Liberated Tears and Two Truths, One Body by Corey Wesley hang above a black sofa in the artist's Harlem home.
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Behind the Faces

CONTEMPORARY FIGURATIVE ART FROM HARLEM ARTIST COREY WESLEY.

What is the cost of being seen?

Being seen asks us to be vulnerable. Yet racial, cultural, and sexual barriers can make it difficult to let someone see who we are. We spend so much time judging our differences that we miss what we share. Something that should be simple becomes one of the hardest things.

I have met people only once who felt safe enough with me to share things they rarely told anyone. As I listened to their struggles and the mistakes they feared would define them, I saw beauty they sometimes could not see in themselves. Their circumstances were part of their lives. They were still living, still breathing.

Those encounters stayed with me. The emotion I felt afterward helped form the archetypes in Unapologetic Faces. These are not portraits of the people I met. They come from my writing, my experiences, and the feelings those connections left with me. Creating these faces gives me a way to express those emotions while keeping the people and their private stories out of view.

Some people I met had been hurt and still believed in love. Others no longer believed love was possible for them. That hurt me, because I have experienced a love that keeps me believing. That belief is part of these faces too.

At my exhibition, people asked who the faces were. I want to leave you with another question: what do you recognize in them? A feeling you have carried, something you have struggled to say, or a part of yourself you wish someone understood?

This is my love letter to the human experience. I want us to take the time to see one another.

Interested in the process?

Meet the artist

From a Viewer

“The expressions and visual treatment make the figures feel emotionally exposed, almost as if they are confronting the viewer rather than simply being observed.”

Claudette Branch

The Series

Unapologetic Faces

Our faces tell a story before we ever say a word.

View the full series

What Credit Costs by Corey Wesley, 24 × 36 in High-gloss aluminum contemporary artwork, Milton Wes Art. view 1 What Credit Costs Archival museum-quality aluminum
24 × 36 in limited to one collector edition VIEW WORK Credit Where Credit Is Due by Corey Wesley, split face with blonde and black braids on a one-of-one 24 × 36 archival aluminum work Credit Where Credit Is Due Archival museum-quality aluminum
24 × 36 in limited to one collector edition VIEW WORK Love Your Face II, one-of-one 24x36 aluminum contemporary artwork by Harlem artist Corey Wesley from the Unapologetic Faces series, Milton Wes Art, Harlem NYC Love Your Face II Archival museum-quality aluminum
24 × 36 in limited to one collector edition VIEW WORK The Whisper Becomes the Push surface detail on archival aluminum, Harlem artist Corey Wesley, 36x24, Milton Wes Art NYC The Whisper Becomes the Push Archival museum-quality aluminum
36 × 24 in limited to one collector edition VIEW WORK Golden Temptation II, one-of-one aluminum artwork by Harlem artist Corey Wesley, 36x24, Milton Wes Art NYC Golden Temptation II Archival museum-quality aluminum
36 × 24 in limited to one collector edition VIEW WORK Poured Clean, one-of-one aluminum artwork by Harlem artist Corey Wesley, 24x36, Milton Wes Art NYC Poured Clean Archival museum-quality aluminum
24 × 36 in limited to one collector edition VIEW WORK Love and Lies, one-of-one aluminum artwork by Harlem artist Corey Wesley, 24x36, Milton Wes Art NYC Love and Lies Archival museum-quality aluminum
24 × 36 in limited to one collector edition VIEW WORK Seconds, one-of-one aluminum artwork by Harlem artist Corey Wesley, 24x36, Milton Wes Art NYC Seconds Archival museum-quality aluminum
24 × 36 in limited to one collector edition VIEW WORK Two-Faced, one-of-one aluminum artwork by Harlem artist Corey Wesley, 24x36, Milton Wes Art NYC Two-Faced Archival museum-quality aluminum
24 × 36 in limited to one collector edition VIEW WORK Harmony, one-of-one aluminum artwork by Harlem artist Corey Wesley, 24x36, Milton Wes Art NYC Harmony Archival museum-quality aluminum
24 × 36 in limited to one collector edition VIEW WORK Blended Love, one-of-one aluminum artwork by Harlem artist Corey Wesley, 24x36, Milton Wes Art NYC Blended Love Archival museum-quality aluminum
24 × 36 in limited to one collector edition VIEW WORK Complex, one-of-one aluminum artwork by Harlem artist Corey Wesley, 24x36, Milton Wes Art NYC Complex Archival museum-quality aluminum
24 × 36 in limited to one collector edition VIEW WORK Complexity, one-of-one aluminum artwork by Harlem artist Corey Wesley, 24x36, Milton Wes Art NYC Complexity Archival museum-quality aluminum
24 × 36 in limited to one collector edition VIEW WORK Contrast Faces, one-of-one aluminum artwork by Harlem artist Corey Wesley, 24x36, Milton Wes Art NYC Contrast Faces Archival museum-quality aluminum
24 × 36 in limited to one collector edition VIEW WORK Duality Broken, one-of-one aluminum artwork by Harlem artist Corey Wesley, 24x36, Milton Wes Art NYC Duality Broken Archival museum-quality aluminum
24 × 36 in limited to one collector edition VIEW WORK Golden Love, one-of-one aluminum artwork by Harlem artist Corey Wesley, 24x36, Milton Wes Art NYC Golden Love Archival museum-quality aluminum
24 × 36 in limited to one collector edition VIEW WORK Product mockup Irreversible Split Archival museum-quality aluminum
36 × 24 in limited to one collector edition VIEW WORK Split in Silence, one-of-one aluminum artwork by Harlem artist Corey Wesley, 24x36, Milton Wes Art NYC Split in Silence Archival museum-quality aluminum
24 × 36 in limited to one collector edition VIEW WORK Gilded Vulnerability, one-of-one aluminum artwork by Harlem artist Corey Wesley, 36x24, Milton Wes Art NYC Gilded Vulnerability Archival museum-quality aluminum
36 × 24 in limited to one collector edition VIEW WORK American Paradox, one-of-one aluminum artwork by Harlem artist Corey Wesley, 36x24, Milton Wes Art NYC American Paradox Archival museum-quality aluminum
36 × 24 in limited to one collector edition VIEW WORK Golden Temptation, one-of-one aluminum artwork by Harlem artist Corey Wesley, 36x24, Milton Wes Art NYC Golden Temptation Archival museum-quality aluminum
36 × 24 in limited to one collector edition VIEW WORK Red Silence, Black Truth, one-of-one aluminum artwork by Harlem artist Corey Wesley, 36x24, Milton Wes Art NYC Red Silence, Black Truth Archival museum-quality aluminum
36 × 24 in limited to one collector edition VIEW WORK Fragmented Promises, one-of-one aluminum artwork by Harlem artist Corey Wesley, 36x24, Milton Wes Art NYC Fragmented Promises Archival museum-quality aluminum
36 × 24 in limited to one collector edition VIEW WORK Clowned by Capitalism, one-of-one aluminum artwork by Harlem artist Corey Wesley, 36x24, Milton Wes Art NYC Clowned by Capitalism Archival museum-quality aluminum
36 × 24 in limited to one collector edition VIEW WORK Shedding, one-of-one aluminum artwork by Harlem artist Corey Wesley, 24x36, Milton Wes Art NYC Shedding Archival museum-quality aluminum
24 × 36 in limited to one collector edition VIEW WORK The Meltdown, one-of-one aluminum artwork by Harlem artist Corey Wesley, 24x36, Milton Wes Art NYC The Meltdown Archival museum-quality aluminum
24 × 36 in limited to one collector edition VIEW WORK Unshaken Reflection, one-of-one aluminum artwork by Harlem artist Corey Wesley, 24x36, Milton Wes Art NYC Unshaken Reflection Archival museum-quality aluminum
24 × 36 in limited to one collector edition VIEW WORK United Lovers, one-of-one aluminum artwork by Harlem artist Corey Wesley, 24x36, Milton Wes Art NYC United Lovers Archival museum-quality aluminum
24 × 36 in limited to one collector edition VIEW WORK Cracked Fusion, one-of-one aluminum artwork by Harlem artist Corey Wesley, 24x36, Milton Wes Art NYC Cracked Fusion Archival museum-quality aluminum
24 × 36 in limited to one collector edition VIEW WORK The Breakup, one-of-one aluminum artwork by Harlem artist Corey Wesley, 24x36, Milton Wes Art NYC The Breakup Archival museum-quality aluminum
24 × 36 in limited to one collector edition VIEW WORK Tears Flowing, one-of-one aluminum artwork by Harlem artist Corey Wesley, 24x36, Milton Wes Art NYC Tears Flowing Archival museum-quality aluminum
24 × 36 in limited to one collector edition VIEW WORK Why America, one-of-one framed figurative wall art by Harlem artist Corey Wesley, 24x18, Milton Wes Art, Harlem NYC Why America Framed fine art
24 × 18 in limited to one collector edition VIEW WORK Love Your Face, one-of-one framed contemporary work by Harlem artist Corey Wesley, 24x36, from Unapologetic Faces, Milton Wes Art, Harlem NYC Love Your Face Framed fine art
24 × 36 in limited to one collector edition VIEW WORK Burning Desire by Corey Wesley, one-of-one framed contemporary artwork exploring beauty standards and desire, 24x36, Harlem artist Burning Desire Framed fine art
24 × 36 in limited to one collector edition VIEW WORK 2:00 AM, one-of-one framed artwork by Harlem artist Corey Wesley, 24x36, Milton Wes Art NYC 2:00 AM Framed fine art
24 × 36 in limited to one collector edition VIEW WORK Presence Undiminished, one-of-one framed artwork by Harlem artist Corey Wesley, 24x36, Milton Wes Art NYC Presence Undiminished Framed fine art
24 × 36 in limited to one collector edition VIEW WORK Two Truths, One Body, one-of-one framed artwork by Harlem artist Corey Wesley, 24x36, Milton Wes Art NYC Two Truths, One Body Framed fine art
24 × 36 in limited to one collector edition VIEW WORK Love in Contrast, one-of-one framed artwork by Harlem artist Corey Wesley, 24x36, Milton Wes Art NYC Love in Contrast Framed fine art
24 × 36 in limited to one collector edition VIEW WORK The Allure, one-of-one framed artwork by Harlem artist Corey Wesley, 18x24, Milton Wes Art NYC The Allure Framed fine art
18 × 24 in limited to one collector edition VIEW WORK Unapologetic Embrace, one-of-one framed artwork by Harlem artist Corey Wesley, 18x24, Milton Wes Art NYC Unapologetic Embrace Framed fine art
18 × 24 in limited to one collector edition VIEW WORK Twin Beauty, one-of-one framed artwork by Harlem artist Corey Wesley, 18x24, Milton Wes Art NYC Twin Beauty Framed fine art
18 × 24 in limited to one collector edition VIEW WORK Speechless America, one-of-one framed artwork by Harlem artist Corey Wesley, 18x24, Milton Wes Art NYC Speechless America Framed fine art
18 × 24 in limited to one collector edition VIEW WORK The Face That Trauma Built, one-of-one framed artwork by Harlem artist Corey Wesley, 24x36, Milton Wes Art NYC The Face That Trauma Built Framed fine art
24 × 36 in limited to one collector edition VIEW WORK Beautiful Accident, one-of-one framed artwork by Harlem artist Corey Wesley, 24x36, Milton Wes Art NYC Beautiful Accident Framed fine art
24 × 36 in limited to one collector edition VIEW WORK American Divide, one-of-one framed artwork by Harlem artist Corey Wesley, 24x36, Milton Wes Art NYC American Divide Framed fine art
24 × 36 in limited to one collector edition VIEW WORK Fractured Identity, one-of-one framed artwork by Harlem artist Corey Wesley, 18x24, Milton Wes Art NYC Fractured Identity Framed fine art
18 × 24 in limited to one collector edition VIEW WORK Model Divide, one-of-one framed artwork by Harlem artist Corey Wesley, 24x36, Milton Wes Art NYC Model Divide Framed fine art
24 × 36 in limited to one collector edition VIEW WORK The Villain They Made, one-of-one framed artwork by Harlem artist Corey Wesley, 18x24, Milton Wes Art NYC The Villain They Made Framed fine art
18 × 24 in limited to one collector edition VIEW WORK Gold Doesn't Heal, one-of-one framed artwork by Harlem artist Corey Wesley, 24x36, Milton Wes Art NYC Gold Doesn't Heal Framed fine art
24 × 36 in limited to one collector edition VIEW WORK Shiny and Vanished, one-of-one framed artwork by Harlem artist Corey Wesley, 24x36, Milton Wes Art NYC Shiny and Vanished Framed fine art
24 × 36 in limited to one collector edition VIEW WORK

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