Running alongside the Pinault Collection’s major exhibition Corps et Âmes, the Bourse de Commerce has launched a dynamic music and performance series curated by Cyrus Goberville, paying tribute to the seminal work and spirit of Arthur Jafa.
Corps et Âmes brings together nearly 100 works by 40 artists from the Pinault Collection, from Auguste Rodin and Ana Mendieta to Georg Baselitz and David Hammons, to explore the body’s place in contemporary art. Freed from traditional representations, the body here becomes a vessel of inner forces, consciousness, and transformation. In the building’s central rotunda, Arthur Jafa’s searing film “Love is the Message, the Message is Death” sets the emotional pulse of the exhibition, weaving a visceral tapestry of African American history through music and imagery.
Goberville has orchestrated a series of concerts blending diverse musical styles, from reggae and punk to Puerto Rican salsa and experimental electronics. This past February’s performances included Speakers Corner Quartet’s homage to Arthur Russell, joined by Coby Sey, Loraine James, Lucinda Chua and others. Diamanda Galás, Theo Parrish, and Low Jack followed with landmark sets. Upcoming acts include Crystallmess, Tommy Wright III and Jessica Pratt.
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Speaking with Hypeart, Goberville explained how Jafa’s notion of “affective proximities” guided his selections. “I used this concept, which Arthur Jafa holds at the heart of his work, as a method for musical programming,” he said. “In the same way Jafa juxtaposes seemingly opposite images and concepts, I wanted to bring different experiences and styles together — although they seem unrelated at first, in context, they create unexpected resonances.”
Goberville emphasized that all artists featured share a connection to Jafa’s world, whether through direct inspiration or thematic echoes, though these links may not be immediately obvious. “Intertwined and juxtaposed, they allow space for new connections,” he said. Looking ahead, Goberville is particularly excited about a Memphis rap showcase curated by Parisian artist Crystallmess, set for May 22. “It will feature local Memphis icons, some of them performing outside of their city for the first time,” he shared. “It’s going to be a special night.”
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