A major retrospective of artist and filmmaker Arthur Jafa’s work opens this week at the New Museum in New York, offering a pointed reflection on race and identity in the United States. The exhibition, titled “I Am Tony,” is Jafa’s largest museum survey to date and runs from Thursday through January 3.

Jafa is best known for his 2016 film "Love Is the Message, the Message Is Death," which juxtaposes harrowing footage of police violence against Black Americans with images celebrating Black culture, set to a gospel-infused track by Kanye West. The seven-minute video emerged at a turbulent political moment, three years into the rise of the Black Lives Matter movement and months after the inauguration of President Donald Trump. It was initially shown at a Harlem gallery and subsequently streamed on various museum websites, becoming a quiet form of protest within the art world.

This exhibition at the New Museum comes amid a broader climate of cultural tension. Several museums nationwide appear to be scaling back exhibitions addressing race and social justice, possibly in response to criticism from the White House alleging a focus on controversial topics such as slavery, civil rights, and immigration. Just this year, the removal of public artwork from a U.S. embassy sparked debate over accusations that such works were overly "woke," contributing to a cautious atmosphere among cultural institutions.

In addition to "Love Is the Message, the Message Is Death," the exhibition features Jafa’s "The White Album," a confrontational exploration of white supremacist culture in America that won the Golden Lion award for best artist at the Venice Biennale. Both films use montage and found imagery to offer contrasting yet intertwined perspectives on the country’s racial history, oscillating between despair and celebration.

The exhibition’s title references Tony Williams, the influential drummer for jazz legend Miles Davis, symbolizing both artistic mastery and cultural legacy. Jafa has commented on the current political climate, describing the resurgence of nationalist rhetoric as an intentional attempt to obscure historical truths. “The whole Trump, the whole MAGA thing, is such a willful attempt to disremember,” he said. While he remains hopeful that justice will ultimately prevail, Jafa acknowledged the challenges ahead, cautioning that difficult times are likely to continue.

“I Am Tony” at the New Museum offers a compelling and timely examination of race, identity, and resilience through the lens of contemporary art as the country marks its 250th anniversary.