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The Culture:
Hip Hop and Contemporary Art in the 21st Century

June 28–September 29, 2024

Western & Southern Galleries (Galleries 232 and 233)
Press Release

 

 

In the wake of hip hop’s 50th anniversary, the Cincinnati Art Museum is hosting a groundbreaking exhibition exploring the genre’s extraordinary influence on contemporary society over the past two decades.

The Culture: Hip Hop and Contemporary Art in the 21st Century showcases more than 100 works of art by some of today’s most important and celebrated artists—such as Jean-Michel Basquiat, Roberto Lugo, Carrie Mae Weems, William Cordova, Hassan Hajjaj, Hank Willis Thomas—and fashion brands, with looks from Cross Colours and Vivienne Westwood. A range of music ephemera will also be on display.

The Culture was originally curated by Asma Naeem, the Dorothy Wagner Wallis Director of the Baltimore Museum of Art; Gamynne Guillotte, former Chief Education Officer at the Baltimore Museum of Art; Andréa Purnell, Audience Development Manager at the Saint Louis Art Museum; and Hannah Klemm, former Associate Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art at the Saint Louis Art Museum. The presentation of the exhibition at the Cincinnati Art Museum was curated by Jason Rawls, EdD. Rawls is an Assistant Professor at The Ohio State University in the Department of African American & African Studies and the School of Music, a DJ himself (aka J. Rawls), an author, and a prolific record producer.

The Culture: Hip Hop and Contemporary Art in the 21st Century is accompanied by a comprehensive catalog with contributions from more than 50 artists, writers, scholars, curators, and arts leaders.

 


Featured Media

Cardi B sits on two green milk crates. The word "unity" is spelled out on her arm. Survey

Share your feedback about the exhibition.

Video

Watch the CAM Presents: Panel Discussion – Vinyl Vibes, Artistic Finds Collecting Music and Art recording.

Exhibition Content

Download complete The Culture large print labels, optimized for screen reader.

Audio Exhibition

Hear verbal descriptions of highlighted artworks and interpretive content for the exhibition, wherever you are.

Access the Audio Exhibition

 

Exhibition Playlist

Check out this playlist created by DJ J Rawls (aka Jason Rawls, Assistant Professor of Hip Hop at The Ohio State University) and guest curator of the Cincinnati presentation of the exhibition.

Listen now

Members Opening—The Culture: Hip Hop and Contemporary Art in the 21st Century

Thursday, June 27, 5–7 p.m.

 

Sold out - CAM Presents—Panel Discussion: Vinyl Vibes, Artistic Finds: Collecting Music and Art 

Thursday, June 27, 7–8 p.m.

 

A Happening: Press Play

Saturday, June 29, 2024, 6:30–11 p.m.

 

Gallery Talk Plus

Saturday, July 13, 1–3 p.m.

 

Art After Dark

Friday, July 26; Friday, August 30; and Friday, September 27
Details coming soon.

 

CAM Kids Day

Saturday, August 3, 11 a.m.–3 p.m.
Details coming soon.

One of the leading figures in the study of hip hop and an advocate for education about the genre will guest-curate the exhibition. Jason Rawls, EdD, is an assistant professor of hip hop at The Ohio State University, leading the team that is creating a hip hop studies program in its School of Music and Department of African American & African Studies. Dr. Rawls–who is featured in a hip hop exhibit at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History–is also known for his music production work with artists like Mos Def, Talib Kweli, and Beastie Boys and is a published author and DJ (aka J. Rawls). Prior to OSU, Dr. Rawls helped develop the first hip hop-based education program in a college of education at Ohio University.


The Culture: Hip Hop and Contemporary Art in the 21st Century is organized by the Baltimore Museum of Art and the Saint Louis Art Museum.

This exhibition is generously supported by the Ford Foundation, the Henry Luce Foundation, and The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts.

Ford Foundation Henry Luce Foundation The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts

 

Presented by

The Ragland Family Foundation

 

P&G

 

Exhibition Sponsors

 Triversity Construction

 

   
PNC    

 

 

Media Sponsor

The Wiz 101.1, the Nati’s #1 for Hip Hop and R&B