Bearden set out to make The Dove in collaboration with members of the Black artist collective Spiral, but ultimately completed the work on his own. The cascading, irregular shapes of bodies and buildings in the collaged image produce a feeling of movement that evokes the hustle and bustle of a New York City street.
Artist’s Choice: Arthur Jafa—Less Is Morbid, November 19, 2025–July 5, 2026
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Romare Bearden
American, 1911–1988 25 works onlineRomare Bearden was 53 years old in 1964, the year he made his first series of collages. By that point in his life, he had already had several careers.
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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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