White Fence

2020, wood and aluminum base, 100 X 108 X 72 in.

A large-scale architectural sculpture titled "WHITE FENCE" by Keith Francis (2020), measuring 100 x 108 x 72 inches. The work is composed of numerous vertical wooden pickets, painted a clean, semi-gloss white and mounted on a low-profile aluminum base. Unlike a traditional straight fence, these pickets are engineered with dramatic bends and tilts, leaning inward and outward to create a dynamic, undulating corridor. The spacing between the pickets is wide enough for a person to pass through. The "bends" in the wood are a deliberate reference to Martin Luther King Jr.’s philosophy of passive resistance. Some of the vertical elements intersect to form subtle cross-like shapes, referencing colonial history. The sculpture is shown installed in a gallery with white walls and polished concrete floors, where the overhead lighting casts long, rhythmic shadows that extend the reach of the physical pickets. The work serves as a critique of the "American Dream" and the barriers to equity.
A large-scale architectural sculpture titled "WHITE FENCE" by Keith Francis (2020), measuring 100 x 108 x 72 inches. The work is composed of numerous vertical wooden pickets, painted a clean, semi-gloss white and mounted on a low-profile aluminum base. Unlike a traditional straight fence, these pickets are engineered with dramatic bends and tilts, leaning inward and outward to create a dynamic, undulating corridor. The spacing between the pickets is wide enough for a person to pass through. The "bends" in the wood are a deliberate reference to Martin Luther King Jr.’s philosophy of passive resistance. Some of the vertical elements intersect to form subtle cross-like shapes, referencing colonial history. The sculpture is shown installed in a gallery with white walls and polished concrete floors, where the overhead lighting casts long, rhythmic shadows that extend the reach of the physical pickets. The work serves as a critique of the "American Dream" and the barriers to equity.

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