world. Each one of us constantly broadcasts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-gielan/too-often-we-forget-how-powerful-we-are-as-individuals-to-shape-how/) [Michelle Gielan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-gielan/) > [I think that people tend to look at the paintings as being resolved or finite. But, to me, a painting can be an index…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-morris/i-think-that-people-tend-to-look-at-the-paintings-as-being-resolved/) [Sarah Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-morris/) > [Look upon paintings with eyes of mystery rather than judgement. Support the need to enter into the sacred space beyond evaluation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michele-cassou/look-upon-paintings-with-eyes-of-mystery-rather-than-judgement/) [Michele Cassou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michele-cassou/) > [I wanted to actually make people look at a painting. We don't look at paintings that much. We glance at them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-webber/i-wanted-to-actually-make-people-look-at-a-painting-we-don-t-look-at/) [Peter Webber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-webber/) ## More by Kehinde Wiley > [Much like teaching art to young art students age 10 to 15 or so on, you have to break it down into bite-sized pieces,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kehinde-wiley/much-like-teaching-art-to-young-art-students-age-10-to-15-or-so-on/) [Kehinde Wiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kehinde-wiley/) > [The erotic and the art historical imagination is something that gets very little play when people talk about my work, and when they rarely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kehinde-wiley/the-erotic-and-the-art-historical-imagination-is-something-that-gets/) [Kehinde Wiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kehinde-wiley/) > [One of the weirdest things that happened to artists and art criticism was this moment when everyone got cynical and stopped believing in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kehinde-wiley/one-of-the-weirdest-things-that-happened-to-artists-and-art-criticism/) [Kehinde Wiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kehinde-wiley/) > [At its best, what art does is, it points to who we as human beings and what we as human beings value. And if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kehinde-wiley/at-its-best-what-art-does-is-it-points-to-who-we-as-human-beings-and/) [Kehinde Wiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kehinde-wiley/) > [My style is in the 21st century. If you look at the process, it goes from photography through Photoshop, where certain features are heightened,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kehinde-wiley/my-style-is-in-the-21st-century-if-you-look-at-the-process-it-goes/) [Kehinde Wiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kehinde-wiley/) > [I think the world that I grew up in was like being in this sort of magical artistic garden.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kehinde-wiley/i-think-the-world-that-i-grew-up-in-was-like-being-in-this-sort-of/) [Kehinde Wiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kehinde-wiley/) > [It was something that came sort of matter-of-factually. Because there - it's like really - real honest engagement with the people around me and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kehinde-wiley/it-was-something-that-came-sort-of-matter-of-factually-because-there/) [Kehinde Wiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kehinde-wiley/) > [We're wired to be empathetic and to care about the needs of others, but also to be curious about others. And I think that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kehinde-wiley/we-re-wired-to-be-empathetic-and-to-care-about-the-needs-of-others/) [Kehinde Wiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kehinde-wiley/) > [Painting is situational. And my particular situation exists within gender, race, class, sexuality, nation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kehinde-wiley/painting-is-situational-and-my-particular-situation-exists-within/) [Kehinde Wiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kehinde-wiley/) > [There were certain expectations that were assumed of me as a young black American 20th-century - then 20th-century artist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kehinde-wiley/there-were-certain-expectations-that-were-assumed-of-me-as-a-young/) [Kehinde Wiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kehinde-wiley/) > [I think, something that you might be able to locate in the work that I'm creating today: the ability to look at a black…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kehinde-wiley/i-think-something-that-you-might-be-able-to-locate-in-the-work-that-i/) [Kehinde Wiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kehinde-wiley/) > [I remember the first time I went to the Los Angeles County Museum of Art and saw a Kerry James Marshall painting with black…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kehinde-wiley/i-remember-the-first-time-i-went-to-the-los-angeles-county-museum-of/) [Kehinde Wiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kehinde-wiley/) > [I believe that artists should be part of the culture. I think that my work clearly bears that out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kehinde-wiley/i-believe-that-artists-should-be-part-of-the-culture-i-think-that-my/) [Kehinde Wiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kehinde-wiley/) > [I guess art is in the eye of the beholder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kehinde-wiley/i-guess-art-is-in-the-eye-of-the-beholder/) [Kehinde Wiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kehinde-wiley/) > [Just physically, if you looked at the house that I grew up in, my mother created this greenhouse. And surrounded the entire property. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kehinde-wiley/just-physically-if-you-looked-at-the-house-that-i-grew-up-in-my/) [Kehinde Wiley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kehinde-wiley/) [Explore all 275 Kehinde Wiley quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kehinde-wiley/) ## More Anxiety quotes > [“Anything that you find yourself worrying about regularly may find you suddenly wanting unrealistic changes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nagisa-tatsumi/anything-that-you-find-yourself-worrying-about-regularly-may-find-you/) Nagisa Tatsumi > [Bein Crazy is the least of my worries.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/bein-crazy-is-the-least-of-my-worries/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [The answer to deep anxiety is the deep adoration of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-voskamp/the-answer-to-deep-anxiety-is-the-deep-adoration-of-god/) [Ann Voskamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-voskamp/) > [“Fear of seeing a police car pull into the drive. Fear of falling asleep at night. Fear of not falling asleep. Fear of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raymond-carver/fear-of-seeing-a-police-car-pull-into-the-drive-fear-of-falling/) [Raymond Carver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raymond-carver/) > [I get nervous when I don't get nervous. If I'm nervous I know I'm going to have a good show.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beyonce-knowles/i-get-nervous-when-i-don-t-get-nervous-if-i-m-nervous-i-know-i-m/) [Beyonce Knowles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beyonce-knowles/) > [“Every invention comes through anxiousness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rakesh-wadhwani/every-invention-comes-through-anxiousness/) [Rakesh Wadhwani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rakesh-wadhwani/) > [“Do Not Be Anxious 25 e “Therefore I tell you,  f do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/do-not-be-anxious-25-e-therefore-i-tell-you-f-do-not-be-anxious-about/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Nothing happens on its own, you have to make things happen. If you really want to come out of your stressful situation than you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/subodh-gupta/nothing-happens-on-its-own-you-have-to-make-things-happen-if-you/) [Subodh Gupta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/subodh-gupta/) > [“I guess if we're talking about my anxiety, the even truthier truth is it started way before that.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-winfrey/i-guess-if-we-re-talking-about-my-anxiety-the-even-truthier-truth-is/) [Kerry Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-winfrey/) > [I was a very good student. Procrastinating gives me anxiety, and getting a B really ticked me off. Sure, I didn't always want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josie-loren/i-was-a-very-good-student-procrastinating-gives-me-anxiety-and/) [Josie Loren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josie-loren/) > [“The suspense: the fearful, acute suspense: of standing idly by while the life of one we dearly love, is trembling in the balance; the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/the-suspense-the-fearful-acute-suspense-of-standing-idly-by-while-the/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [The party in Alobar’s head, which agitation and anxiety were throwing, now was crashed by a notion: existence can be rearranged.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/the-party-in-alobar-s-head-which-agitation-and-anxiety-were-throwing/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [As you know, I have been very open about my struggle with social anxiety.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/summer-walker/as-you-know-i-have-been-very-open-about-my-struggle-with-social/) [Summer Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/summer-walker/) > [Anxiety is not to be managed it is a sin that needs to be repented of](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-driscoll/anxiety-is-not-to-be-managed-it-is-a-sin-that-needs-to-be-repented-of/) [Mark Driscoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-driscoll/) > [“I’ve always seen this in you, ever since you were a little girl — this hunger to love other people into their highest selves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-elisabeth/i-ve-always-seen-this-in-you-ever-since-you-were-a-little-girl-this/) [Jennifer Elisabeth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-elisabeth/) [Browse all 4,944 Anxiety quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anxiety/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Status and class and social anxiety and perhaps social code are all released when you look at paintings of powerful individuals from the past.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Kehinde Wiley" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kehinde-wiley/status-and-class-and-social-anxiety-and-perhaps-social-code-are-all/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Anxiety" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kehinde-wiley/status-and-class-and-social-anxiety-and-perhaps-social-code-are-all/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d3c/kehinde-wiley-1194_anxiety_status-and-class-and-social-anxiety-and_1584505.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d3c/kehinde-wiley-1194_anxiety_status-and-class-and-social-anxiety-and_1584505.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d3c/kehinde-wiley-1194_anxiety_status-and-class-and-social-anxiety-and_1584505.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Status and class and social anxiety and perhaps social code are all released when you look at paintings of…” — Kehinde Wiley", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Kehinde Wiley", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kehinde-wiley/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Status and class and social anxiety...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kehinde-wiley/status-and-class-and-social-anxiety-and-perhaps-social-code-are-all/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kehinde-wiley/status-and-class-and-social-anxiety-and-perhaps-social-code-are-all/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```