Six sets of brown eyes stare out from the walls of the burgundy, baroque-style room. These young black men are special. They are art.

Kehinde Wiley, a New York based artist, hand-picked six Columbus residents for his Columbus Museum of Art exhibit – “Kehinde Wiley: Columbus.” The exhibit is based on classic paintings from the museum’s collection.

Wiley, 29, graduated from Yale University with a Masters in Fine Arts in 2001. Since then he has been redefining classic styles and poses by adding a hip-hop element. His artwork challenges the image and status of young black men in today’s culture. One of the men picked was a local barber and up-and-coming artist who feels Wiley has changed him as much as he is changing art.

With a camera crew and limousine, Wiley went on a search for models. “He came in (the barbershop) and explained who he was, and that he was looking for some models,” said Dayshon Moorer, barber for A Cut Above the Rest.

Moorer thought it would be a great opportunity, but wondered, “How much do I have to pay?” When told he would be paid instead, he quickly agreed.

Moorer walked into Wiley’s studio to be photographed wearing a bright green print shirt, white hat with matching pants, a silver dragon belt buckle and a necklace with a picture of his two children.

“He said he was going to paint me. So, I said that ‘I am going to bring it, I am going to make something very difficult for (Wiley) to paint'” Moorer said.

Each model did the six poses dressed in clothing from his wardrobe. Then, Wiley chose the best one to represent the model’s character.

With their pictures in hand, Wiley painted their souls onto an eight-foot canvas with oil. As the background for Moorer, Wiley chose a vibrant red – Moorer’s favorite color.

Wiley selected “The Prophet and the King” for Moorer’s remake of a classic work. “I knew (the painting) would be interesting, but I really didn’t know how interesting … I love it because it is actually kind of biblical,” Moorer said.

Moorer is now a piece of history immortalized in a prophet’s pose and feels blessed, he said.

Each painting, at the Columbus Museum of Art, is composed of one man in a classic stance. A brilliant array of colors and flowers surround each man.

Wiley created frames to fit the paintings. Egg-shaped containers of sperm – a representation of masculinity – are in each corner and a small facade of Wiley at the top. The men in the paintings bear serious faces with intense eyes. They have been granted an opportunity to be placed among the wealthy people of the past.

The paintings ask, “Who has power, who should have power, why they have power and what power means,” said Nancy Colvin, a spokeswoman.

But why paint men from Columbus?

Joe Houston, associate curator of contemporary art at the museum, pursued Wiley in Feb. 2005 to come to Columbus.

“In looking for an artist to showcase here, I wanted to find someone who could be relevant to our community.” Houston said, adding, “I thought (Wiley) would be a good match for a museum like us, both historical and contemporary.”

Wiley said he liked the idea of taking paintings from the museum permanent collection and making them modern and relevant, so he decided to come to Columbus.

Houston describes the exhibit as a “once in a lifetime” experience. “I really doubt he will be working with a museum of our size in the future.”

Wiley’s career has been advancing since the 2005 VH1 Hip-Hop Honors Awards, where he painted portraits for artists such as LL Cool J and Salt ‘n’ Pepper.

“We just happened to get him at the right time,” Houston said, and “we were the first museum to have him work with our collection.”