‘Rumours of War’ statue to be installed in Richmond

RICHMOND, Va. – A monumental bronze statue that mimics one of Virginia’s most prominent Confederate monuments will soon have a new home in Richmond.

The Richmond Times-Dispatch reports artist Kehinde Wiley’s “Rumours of War” will be permanently installed Dec. 10 at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts.

The statue depicts a young black male dressed in streetwear mounted atop a horse and has been on display in Times Square since its unveiling there in September.

The 29-foot-high work originated when Wiley saw Confederate Gen. J.E.B. Stuart’s statue on Monument Avenue. Wiley is known for his paintings of black Americans and his commissioned portrait of President Barack Obama, displayed at the National Portrait Gallery.

The newspaper says “Rumours of War” is the most expensive acquisition of a sculpture the VMFA has ever made.

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Information from: Richmond Times-Dispatch, http://www.richmond.com