About this episode
Arthur Jafa discusses his influential work and recent exhibitions in the art world.
Arthur Jafa is probably the most revered artist of the last decade. Born in 1960, in Tupelo, Mississippi, he came up through the world of cinema. But Jafa also found his way into the art world with his difficult video work and strange objects. In art, his reputation went viral in 2016 with the video, Love Is the Message, the Message Is Death. It is a collage of found footage from social media that included police violence against Black people and also moments of viral celebration and joy. It was both experimental and accessible, and drew huge crowds when it was first shown at Gavin Brown’s Enterprise in New York. A follow-up film, called The White Album, won the Golden Lion for Best Artist as part of the main show of the Venice Biennale back in 2019. And this month, Jafa is back in Venice, this time in a two-person show called “Helter Skelter,” curated by Nancy Spector, pairing him with the famous artist Richard Prince, also known for using found and appropriated imagery to disorienting effect. That show opened alongside the Venice Biennale at the Prada Foundation, and was one of the few things during the opening weekend that everyone could agree was a must-see event. Jafa has…
People in this episode
Host: Artnet News
Guest: Arthur Jafa
Topics covered
- Arthur Jafa
- readymade art
- video art
- Venice Biennale
- found footage
- contemporary art
Keywords
- Arthur Jafa
- video art
- found footage
- Venice Biennale
- contemporary art
- Love Is the Message
- The White Album
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Museum of Modern Art, Prada Foundation, Art Basel
Books & works: Love Is the Message, the Message Is Death, The White Album, Less Is Morbid
More episodes of The Art Angle
- Roberta Smith Still Has Notes · June 11, 2026 · 40 min
- Re-Air: How Raphael Made—and Unmade—the Renaissance · June 4, 2026 · 39 min
- How Is Arts Patronage Changing? · May 21, 2026 · 38 min
- Does L.A's Bold New LACMA Museum Work? · May 14, 2026 · 39 min
- The Most Provocative Performance in Venice · May 7, 2026 · 50 min
- What Biennials Reveal About the Art World · April 30, 2026 · 31 min
Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the The Art Angle podcast page.