Arthur Jafa Sold at Auction Prices

b. 1960 -

Arthur Jafa (born Arthur Jafa Fielder; 1960) is an American video artist and cinematographer.

Arthur Jafa (pronounced Jay-Fah) was born on November 30, 1960 in Tupelo, Mississippi and raised in Clarksdale, Mississippi which was highly segregated at the time he grew up. His mom and dad were both educators and Jafa was raised Catholic.

As a child, Jafa assembled binders full of found images in collections he called "the books." He also grew up watching shows like I Spy, and other science fiction programs which informed his artistic practice as an adult, which is directly seen in his self portrait "LeRage," (2017). His work was also inspired by his interest in prominent black jazz music and musicians such as Miles Davis.

Jafa studied architecture and film at Howard University before moving to Atlanta, Georgia.

While working on a film with Charles Burnett in 1980, Jafa met the director Julie Dash. Dash and Jafa married in 1983 and had a daughter, N'Zinga in 1984. The couple later separated, after collaborating on Daughters of the Dust.