In contemporary art, baroque forms can be seen in a variety of abstract and concrete works. For example, some abstract expressionism works often contrast irregular depictions of people with surroundings in a dissonant manner. Action paintings, like Number 1A by Jackson Pollock, often show paint distributed in irregular forms on canvas without clear patterns, and can be interpreted to show modern dramatism that is characterized by nonuniformity. Other examples include modern neoclassical paintings, which can situate subjects and ideas within contexts that may seem out of place initially. For example, Napoleon Leading the Army Over the Alps by Kehinde Wiley places a African-American man adorned with a toga, bandana, and sweatband in a triumphant position on a horse, directly referencing Napoleon Crossing the Alps by Jacques-Louis David, a famous neoclassical painting depicting the French general in a heroic form. Here, by putting an African-American man adorned with clothing from contemporary and ancient times in the position of Napoleon, Wiley is able to situate the person within a social context of power and majesty, ideas that are often nonexistent with the portrayal of African Americans throughout history. By doing so, Wiley is able to utilize a modern Baroque form to reverse the narrative of African-American men within art history.
Number 1A, Jackson Pollock, 1948
Napoleon Leading the Army Over the Alps , Kehinde Wiley, 2005