Kehinde Wiley’s Statue of African American Man Unveiled in Response to Confederate Monuments in Richmond

On Tuesday, Dec.10, Kehinde Wiley’s “Rumors of War” statue was permanently installed at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts (VMFA) and unveiled to the public in Richmond, Virginia. Thousands of people were gathered on the grounds of VMFA and in the streets for an unveiling that has the potential to transform the identity of Richmond.

The event kicked off with a performance by Richmond’s All-City High School Marching Band and included remarks by a group of dignitaries including Virginia Governor Ralph Northam and Mayor Levar Stoney in addition to leaders from the VMFA.

“This is a historic moment for all of us,” says Alex Nyerges, director of the VMFA, during his opening remarks. “It’s a positive moment as we think about the inspiration art brings to the world.

Related: Why Investing in Black Women’s Art is a Power Move

Standing more than 27 feet high, the statue represents a young, African American male with dreadlocks and Nike shoes sitting astride a horse. Wiley was inspired to create the statue in direct response to the Confederate statues that are seen along Monument Avenue in Richmond. The statue is modeled after the 15-foot tall equestrian bronze statue of Cavalry Commander Gen. J.E.B. Stuart who is seen striking a heroic pose on a horse that has its right foot raised. It’s one of the most animated statues on Monument Drive. Wiley was determined to create an image of an African American male that defied traditional stereotypes of worthlessness.

“A black man on a horse in all of its regal splendor has never been seen before on this scale,” says Dr. Monroe Hall, VMFA’s president of the Board of Trustees, as he addressed the crowd. “It says that no matter what your background…you are important.”

New-York based artist Kehinde Wiley is best known for painting the portrait of former President Barack Obama that hangs in the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery. His work explores the politics of race, representation, gender, and power. Minutes before the unveiling, Wiley shared what this moment means for the future of society.

“I want this picture to be not about an individual but rather about black men and their place in society in a much broader way,” says Wiley as the crowd clapped and cheered him on. “It’s about a society that can include all of us.”

Wiley continues, “I don’t want this to be a boy story. I want all of our young women to feel just as engendered to the power this sculpture represents as well. I think that what this represents is not just a story about race or gender but about openness. It’s a story about America 2.0.

Related: Diddy Pays $21 Million for Painting By Black Artist: Here are 9 Tips On Collecting Art for Average Folks

2019 marks a turning point in the narrative for the state that was the former capital of the Confederacy. Richmond commemorates the 400th year anniversary of the arrival of the first enslaved Africans to Virginia and embraces a shift in the winds going forward.

“This monument firmly establishes that our city is not living in the past,” says Mayor Levar Stoney of Richmond, VA. “Today Richmond is embracing a future that is happening right before our eyes.”

Everyone who visits Richmond will have the opportunity to get a glimpse of the evolution of the city through this statue as well as enjoy the resources that BLK RVA has put together to celebrate black culture.

from Black Enterprise https://ift.tt/36xuf8h

Jada Pinkett Smith and Willow talk 2014 investigation on their family

The Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services opened up an investigation into Will and Jada Pinkett Smith’s family in 2014 after a photograph surfaced online of then 14-year-old Willow Smith lying on a bed with 20-year-old actor Moisés Arias.

The revelation came during a Dec. 10 episode of Red Table Talk where Pinkett Smith, her mom, Adrienne Banfield Norris, and Willow allowed viewers to call in with their burning questions and declared “no topic is off-limits.” When one caller asked if Willow ever felt like she needed to protect her parents from false rumors in the press, both she and Banfield Norris said “yeah” and later Willow went into what set the DCFS investigation into motion.

READ MORE: Jada Pinkett Smith says Willow has had to check Will Smith for misinformed comments

“I think it started with that whole Moises thing,” said Willow, who is now 19. “We took a picture and Moises had his shirt off.”

Jada elaborated. “The boys (Moisés and his brother Mateo) basically lived with us, so they’re like her brothers. These boys are always in this house with their shirts off.”

Although Willow says “there was no sexual intonation in that picture whatsoever,” agents wanted to delve deeper. Willow blames the backlash that the photo caused on her being a young Black girl.

“I find that other celebrities, females who aren’t black, who are younger and who do post things that are way more sexual than that, they don’t get any backlash,” she explained. “That said a lot.”

Jada agreed. She said the incident made her “furious” not just because it involved her children, but that “it was just one of those blatant moments when you realize the difference” in how people perceive black skin versus white.

Jada said Willow treated the DCFS investigation “like, ‘Whatever.’ That’s how they treated it. Her and Jaden both, and there was nothing Will and I could do. We were just like, please chill out. And they were like, ‘No. This is stupid and it’s ridiculous.’”

Willow said when the agent dropped in she gave her the stare-down.

“I was looking at the lady, and the whole time I was thinking, you could be helping so many kids right now and you’re wasting your time with a child who has everything that they need,” Willow said on Red Table Talk.

One of the rumors investigators heard was that Jada and Will were starving Willow, so Willow decided to walk into the DCFS interview at 2 p.m. that day with a bowl of cereal and pretend like it was all she had eaten so far that day.

READ MORE: Jada and Will Smith had marital challenges similar to T.I. and Tiny Harris

The family laughs now at the memory of that crazy time, but Jada said they all took away some important lessons.

“That was the moment that I feel like we really locked up together as a family,” Jada said. “The kids got to see for the first time why Will and I had been so protective, be careful who you talk to, be careful who you hang with, watch yourself because people try to hurt you.” And Will and Jada got to see the “soldiers” in their kids.

The post Jada Pinkett Smith and Willow talk 2014 investigation on their family appeared first on theGrio.

from theGrio https://ift.tt/2YDTIKs

Kehinde Wiley’s Statue of African American Man Unveiled in Response to Confederate Monuments in Richmond

On Tuesday, Dec.10, Kehinde Wiley’s “Rumors of War” statue was permanently installed at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts (VMFA) and unveiled to the public in Richmond, Virginia. Thousands of people were gathered on the grounds of VMFA and in the streets for an unveiling that has the potential to transform the identity of Richmond.

The event kicked off with a performance by Richmond’s All-City High School Marching Band and included remarks by a group of dignitaries including Virginia Governor Ralph Northam and Mayor Levar Stoney in addition to leaders from the VMFA.

“This is a historic moment for all of us,” says Alex Nyerges, director of the VMFA, during his opening remarks. “It’s a positive moment as we think about the inspiration art brings to the world.

Related: Why Investing in Black Women’s Art is a Power Move

Standing more than 27 feet high, the statue represents a young, African American male with dreadlocks and Nike shoes sitting astride a horse. Wiley was inspired to create the statue in direct response to the Confederate statues that are seen along Monument Avenue in Richmond. The statue is modeled after the 15-foot tall equestrian bronze statue of Cavalry Commander Gen. J.E.B. Stuart who is seen striking a heroic pose on a horse that has its right foot raised. It’s one of the most animated statues on Monument Drive. Wiley was determined to create an image of an African American male that defied traditional stereotypes of worthlessness.

“A black man on a horse in all of its regal splendor has never been seen before on this scale,” says Dr. Monroe Hall, VMFA’s president of the Board of Trustees, as he addressed the crowd. “It says that no matter what your background…you are important.”

New-York based artist Kehinde Wiley is best known for painting the portrait of former President Barack Obama that hangs in the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery. His work explores the politics of race, representation, gender, and power. Minutes before the unveiling, Wiley shared what this moment means for the future of society.

“I want this picture to be not about an individual but rather about black men and their place in society in a much broader way,” says Wiley as the crowd clapped and cheered him on. “It’s about a society that can include all of us.”

Wiley continues, “I don’t want this to be a boy story. I want all of our young women to feel just as engendered to the power this sculpture represents as well. I think that what this represents is not just a story about race or gender but about openness. It’s a story about America 2.0.

Related: Diddy Pays $21 Million for Painting By Black Artist: Here are 9 Tips On Collecting Art for Average Folks

2019 marks a turning point in the narrative for the state that was the former capital of the Confederacy. Richmond commemorates the 400th year anniversary of the arrival of the first enslaved Africans to Virginia and embraces a shift in the winds going forward.

“This monument firmly establishes that our city is not living in the past,” says Mayor Levar Stoney of Richmond, VA. “Today Richmond is embracing a future that is happening right before our eyes.”

Everyone who visits Richmond will have the opportunity to get a glimpse of the evolution of the city through this statue as well as enjoy the resources that BLK RVA has put together to celebrate black culture.

from Black Enterprise https://ift.tt/36xuf8h

First Basketball Africa League Combine Was Held in Brooklyn, New York

According to the NBA, there is a new professional league The Basketball Africa League (BAL), which will feature 12 teams from across Africa and scheduled to begin playing in March 2020. This past week they held the first BAL Combine in Brooklyn, New York.

The two-day scouting event featured 50 aspiring players from across Africa, the United States, and other parts of the world. The BAL Combine took place last week at Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) Training Center, the Brooklyn Nets official practice facility, in Brooklyn, New York.

Each of the 12 teams that are playing in the upcoming inaugural season of the BAL will have up to 16 players (12 active and four inactive), at minimum, eight of the players will be citizens of their teams’ home country and up to four can be from other countries, with no more than two players per team from outside of Africa.

“Our goal is to establish the Basketball Africa League as a destination for top players with U.S. college, G League and international experience,” said BAL President Amadou Gallo Fall. “Our first BAL Combine will provide teams with the opportunity to evaluate a deeper pool of talent as they fortify their rosters ahead of our first season, which tips off in four months.”

Related: Patrick Rishe Thinks The NBA Should Cut Schedule to 68 Games

The first BAL regular season is scheduled to take place in Cairo (Egypt), Dakar (Senegal), Lagos (Nigeria), Luanda (Angola), Rabat (Morocco) and Monastir (Tunisia). The first BAL Finals will be held in Kigali (Rwanda). NIKE and Jordan Brand will be the exclusive on-court outfitter of the new professional league.

The NBA and FIBA have plans to provide financial support and resources toward the development of Africa’s basketball ecosystem, including training for players, coaches and referees, and an investment toward the infrastructure.

The announcement about the NBA and FIBA’s launch of the BAL, which marks the NBA’s first collaboration with a league outside of North America, was initially made at the NBA All-Star 2019 Africa Luncheon in Charlotte on Saturday, Feb. 16.

from Black Enterprise https://ift.tt/2RItV29

First Basketball Africa League Combine Was Held in Brooklyn, New York

According to the NBA, there is a new professional league The Basketball Africa League (BAL), which will feature 12 teams from across Africa and scheduled to begin playing in March 2020. This past week they held the first BAL Combine in Brooklyn, New York.

The two-day scouting event featured 50 aspiring players from across Africa, the United States, and other parts of the world. The BAL Combine took place last week at Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) Training Center, the Brooklyn Nets official practice facility, in Brooklyn, New York.

Each of the 12 teams that are playing in the upcoming inaugural season of the BAL will have up to 16 players (12 active and four inactive), at minimum, eight of the players will be citizens of their teams’ home country and up to four can be from other countries, with no more than two players per team from outside of Africa.

“Our goal is to establish the Basketball Africa League as a destination for top players with U.S. college, G League and international experience,” said BAL President Amadou Gallo Fall. “Our first BAL Combine will provide teams with the opportunity to evaluate a deeper pool of talent as they fortify their rosters ahead of our first season, which tips off in four months.”

Related: Patrick Rishe Thinks The NBA Should Cut Schedule to 68 Games

The first BAL regular season is scheduled to take place in Cairo (Egypt), Dakar (Senegal), Lagos (Nigeria), Luanda (Angola), Rabat (Morocco) and Monastir (Tunisia). The first BAL Finals will be held in Kigali (Rwanda). NIKE and Jordan Brand will be the exclusive on-court outfitter of the new professional league.

The NBA and FIBA have plans to provide financial support and resources toward the development of Africa’s basketball ecosystem, including training for players, coaches and referees, and an investment toward the infrastructure.

The announcement about the NBA and FIBA’s launch of the BAL, which marks the NBA’s first collaboration with a league outside of North America, was initially made at the NBA All-Star 2019 Africa Luncheon in Charlotte on Saturday, Feb. 16.

from Black Enterprise https://ift.tt/2RItV29