New Museum Presents Major Survey of Artist Arthur Jafa's Work

The New Museum in New York has unveiled the largest museum survey exhibition of artist Arthur Jafa, titled 'Arthur Jafa: I Am Tony.' This major exhibition opened on September 24, 2026, and will run until January 3, 2027, spanning two floors of the newly expanded museum. It encompasses the full range of Jafa’s artistic practice, showcasing not only his celebrated films but also recent paintings, large-scale video installations, and sculptural and photographic works. This exhibition highlights Jafa’s significant contributions to contemporary art and visual culture.

Arthur Jafa, born in 1960 in Tupelo, Mississippi, has had a prolific career that spans nearly forty years. He gained early recognition as a cinematographer, collaborating with renowned filmmakers such as Julie Dash, Stanley Kubrick, and Spike Lee. Jafa's work has continually sought to capture the rhythm and realities of Black life in America. The exhibition 'I Am Tony,' named after the influential jazz drummer Tony Williams, chronicles Jafa’s artistic evolution from his early films to contemporary video installations, illustrating the development of his unique filmic language.

Throughout his career, Jafa has created a vast visual archive that collages and rearranges images to explore themes of race and identity in contemporary media. His work engages deeply with social media, cinematic history, and popular music, reflecting the complexities of modern Black life. Jafa's approach treats images as potent cultural agents, revealing their connections to real physical experiences and histories, both past and present.

The exhibition includes significant works such as 'Monster' (1988), a self-portrait that foreshadows Jafa's future explorations in visual storytelling. His films resonate with the collective experiences of America, especially in the context of institutional violence against the Black community, while also celebrating the ascendance of Black culture in the national narrative. Curated by Massimiliano Gioni and Gary Carrion-Murayari, the exhibition features contributions from various writers and artists in a fully illustrated catalog published by the New Museum and Phaidon.

'Arthur Jafa: I Am Tony' not only showcases the breadth of Jafa's work but also serves as a critical reflection on the representation of Black identity in contemporary art. This exhibition reinforces the importance of diverse narratives in the art world and invites audiences to engage with the powerful visual language that Jafa has developed over his career. It stands as a significant cultural event, highlighting Jafa’s profound impact on both art and society.