Kara Walker, Fons Americanus, 2019-20, Tate Gallery.

WE REGRET THAT, THROUGH UNAVOIDABLE CIRCUMSTANCES, THIS EVENT HAS HAD TO BE POSTPONED, BUT WE LOOK FORWARD TO A TALK FROM BEN STREET LATER ON IN THE YEAR.

Kara Walker's installation for Tate Modern, Fons Americanus, emerged in the midst of a tumultuous period in which, above and beyond the pandemic, the nature of public statuary and its relationship to historical truth was questioned. The 43 feet high fountain, a satire of Victorian monumental sculpture, might be considered in many ways: in relation to Walker’s broader practice as an artist, in terms of Tate’s history, and in comparison to the many installations that have occupied that space before.

Drawing on his recent book, 200 Words to Help You Talk about Art, Ben Street will assess this complex work's range of possible threads, while at the same time analysing its mode of address: who is it speaking to, and how?

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