Fresh VUE: Jefferson Pinder, Ben-Hur

On March 22, 2012, at the Corcoran Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C., six men in business attire engaged in a performance that tested their stamina and strength. Loosely inspired by the galley scene in the 1959 Hollywood epic Ben-Hur, the re-enaction demanded that artist Jefferson Pinder's crew work themselves to exhaustion. Amy Sherald, FAI Media Director, and the artist share photos from the performance.


Ben-Hur is a time based endurance piece by Jefferson Pinder in which he continues his investigation of dynamic movement. Ben-Hur not only reflects on the historical, social and political ideas surrounding masculinity and "blackness," but also evokes our collective experience of human predicament and struggle.

Listen to Cathy Byrd and Jefferson Pinder on Fresh Talk.

Fresh Talk: Ira Kip

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Conversations About Creativity in the 21st Century

In this episode, theater director Ira Kip talks about the raw space between medical politics and domestic violence in the LGBT ( lesbian, gay, bisexual and transsexual) community. The presentation of her new play She's Baltimore begins with a February 14, 2012, benefit at the LOFTheatre in Baltimore to raise funds for assisting young women who are victims of domestic violence. The play premieres on February 17, 2012, at the LOFT. 

Sound and Photos: Ira Kip

Fresh Talk: Jefferson Pinder

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Conversations About Creativity in the 21st Century


In this episode, Chicago-based video performance artist Jefferson Pinder explains the importance of physical exertion in his work. Hear how his fascination with Houdini and street theater led to his new live performance series: The Escape Artist. 

Jefferson makes his first appearance as the Escape Artist at 8:05pm, Sunday, December 4, 2011, in Salisbury, Maryland. The premiere performance commemorates the death of Matthew Williams, who was confined to a straightjacket when he was lynched in front of the Wicomico courthouse on December 4, 1931. 

Sound Editor: Ira KIp
Photos: Courtesy Jefferson Pinder