After his bronze public art statue depicting a World War II Tuskegee Airman was sawed off at the ankles and stolen from a city park, artist Austen Brantley speaks about the ongoing situation, the role of public art, community resources, and what happens next.
Known for his personal and large-scale commemorative sculptures that have been exhibited and installed across the U.S., Brantley’s art practice aims to celebrate, honor, and preserve Black history, identity, and the universality of human experience. With the recent defacement of this statue, Brantley hopes the situation can shed a light on the critical role of public art, community, and the importance of preserving cultural heritage and sharing “narratives of struggle, perseverance, and triumph, reflecting the daily realities faced by individuals within marginalized communities.”
Originally unveiled in June 2024, the 600-pound bronze statue depicts the late Lt. Colonel Alexander Jefferson of the Tuskegee Airmen. The Tuskegee Airmen were the first all-Black fighter squadron in the U.S. military, escorting bombers during World War II. They had one of the lowest loss records during the war and helped pave the way for the desegregation of the military later in 1948. Michigan served as an advanced training ground for the airmen. The statue took a year and a half to complete, and Brantley worked closely with Jefferson’s family to capture the essence of the WWII veteran and educator. Jefferson died in June 2022 at the age of 100.
The statue was recently recovered and Brantley and his team are awaiting details about the state of the statue to assess repairs. As to what is next, Brantley states, “People can destroy art but I won’t give up. I will never stop creating and sharing work that speaks to our interconnected stories.”
Brantley is currently working on several upcoming projects, including a public art sculpture for East Tennessee State University, which will be installed at Borchuck Plaza honoring the first five Black students to attend ETSU and a sculpture awarded through the City of Madison, Wisconsin.
About the artist
Austen Brantley is a self-taught sculptor from Detroit, Michigan. He discovered his affinity for sculpting during his junior year at Berkley High School. There, Brantley was inspired and encouraged by his ceramics teacher, who saw Austen’s talent for molding beauty from the clay. After only two years, Brantley began receiving local and statewide recognition. Seeking to hone his craft, Austen has proudly worked as a full-time professional artist since 2014. His work has been presented across the country in numerous solo and group exhibitions including two current 2024 shows: Galatea: Myth, Love, and Transformation, solo show at M Contemporary, Detroit, MI (August/September); and a two-person exhibition at Indy Art Center, Indianapolis, IN (September/December).
As Brantley continues to live and work in Detroit, he has dedicated his career to creating a legacy for future generations. An essential step toward this goal has been his public commissions, including his most recent bronze unveiling: a memorial commemorating the Tuskegee Airmen of World War Two for the Office of the City of Detroit. At the same time, Austen completed a larger-than-life design for the new Freedom Monument Sculpture Park at the Legacy Museum in Montgomery, Alabama. He is the recipient of multiple awards, including the prestigious Kresge Arts Fellowship in Detroit last year (2023).
Austen aims to provide young people with the opportunity to see themselves reflected in art while also subverting the stereotype of toxic Blackness. A powerful representation of resilience and strength, each artwork and exhibition hopes to reflect shared experience and challenges his onlookers to seek peace, honor, and excellence. austenbrantleysculpture.com @austenbrantley
