Fresh off his self-titled studio album release, Venezuelan artist Arca explores dark themes of pain and love in the video for his third single “Desafío”. Locked in a leather straitjacket, Arca explores the complicated nature of queer sexuality and identity, and the violence that queer people face for simply existing and expressing. The lyrics are moody and weave emotional pain into physical, unraveling a mere part of what it means to experience relationships—queer or otherwise. Arca’s art is revolutionary in a number of ways; from including genderqueer and male sensuality in his visuals, to his raw depiction of emotional pain as he faces the unknown, he depicts queerness in all its multifaceted complexity. Watch the video below, and read The Fader’s review of the full album here.
Stream Arca on Apple Music.
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