Purple Art
[April 21 2022]
“Live Evil,” an exhibition by Arthur Jafa at LUMA, Arles
As the most comprehensive collection of his work to date, “Live Evil,” presents Jafa’s striking critique of race relations; past, present and future. Extending over two halls at LUMA, each installation is an assemblage of images, music, sound and archive, and explores a different aspect of Black culture: from music to spirituality, from collective pain to the present realities of white supremacism. Yet his work, which takes a strong inspiration from the emergence and evolution of black cinema and music in the 20th and 21st centuries, should be seen as more than an ontology of race, American history and Blackness. Instead, his position as one of the most significant contemporary artists of today, makes his work crucial to understanding the cultural expression of Blackness, along with all its complexities and nuances.
“Live Evil,” is on view now until January 1, 2023 at LUMA, 35 Avenue Victor Hugo, Arles
Photos by Raphaele Godin
