New York has a joyful reason to head to the Bowery this fall: the New Museum is presenting Arthur Jafa: I Am Tony, the first United States museum survey to capture the full breadth of one of the most influential artists of his generation. The exhibition runs from September 24, 2026, through January 3, 2027, and Happy City News is delighted to spotlight it.
Spanning two floors of the newly expanded museum at 235 Bowery, the show brings together nearly four decades of Jafa’s work across film, video, painting, sculpture and photography. Visitors will encounter celebrated pieces including Love is the Message, The Message is Death (2016) and The White Album (2019), which won the Golden Lion at the Venice Biennale, alongside recent paintings, large-scale installations and a range of sculptural and photographic objects.
The exhibition also premieres new work, giving longtime admirers and first-time visitors alike a fresh way to experience Jafa’s rhythmic, music-inspired approach to images and American life. Born in Tupelo, Mississippi, in 1960, Jafa has shaped how contemporary art thinks about moving images, memory and culture, and this survey lets New Yorkers see that evolution in one place.
Arthur Jafa: I Am Tony is curated by Massimiliano Gioni and Gary Carrion-Murayari, with Calvin Wang. It is a wonderful fall plan for art lovers exploring downtown Manhattan.
Photo: New Museum
