“We have the ability to achieve, if we master the necessary goodwill, a common global society blessed with a shared culture of peace that is nourished by the ethnic, national and local diversities that enrich our lives.”- Mahnaz Afkhami (b. 1941)
“Painting is about the world we live in. Black people live in the world. My choice is to include them. This is my way of saying yes to us.” This statement from Kehinde Wiley (b. 1977) is an excerpt from the opening speech for his 2015 Brooklyn Museum exhibit, known as Passing/Posing. With his goal of lifting Black culture above ‘invisibility’ in mind, this quote perfectly encapsulates the meaning of Wiley’s art. Black culture, before the vast proliferation of the internet and new ideas, was widely viewed as a separate entity from American ‘White’ culture. Much like the neighborhood divisions seen in Richmond to this day, there had been many degrees of separation between our respective races such that observing the world through the eyes of a Black American, as a White American, had been an exercise in futility. The internet changed that, allowing access to a wealth of information and experiences regarding life as a Black American as it is today. It offered perspective, and the means to empathize with those who may have once considered themselves ‘invisible’. Above photo by Daniel Sangjib/Richmond Times-Dispatch.
Art is a platform on which one's perspective can be heard and disseminated across all other cultures worldwide. Intermingling perspectives allow for a blending of cultures, giving rise to greater freedom in the kinds of stories that artists can tell with their works. Within Kehinde Wiley’s painting "Willem van Heythuysen”, his sculpture “Rumors of War”, and the newly transformed Marcus-David Peters (MDP) Circle, Black culture and American ‘White’ culture have combined in both smooth and volatile ways. These reinterpretations serve to upset a long-standing tradition of Black exclusion from American culture, as well as bridge the gap between our differing perspectives. They promote a culture of inclusion, in which mutual understanding is valued like never before. Image on left from VMFA.
Kehinde Wiley’s "Willem Van Heythuysen" is similar in both style and virtue to both "Rumors of War" and MDP Circle due to it exemplifying modern Black culture by way of showcasing current stylistic trends using the subject, as well as lifting them onto a medium through which pride in their identity can be seen far and wide. In the case of this work, a Black man chosen at random. This method of choosing a subject is a symbolic gesture, for it carries a message that anyone can achieve a literal or figurative self-image of ‘regal’ bearing, even those who have felt the most downtrodden throughout history. This ideal self-image has persisted beyond a time of kings, with men of military standing subsequently taking their place on the stage.
"What this thing represents is not just a story about race or gender, but a story about openness. It's a story about America 2.0"- Kehinde Wiley
Kehinde Wiley’s 2019 sculpture, “Rumors of War”, is inspired by a 1907 sculpture of JEB Stuart by Frederick Moynihan. The sculpture is made with traditional equestrian portraiture in mind, which typically only depicted white subjects. Much like “William Van Heythuysen”, “Rumors of War” is a celebration of how far Black individuals have come such that their likeness can be accepted upon a pedestal, much how it’s accepted within a large ornate frame. Whether it’s the size of the canvas, a depiction upon a horse, or the replacement of a once exclusionary monument to a traditionalist hero, Black bodies are now to be expected where once they were shunned. Photo on right by Travis Fullerton/VMFA.
Wiley wishes for the Black narrative to have a greater presence within our history and culture, when previously it was absent. The heroic pose taken by the subject, as well as the depiction of him atop a muscular, gallant horse, are both reminiscent of sculptures meant to commemorate members of the Confederacy. The depiction of the rider as a black man in a modern, urban outfit is what thrusts this work into modernity.
"We cannot change the past, but we can change our attitude toward it. Uproot guilt and plant forgiveness. Tear out arrogance and seed humility. Exchange love for hate --- thereby, making the present comfortable and the future promising."- Maya Angelou (b. 1928)
American artists/protesters within Richmond, in 2020, transformed the Robert E. Lee memorial on Monument Avenue into the Marcus-David Peters Circle. This was a joint effort amongst protesters to reclaim the former grounds for the Robert E. Lee memorial in the name of equality and justice, utilizing contrasting, colorful works to counter the solid shade of the original sculpture. Depicted works include artistic designs like flowers and hearts, as well is influential quotes and calls to action. The colors of red, green, and yellow are most seen throughout, alluding to the roots of African heritage that have brought these artists/protesters together. Photo on left by Richard Hayes/RVAHub
Kehinde Wiley’s “William Van Heythuysen” and “Rumors of War”, as well as MDP Circle, have mutual inclusion as a common intended expression. They all upset the traditional stage by depicting Black individuals as equal characters to what would’ve once been considered an unreachable height (Prater and Smith, 2015). MDP Circle is a representation of mutual inclusion amongst those in the modern era, with its only historical context being the statue of Robert E. Lee that sits atop it. Besides that, the intended message is a strictly modern one. While specific to the intentions of the Black Lives Matter movement, it can easily be interpreted in a broader sense of universal support. People of all races came together to produce this work, embodying it with the spirit of the adage “We are all in this together”.
Mutual inclusion is what binds all these works together. It allows those who view these works to feel empathy regarding the struggle of being a Black individual in America, and impresses upon them the idea of both how far we’ve come, and how far we have left to go. This is regardless of the cultural history of the viewer, allowing anyone a glimpse of the Black American perspective. Through this lens, one can be guided towards empathizing with this perspective and performing their due diligence in spreading a message of mutual inclusion to those who need it. Continuing this trend will yield a more all-inclusive American culture, and allow differing perspectives to truly understand one another. Photo on right by Alexa Welch Edlund/Richmond Times-Dispatch