Transcript

KEHINDE WILEY: This body of work comes as a direct response to the murder of George Floyd. During that time, so many of us had an opportunity to grieve, to reflect.

An Archeology of Silence is an archeology of untold stories and lives wasted. It's an American story about brutality and about erasure. My job is to breathe life back into that erased moment. And through that archeology, create something that's perhaps living.

TOM CAMPBELL: That was artist Kehinde Wiley. I’m Tom Campbell, Director of the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco.

This exhibition was premiered in Venice, Italy, last spring. It’s an absolute honor to be able to bring it for the first time to the United States, where the issues it raises are so timely and important.

ABRAM JACKSON: And I’m Abram Jackson, the Museums’ Director of Interpretation. My role is to support the museums in telling the most inclusive stories to the broadest audiences. I’m excited to accompany you on our tour of the exhibition today. We’ll be joined by the artist himself, and two other wonderful contributors who have had cause to think deeply about the questions he brings up in his work.

Let’s get started. Our next stop will be a bronze sculpture of a young man in a hoodie titled “Dying Gaul” – you’ll find it right inside the first gallery.