Gelatin silver print (hand-painted)
In the 1960s, Smith was the first woman to join the Black photography collective Kamoinge—whose name is a Giyuku word that translates to “a group of people acting together.” This hand-painted print depicts her husband, the acclaimed jazz saxophonist David Murray, before a performance. Jafa has recalled being drawn to Smith’s photographic technique of using long exposures to create a blurring effect between her subjects and their surrounding environments.
Artist’s Choice: Arthur Jafa—Less Is Morbid, November 19, 2025–July 5, 2026
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Ming Smith
American 8 works onlineIt’s about seeking energy, breath, and light. The image is always moving, even if you’re standing still.” For Smith, these are the central tenets of her approach to image-making: a practice attuned to bodily movement and spatial relations that maintains a commitment to the poetry of light and shadow.
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Arthur Jafa—Less Is Morbid
1 NorthOriginally from Tupelo, Mississippi, and trained as an architect and cinematographer, he has become well-known for his collages, montages, assemblages, and installations—combining images imbued with what he calls “affective capacity,” or the emotional power of association.
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