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 choreographed by Jefferson Pinder for the Corocoran, in which he continues his investigation of physical exertaion.

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 in conversation.