Rumors of War

Kehinde Wiley's sculpture "Rumors of War" is a bronze equestrian statue that reimagines traditional heroic monuments. Instead of a historical soldier, it features a contemporary African American man with dreadlocks, wearing jeans and Nike high-tops.1

This work directly references and subverts the equestrian statues of Confederate figures, such as Robert E. Lee, that were common in places like Richmond, Virginia. Wiley's "Rumors of War" was commissioned by the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts and was installed in front of the museum, sparking conversations about historical narratives and public art. The sculpture challenges conventional representations of power and heroism by centering a Black man in a pose historically reserved for figures of dominance.1