Jefferson Pinder: “Lazarus”

Chicago-based interdisciplinary artist Jefferson Pinder creates performances, videos, and objects that challenge viewers to think critically about historical and contemporary social issues in America. His dynamic, experimental videos feature minimalist performances that convey narrative through movement, with music often advancing the story line. Part of the series Inertia Cycle, in which Pinder documented intense physical tasks as an abstract metaphor for social struggle, Lazarus (2009) explores notions of community and the limits on socioeconomic mobility. The subjects in his videos do not speak, but their actions resonate with the frustrations of everyday life. Pinder’s works subvert one-dimensional interpretations of African American identity with a nuance that is often lacking in today’s highly polarized society.

Credit: Exhibition overview from museum website.