Confederate Generals and Culture Wars: Rumors of Wars Displays a New American Hero

Black men in 1692 were not allowed to own horses, much less ride them. Isaac Murphy became the first black horse jockey to be inducted into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in 1955. And now, in 2019, world-renowned artist Kehinde Wiley displays his first piece of public art in Times Square, a sculpture of a black man dressed in streetwear posing boldly on a horse.

Kehinde Wiley is one of the most prominent figures in the art scene right now, despite not being a household name. He is known for depicting average African Americans and more recently, people of color from other nations in ways that are usually reserved for high-status Caucasians. Though his name has yet to be in the public’s collective conscious, his work is surely recognizable. Wiley’s most noteworthy work to date is his White House-commissioned painting of President Obama.

A month ago, two statues posed gallantly for the tourists enjoying the lively ambience at the heart of Times Square: one of New York infantry soldier and Catholic priest, Francis P. Duffy, and one of composer, playwright, producer, and actor, George M. Cohan. As of right now though, there might as well be one statue, since both of these statues seem miniscule and irrelevant compared to Wiley’s newest installation, “Rumors of War.”

The piece was theatrically introduced on September 27. Hundreds of artists, tourists, journalists, high-profile figures, and proud black Americans gathered at the monumental unveiling event, which was serenaded by Malcolm X Shabazz High School’s marching band. I decided to go after the hullabaloo, so I could experience the piece in the same way that most of the public would. What I felt during my visit is still powerful, if slightly muddled by the ambience of a very average day in New York.

The massive sculpture, made of what I assume is dark stone or plaster, depicts a black man in modern streetwear and Nikes striking a heroic stance atop a mighty horse, which is placed on a giant rectangular pedestal of granite where the piece’s name is engraved. The colossal size of the statue gives the subject a mythic stature which is elevated by the powerful gaze of the man as he looks behind him and his one-handed grip of the horse’s tether. Despite the statue’s grandiosity, it has more or less been absorbed into the background of New York. People sit on its foundation, resting, looking at their phones, and ignoring what towers above them. Seeing as it would be a place that many tourists would congregate around, the statue was surrounded by entertainers in costume and those paid to hand out leaflets for bus tours. I would be lying if I said that the aggressive business tactics didn’t, in some small way, lessen the weight of the experience. Yet, I was glad that the entertainers and advertisers were there, as they are a staple of Times Square, whether New Yorkers enjoy or despise their company, and it would’ve been an odd experience if they weren’t.

The title of the installation, “Rumors of War,” is a Biblical allusion to the Gospel of Matthew. Matthew 24:6 states, “You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come.” The verse serves as a description of the man depicted in the sculpture. His face is turned as though he hears something, presumably the rumors of war, but his face remains calm and fearless. This begs the question, “What war are the rumors referring to?” The war could be construed not as literal combat but a “cultural war,” a buzzword used by both the left and right. A culture war is a conflict between those of different ideals; one is currently being fought in America as it grapples with its bloody and racist history. This way of dealing with the past often manifests itself in equestrian statues, clearly not unbeknownst to Wiley.

“Rumors of War” is also a direct allusion to General J.E.B Stuart’s monument on Monument Avenue, Virginia. Many have called for this statue to be torn down because Stuart was a Confederate general who fought for the right to own slaves. Those who called for the removal of the monument argue that the statue idealizes those who hoped to subjugate and oppress people of color as well as the racist ideals of America’s past.

The opposition to this claim is that, no matter how ugly, the past is part of America’s history and has a right to remain there as such. However, the choice between maintaining the status quo and erasing the past is a false dichotomy, as Kehinde Wiley demonstrates. “Rumors of War” represents a third option: recognition and revision. Wiley’s statue does not hope to erase the work that it was based upon. In fact, the impact of “Rumors of War” relies on knowledge of the Stuart statue that romanticizes racism. The work instead aims to codify the new progressive ideals of America. If I were to work with the presumption that the man depicted in the statue serves as a metaphor for the black American community, the way he looks behind himself embodies this message: He looks at what he was moved past gallantly and remains dauntless.

To ride a horse is a demonstration of power according to the American canon. It was an act meant for cowboys and generals, people who the public considered great—at least in the canon. Even if I were to acknowledge that these heroes were meant to inspire people that don’t look like me, I don’t believe that yanking these idols off their high horse would help me in any way. As artists like Kehinde Wiley demonstrate, our new America requires new heroes of all creeds, races, and nationalities to inspire us.