
Arthur Jafa’s ‘Love is the Message, The Message is Death’
Arthur Jafa
Love is the Message, The Message is Death
Douglas Hyde Gallery of Contemporary Art
8 October – 6 November 2022
The gallery is open Wednesday – Sunday, 12-5 and Thursdays, 12-6. Admission is free and all are welcome.
The Douglas Hyde in partnership with The Form Foundation is delighted to present the Irish premiere of Arthur Jafa’s seminal work Love is the Message, The Message is Death.
In Love is the Message, The Message is Death (2016) Jafa presents a poignant, visceral, and emotional reflection on African American life, identity, and history.
Comprised of material largely taken from online sources, scenes of trauma, racism, and grief, such as routine police violence against Black people that is endemic to U.S. history, are presented alongside images of joy, defiance, and creativity, such as the performances of exceptional Black athletes, dancers, and musicians that are essential to the country’s identity.
Presented for the first time in Ireland, Love is The Message, The Message is Death, remains a stark reminder of the persistence of racial injustice and oppression in the United States and across the globe, and continues to encourage audiences to question: what can we do next?