The paintings produced by artist Titus Kaphar have become some of the most coveted pieces of art in America. His paintings – which reimagine the people included in American history – are displayed in museums from Seattle to New York City, and at auction, they’ve fetched hundreds of thousands of dollars.

But the message of the Michigan-born artist’s work – which critically examines how art historically excludes Black and Brown faces – is a source of discomfort for many art collectors, dealers, and museums in the U.S. And despite pressure to keep his artwork apolitical, Titus says his refusal to be silent gets at the heart of how he defines the word “artist.”

We talk to Titus Kaphar about his paintings, and we discuss the painter’s venture into a different medium in his documentary, Shut Up and Paint.