Arthur Jafa’s Video Captures Black American Life After Trump’s Election

Arthur Jafa presented his seven-minute video, Love is the message, the message is Death, at Gavin Brown’s Enterprise gallery in Harlem, New York in November 2016. The montage combines archival footage of figures like Rosa Parks and Barack Obama with images of police violence, sporting events, and music videos, all set to Kanye West’s “Ultralight Beam.”

The video debuted one week before Donald Trump’s election, and curator Nancy Spector noted its resonance with the shocked American public. Spector believed the piece confronted viewers with the history of violence against African Americans while simultaneously offering a sense of hope.

Gallery employee Lucy Chadwick recalled long lines and emotional reactions from visitors. Now the head of Champ Lacombe gallery, Chadwick described Jafa’s work as a historically significant moment in art. The remainder of the article details further analysis of Jafa’s work, available to subscribers.