Dallas-based artist David-Jeremiah presents his solo exhibition "The Fire This Time" at the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth, featuring 27 shaped paintings created between 2020 and 2024. The paintings are shaped like Lamborghini hoods and arranged in clusters that invite visitors to stand at the center, becoming the focal point of an "inverted performance installation." Curated by Christopher Blay, the show spans four rooms and explores themes of beauty, violence, identity, and transformation, drawing inspiration from James Baldwin's "The Fire Next Time." The exhibition also includes works from the museum's permanent collection by John Chamberlain, Anselm Kiefer, and Mark Rothko that resonate with the show's themes.
This exhibition matters because it represents a significant contemporary art moment in the Dallas-Fort Worth region, showcasing how a local artist uses innovative installation techniques to challenge traditional viewer-artwork relationships. By merging automotive design with fine art and referencing Baldwin's literary legacy, David-Jeremiah addresses complex issues of Black masculinity and human nature. The show also demonstrates how regional museums like the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth can present immersive, globally relevant contemporary art that sparks curiosity both locally and internationally.