Cookie Consent by Free Privacy Policy website Arthur Jafa’s “The White Album” donated to the collection
giugno 26, 2020 - Moderna Museet

Arthur Jafa’s “The White Album” donated to the collection

Comunicato Stampa disponibile solo in lingua originale. 

Moderna Museet has acquired ”The White Album” by #arthurjafa, through a donation from The American Friends of #modernamuseet. This 40-minute video work was awarded the Golden Lion at the 2019 Venice Biennale. It will be installed and shown at #modernamuseet towards the end of the year.

In ”The White Album”, the US artist #arthurjafa examines white violence against black citizens. Jafa juxtaposes brutally violent footage and shocking statements with other images demonstrating his love and respect for #people in his life who happen to be white. In his expansive video portraits, he evokes a dual sense of intimacy and rejection. He asks the fundamental questions of what it actually means to be white – and black.

“’The White Album’ is an extremely important work that visualises the disturbing and invasive racism that is currently being debated globally. #arthurjafa takes footage from real life and inserts it in an artistic framework that speaks directly to the body and the senses. His practice insists on giving black America a face and a voice. ‘The White Album’ is horrifyingly urgent, and we are very grateful for this donation from The American Friends of #modernamuseet,” says Gitte Ørskou, director of #modernamuseet.

In summer 2019, #modernamuseet showed the exhibition ”Arthur Jafa: A Series of Utterly Improbable Yet Extraordinary Renditions (featuring Ming Smith, Frida Orupabo and Missylanyus)”. In May 2019, #arthurjafa was awarded the Golden Lion in Venice for ”The White Album”, a video work that the Biennale jury described as “in equal measure … an essay, a poem and portraiture”.

Thanks to a donation from The American Friends of #modernamuseet, an edition of ”The White Album” (2018) has now been added to the Museum’s collection.