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139 Youth Mourning, 2022, bronze
Transcript
WANDA JOHNSON: My name is Wanda Johnson. I'm the mother of Oscar Grant that was killed January 1st, 2009, at the Fruitvale BART Station in Oakland, California.
ABRAM JACKSON: Oscar Grant was shot in the back and killed by a BART police officer that night. This sculpture, titled “Youth Mourning”, is especially resonant for his mother.
WANDA JOHNSON: When he was killed, this “Youth Mourning” was his friends. Mourning for the loss of a loved one. Mourning for the loss of a friend, mourning for the loss of a family member. Never to go back, to be able to call this person and talk to this person. Never to go back, to be able to joke and laugh and eat with this person. But now, having to face being alone.
They laid on the platform and at the hospital, mourning, all of us mourning, but having the question of why?
“Youth Mourning” seems to read: I should have peace. I should be able to live in freedom, not have to cover up who I am, being identified and targeted because of my appearance. I shouldn't have to have a hoodie on or a hat on, so that you can't see the real me.
I begin to think about how so many of our people have had so much strength and so much zeal and just different gifts and talents and abilities, but yet lose their lives senselessly. And now all those gifts, their talents, their bravery, is buried in the ground along with them.
Like this “Youth Mourning”, many mornings, many evenings, this was me. Balling up, praying unto God. Why did it have to happen? And 13, 14 years later, that question still resonates - why did you have to pull out your gun and shoot him when it wasn't necessary?
ABRAM JACKSON: When you’re done in this space, move through to the last, momentous room in the exhibition. I’ll meet you there to talk about the figure on horseback.
Kehinde Wiley (American, born 1977), “Youth Mourning (El Hadji Malick Gueye),” After George Clausen, 1916, 2021. Bronze, 14 3/16 x 16 9/16 x 31 7/8 in., 136.69 lb. (36 x 42 x 81 cm, 62 kg), base: 35 7/16 x 25 9/16 x 40 3/8 in. (90 x 65 x 102.5 cm). © Kehinde Wiley. Courtesy of Galerie Templon, Paris. Photo: Ugo Carmeni
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By Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco
5
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Transcript
WANDA JOHNSON: My name is Wanda Johnson. I'm the mother of Oscar Grant that was killed January 1st, 2009, at the Fruitvale BART Station in Oakland, California.
ABRAM JACKSON: Oscar Grant was shot in the back and killed by a BART police officer that night. This sculpture, titled “Youth Mourning”, is especially resonant for his mother.
WANDA JOHNSON: When he was killed, this “Youth Mourning” was his friends. Mourning for the loss of a loved one. Mourning for the loss of a friend, mourning for the loss of a family member. Never to go back, to be able to call this person and talk to this person. Never to go back, to be able to joke and laugh and eat with this person. But now, having to face being alone.
They laid on the platform and at the hospital, mourning, all of us mourning, but having the question of why?
“Youth Mourning” seems to read: I should have peace. I should be able to live in freedom, not have to cover up who I am, being identified and targeted because of my appearance. I shouldn't have to have a hoodie on or a hat on, so that you can't see the real me.
I begin to think about how so many of our people have had so much strength and so much zeal and just different gifts and talents and abilities, but yet lose their lives senselessly. And now all those gifts, their talents, their bravery, is buried in the ground along with them.
Like this “Youth Mourning”, many mornings, many evenings, this was me. Balling up, praying unto God. Why did it have to happen? And 13, 14 years later, that question still resonates - why did you have to pull out your gun and shoot him when it wasn't necessary?
ABRAM JACKSON: When you’re done in this space, move through to the last, momentous room in the exhibition. I’ll meet you there to talk about the figure on horseback.
Kehinde Wiley (American, born 1977), “Youth Mourning (El Hadji Malick Gueye),” After George Clausen, 1916, 2021. Bronze, 14 3/16 x 16 9/16 x 31 7/8 in., 136.69 lb. (36 x 42 x 81 cm, 62 kg), base: 35 7/16 x 25 9/16 x 40 3/8 in. (90 x 65 x 102.5 cm). © Kehinde Wiley. Courtesy of Galerie Templon, Paris. Photo: Ugo Carmeni