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Paying tribute to visual artist and filmmaker Arthur Jafa through a series of events at the Bourse de Commerce, Wonderland speak with Cyrus Goberville about his work with the Pinault Collection, Jafa’s legacy, and the relationship between art and music.
Throughout the past few months, leading Parisian museum Bourse de Commerce has been hosting a series of eclectic and thought-provoking events. Running alongside the Corps et âmes exhibition, a hundred works from the Pinault Collection that explores the physical form in contemporary art, the musical program for the spring and early summer comes courtesy of Cyrus Goberville, a cross-industry mogul whose diverse and daring selections have added extra emphasis and authenticity to the stunning collection.
The cultural program pays tribute to legendary American filmmaker and visual artist Arthur Jafa through a series of concerts and performances. Earlier in the year, the likes of Speakers Corner Quartet (who celebrated Arthur Russell, a maverick of underground disco), renowned DJ Theo Parrish and composer Morton Feldman have all taken to Bourse de Commerce for showcases.
Across this coming weekend (22nd-25th May), a series of events take place, entitled Arthur Jafa: Remixed Party. The coterie of showcases includes a Memphis special from French multidisciplinary artist Crystallmess, delving into rap from the American South. Also, a DJ set from Detroit techno trailblazer Robert Hood against the backdrop of Jafa’s 2013 film APEX, and then a focus on Parisian rap artists influenced by Caribbean culture, curated by French visual artist Pol Taburet.
The creative mind at the helm of the nuanced and free-wheeling program, Cyrus Goberville is an intriguing and innovative presence. Wonderland catch up with the man himself, talking Jafa’s legacy and the relationship between art and music.
Jafa’s work…
Read the interview with Cyrus Goberville…
Hi Cyrus! Briefly talk us through your background and previous works?
I grew up in Paris, and co-founded a small record label called Collapsing Market when I was 20. from 2014 to 2020. We released very different music genres, but also organised DJ sets and concerts, mostly in art venues in Paris.
How did you first become involved with the Bourse De Commerce and the Corps et âmes exhibition?
I’ve been working at the Pinault Collection for more than 5 years now, starting its music program in May 2021, when the museum opened. We organized hundreds of concerts, blending from traditional Balinese music to French rap, passing through Puertorican salsa and Senegalse mblax… It’s been a crazy journey!
How did you embark of curating the musical work to accompany the exhibition? What are the key characteristics and motifs that run through?
When I started the music program at the Bourse de Commerce in 2021 it was more independently curated from the exhibitions. Working closely with Emma Lavigne, General Director of the Collection, for the last few years has been very helpful to gather the music program to the exhibitions themes. One of Emma’s specialities is the narrow link between contemporary art and music, working with artists like La Monte Young for instance. We closely worked together on the music programs in echo to some of the exhibitions recently held at the Bourse de Commerce (Anri Sala, Mike Kelley…), but Corps & Ames is definitely our most major music program curated for an exhibition to date.
How did your prior experiences inform your methodology in curating this musical program?
Coming from a niche record label background, I’ve always been scared of getting people bored with experimental music. I don’t mind varying genres, and not to submit to a form of coherence in continuity. My key word is surprise. The Memphis rap program we are curating with Crystallmess happening this week is a very relevant example. I’ve been trying to approach legendary rapper Tommy Wright the IIIrd for years now, and Crystallmess really wanted to invite La Chat – who used to be a member of the Three Six Mafia – in France. We joined forces to host their first appearance in France. Who would have think about the Bourse de Commerce to host such an underground and radical Memphis rap tribute?
The musical program is very stylistically varied. Why did you opt to make it so? What does that represent about the exhibition?
The exhibition is echoing to a lot of different musical genres. Irving Penn stunning picture of Miles Davis’ hands; Peter Doig painting of Caribbean musicians on a boat, Arthur Jafa soundtracks… The program needed to reflect this variety, highlight vocal and instrumental practices. The French rap program happening this Saturday curated by Pol Taburet is very different from the homage we had to the experimental music composer Maryanne Amacher for instance.
How do you reflect on Arthur Jafa’s legacy? What is behind this idea of emotional proximities? How do you relay the concept in musical terms?
Arthur Jafa has been a key influence in my artistic path for years now. Emotional proximities is a concept that simply describes the idea of bringing together two images which, on the face of it, are diametrically opposed, and to give them a form of coherence. That’s what I want to build for our live program.
How have the past events so far this season been? What, from your perspective, have attendees taken from them?
I think French electronic music producer Low Jack’s Lacrimosa piece, commissioned by the Bourse de Commerce after a residency at Numeroventi in Florence, was a proper highlight in the program. Deeply tied to the composer’s own life, Low Jack transformed autobiographical elements into a messianic, polyglot form, unfolding across eight movements that chart the storms and serenity of grief. It was splendid and will hopefully tour across Europe soon.
To you, what is the relationship between art and music?
It’s the most beautiful thwarted relationship there is. Contemporary art and music are two fields that can be very elitist, but bringing them together can sometimes, miraculously, cancel out this effect and give works between art and music, a universal character that fascinates me.
Are there any specific events in the program that you are particularly looking forward to?
I’m very excited about Pol Taburet’s carte blanche on the 24th of May! Implacable and Ricky Bishop are rappers I’m dying to see!
Find out more and tickets here.
Additional photography – Raphaël Massart & Souleymane Said
Words – Ben Tibbits
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Paying tribute to visual artist and filmmaker Arthur Jafa through a series of events at the Bourse de Commerce, Wonderland speak with Cyrus Goberville about his work with the Pinault Collection, Jafa’s legacy, and the relationship between art and music.
Throughout the past few months, leading Parisian museum Bourse de Commerce has been hosting a series of eclectic and thought-provoking events. Running alongside the Corps et âmes exhibition, a hundred works from the Pinault Collection that explores the physical form in contemporary art, the musical program for the spring and early summer comes courtesy of Cyrus Goberville, a cross-industry mogul whose diverse and daring selections have added extra emphasis and authenticity to the stunning collection.
The cultural program pays tribute to legendary American filmmaker and visual artist Arthur Jafa through a series of concerts and performances. Earlier in the year, the likes of Speakers Corner Quartet (who celebrated Arthur Russell, a maverick of underground disco), renowned DJ Theo Parrish and composer Morton Feldman have all taken to Bourse de Commerce for showcases.
Across this coming weekend (22nd-25th May), a series of events take place, entitled Arthur Jafa: Remixed Party. The coterie of showcases includes a Memphis special from French multidisciplinary artist Crystallmess, delving into rap from the American South. Also, a DJ set from Detroit techno trailblazer Robert Hood against the backdrop of Jafa’s 2013 film APEX, and then a focus on Parisian rap artists influenced by Caribbean culture, curated by French visual artist Pol Taburet.
The creative mind at the helm of the nuanced and free-wheeling program, Cyrus Goberville is an intriguing and innovative presence. Wonderland catch up with the man himself, talking Jafa’s legacy and the relationship between art and music.
Jafa’s work…
Read the interview with Cyrus Goberville…
Hi Cyrus! Briefly talk us through your background and previous works?
I grew up in Paris, and co-founded a small record label called Collapsing Market when I was 20. from 2014 to 2020. We released very different music genres, but also organised DJ sets and concerts, mostly in art venues in Paris.
How did you first become involved with the Bourse De Commerce and the Corps et âmes exhibition?
I’ve been working at the Pinault Collection for more than 5 years now, starting its music program in May 2021, when the museum opened. We organized hundreds of concerts, blending from traditional Balinese music to French rap, passing through Puertorican salsa and Senegalse mblax… It’s been a crazy journey!
How did you embark of curating the musical work to accompany the exhibition? What are the key characteristics and motifs that run through?
When I started the music program at the Bourse de Commerce in 2021 it was more independently curated from the exhibitions. Working closely with Emma Lavigne, General Director of the Collection, for the last few years has been very helpful to gather the music program to the exhibitions themes. One of Emma’s specialities is the narrow link between contemporary art and music, working with artists like La Monte Young for instance. We closely worked together on the music programs in echo to some of the exhibitions recently held at the Bourse de Commerce (Anri Sala, Mike Kelley…), but Corps & Ames is definitely our most major music program curated for an exhibition to date.
How did your prior experiences inform your methodology in curating this musical program?
Coming from a niche record label background, I’ve always been scared of getting people bored with experimental music. I don’t mind varying genres, and not to submit to a form of coherence in continuity. My key word is surprise. The Memphis rap program we are curating with Crystallmess happening this week is a very relevant example. I’ve been trying to approach legendary rapper Tommy Wright the IIIrd for years now, and Crystallmess really wanted to invite La Chat – who used to be a member of the Three Six Mafia – in France. We joined forces to host their first appearance in France. Who would have think about the Bourse de Commerce to host such an underground and radical Memphis rap tribute?
The musical program is very stylistically varied. Why did you opt to make it so? What does that represent about the exhibition?
The exhibition is echoing to a lot of different musical genres. Irving Penn stunning picture of Miles Davis’ hands; Peter Doig painting of Caribbean musicians on a boat, Arthur Jafa soundtracks… The program needed to reflect this variety, highlight vocal and instrumental practices. The French rap program happening this Saturday curated by Pol Taburet is very different from the homage we had to the experimental music composer Maryanne Amacher for instance.
How do you reflect on Arthur Jafa’s legacy? What is behind this idea of emotional proximities? How do you relay the concept in musical terms?
Arthur Jafa has been a key influence in my artistic path for years now. Emotional proximities is a concept that simply describes the idea of bringing together two images which, on the face of it, are diametrically opposed, and to give them a form of coherence. That’s what I want to build for our live program.
How have the past events so far this season been? What, from your perspective, have attendees taken from them?
I think French electronic music producer Low Jack’s Lacrimosa piece, commissioned by the Bourse de Commerce after a residency at Numeroventi in Florence, was a proper highlight in the program. Deeply tied to the composer’s own life, Low Jack transformed autobiographical elements into a messianic, polyglot form, unfolding across eight movements that chart the storms and serenity of grief. It was splendid and will hopefully tour across Europe soon.
To you, what is the relationship between art and music?
It’s the most beautiful thwarted relationship there is. Contemporary art and music are two fields that can be very elitist, but bringing them together can sometimes, miraculously, cancel out this effect and give works between art and music, a universal character that fascinates me.
Are there any specific events in the program that you are particularly looking forward to?
I’m very excited about Pol Taburet’s carte blanche on the 24th of May! Implacable and Ricky Bishop are rappers I’m dying to see!
Find out more and tickets here.
Additional photography – Raphaël Massart & Souleymane Said
Words – Ben Tibbits
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