I was almost run over by art.
The opening of the Kehinde Wiley exhibit at the Phoenix Art Museum happened during First Friday October, and I don’t think I’d ever seen the museum so packed. There was a long line to purchase tickets to the opening, which included poetry readings, performance art, a living wall floral installation, live portraiture in the galleries, and music by Djentrification, Arizona Opera, and Phoenix Afrobeat Orchestra. It all was designed to complement Wiley’s vibrant portraiture.
The artist paints and sculpts people of color in poses inspired by traditional portraits of European aristocracy. He often chooses strangers on the street as potential subjects.
I was excited to learn his A New Republic exhibition was coming to Phoenix and made plans to go with Phillip and our friend Anne.
The opening had a festive atmosphere. At one point, I was making my way through a gallery, and I heard jazz coming from another room. I was struck by the beauty of the moment – the moving artwork, the enthusiastic crowd filling the space, the saxophone music floating over it all.
I wanted to capture a bit of the scene and tried to take a video, panning around in a circle. I got it the other side and…did it take? As I fiddled with my phone, there was a subtle shift in the energy of the room, a bit of a murmur, some movement around me. Photography was allowed, so I wasn’t sure what the problem was.
I finally turned around to realize a procession was steps away from overtaking me. Three women with hair braided together in the style of the sculpture Bound were walking ahead slowly without wavering. What would they have done if I hadn’t stumbled out of their path at the last second?
I don’t know. I backed up to where the rest of the crowd stood, feeling awkward and penitent, like I had gotten caught talking in church. The procession passed, with the saxophonist bringing up the rear.
Anne and Phillip had gone separate ways, and, after that, I tracked them down, so they could help make sure I didn’t have any more run-ins with performance art.
