“Rumors Of War” Arrives In Richmond

by | Dec 11, 2019 | ART

The statue by artist Kehinde Wiley was unveiled yesterday in its permanent home at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts.

Kehinde Wiley unveiled his “Rumors of War” statue on the lawn of the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts Tuesday afternoon. The statue, which depicts a young black man in streetwear riding a horse, was first unveiled in New York City’s Times Square in September.

Wiley was inspired to create the statue after visiting Richmond years ago and seeing the Confederate monuments around the city. It is modeled after the J.E.B. Stuart monument that stands at the intersection of Monument Ave. and Lombardy St. in Richmond. It is 27 feet tall — one foot taller than the Stuart statue. “Rumors of War” will now be a permanent fixture on the lawn of the VMFA, just blocks from the Confederate statues that dominate Monument Avenue. 

A massive crowd was on hand to view the unveiling. Governor Ralph Northam, Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney, and Wiley all spoke prior to the statue being revealed. At the moment of its removal, a tarp concealing the 29-foot statue became stuck on the figure’s hair, but a Richmond firefighter was able to remove the tarp, revealing the full statue.

RVA Magazine was on hand to view the event — here are some images of what took place:

Lots of Richmonders came out to see the statue’s unveiling. (Photo by Jimmy O’Keefe)
Hundreds of people came out for their first chance to see “Rumors Of War” in its new home. (Photo by Jimmy O’Keefe)
Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney addresses the crowd. (Photo by Jimmy O’Keefe)
Governor Ralph Northam speaks. (Photo by Jimmy O’Keefe)
Artist Kehinde Wiley introduces his creation. (Photo by Jimmy O’Keefe)
The time for the unveiling has arrived. (Photo by Jimmy O’Keefe)
At the last moment, the tarp snags on the figure’s hair. (Photo by Jimmy O’Keefe)
Finally, after assistance from a firefighter whose ladder you can see in this shot, “Rumors Of War” was unveiled. (Photo by Jimmy O’Keefe)
Thrilled onlookers captured the moment on their cellphones. (Photo by Jimmy O’Keefe)

Top Photo by Jimmy O’Keefe. Additional reporting by Marilyn Drew Necci.

Jimmy O'Keefe

Jimmy O'Keefe

Jimmy O'Keefe is a senior at VCU studying journalism and political science. Jimmy enjoys booking shows, eating ice cream around town, and hanging out with Oregon Hill's sweetest street cats.




more in art

Ladies Night Out with Linda Dee: Diverse Divas Edition!

Richmond comedian Linda Dee is getting ready to rock Women’s History Month with her brand-new comedy series, "Diverse Divas of Comedy," kicking off on March 21st at Crescent Collective. With a killer lineup of funny ladies, Linda Dee wants you to come along for a...

Richmond Day Tripper! Waynesboro Will Surprise You

In Virginia's countryside, picture a scene straight out of a postcard – rolling hills, farms, and winding roads leading through the sometimes misty mountains. That's Waynesboro for you, a cozy town nestled in the Shenandoah Valley. With about 22,000 folks calling it...

Science Museum of Virginia Brings Boozy Fun with Science on Tap

Many of our readers have probably heard of or seen the Science Museum of Virginia — it’s that giant regal-looking building down on West Broad past the DMV — but how many of you have actually been inside? Notable for its wonderful architecture, having been a train...

Of Mud & Blood: Ceramics and Tattoos Become One at VisArts

Created under a funerary theme, Of Mud & Blood fuses the talent of Richmond’s ceramic artists and tattoo artists into one collaborative art show. Over the course of about eight months, the ceramic artists of the Visual Arts Center (VisArts) and the tattooer...

You Can Call Me Bill: An Interview William Shatner

Over the course of his decades-long career, he’s been known by many names: Captain James Tiberius Kirk, Sergeant TJ Hooker, Commander Buck Murdock, and even Stan Fields if you can be so bold as to tell us why April 25th is, in fact, the perfect date (Answer: it’s not...

Kids of the Black Hole

We stepped down the cobblestone steps, our backs to that gothic tower of bricks seeing us off into a damp night. Jesse’s face was blue as he stared down into his phone and said: C’mon, I think it’s this way. It’s west? I asked.  No, it’s in this direct—I mean...

Pin It on Pinterest