The Facts
On September 16, 2026, Sadie Coles HQ announced that the New Museum in New York will present “Arthur Jafa: I Am Tony,” spanning the institution’s newly expanded second and third floors from September 25, 2026, through January 4, 2027. The exhibition includes the premiere of a new work alongside landmark pieces such as the Golden Lion-winning “The White Album” (2019) and “Love is the Message, The Message is Death” (2016). It also features recent paintings, large-scale video and film installations, and sculptural and photographic objects. Over nearly four decades, Jafa has developed a visual language to capture the rhythms and realities of Black life in America, often juxtaposing institutional violence with the ascendance of Black culture in national identity. Titled after jazz drummer Tony Williams, the show traces the evolution of Jafa’s filmic syntax, mirroring the syncopations of Black popular music.
The Signal
The exhibition marks one of the most comprehensive surveys of Jafa’s work at a major U.S. institution, underscoring his influence as a visual artist and filmmaker. For collectors and curators, the show signals sustained institutional commitment to politically engaged, formally innovative contemporary art, particularly work addressing Black identity and media culture. The New Museum’s expansion provides a fittingly ambitious scale for Jafa’s large-scale installations, while the inclusion of early and new works offers a rare longitudinal view of an artist whose practice has increasingly shaped discourse around race, image-making, and the moving image.
- Artists: Arthur Jafa
- Galleries: Sadie Coles HQ
- Museums: New Museum
- Locations: New York
The Morning Signal · Daily
Get stories like this in your inbox
The art world in one daily email — auctions, openings, and acquisitions from 90+ primary sources, distilled into a five-minute read. Independent — no marketplace, no gallery ads.
Join collectors, dealers & curators
No spam · free every morning · unsubscribe anytime
The Jobs Digest · Weekly
New art-world jobs, every Monday
The Jobs Digest rounds up the week’s new museum, gallery, and auction-house openings — with salary when disclosed. One email a week, unsubscribe anytime.
