‘The Culture: Hip Hop and Contemporary Art in the 21st Century’ Exhibit Explores the Global Impact of Hip Hop

Recently, the Art Gallery of Ontario unveiled the exhibition titled “The Culture: Hip Hop and Contemporary Art in the 21st Century“. This exhibit delves into the profound influence of hip hop culture through various mediums such as painting, photography, sculpture, video, and fashion. Notably, this is its sole Canadian stop, being on display at the AGO until April 6.

The exhibition, as mentioned in the announcement, was motivated by the enduring phrase in hip-hop, “[do it] for the culture.” This term has traditionally symbolized dedication and service to the core principles, aesthetics, morals, perspectives, and beliefs of hip-hop. The exhibition aims to uphold this commitment and foster a collective objective. Additionally, it honors Toronto’s impact on modern art and hip-hop culture. Notable artists showcased include Caitlin Cronenberg, renowned for her captivating image of the CN Tower used in Drake’s Views album cover, as well as Craig Boyko’s portrait of a young Snoop Dogg and Patrick Nichols’ collection of photographs featuring Toronto’s early hip-hop trailblazers.

This exhibition, titled without explicit mention, is organized by a team consisting of Asma Naeem (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 showcase includes pieces from Julie Mehretu, featuring her work “Six Bardos: Transmigration (2018)“, as well as Alvaro Barrington’s tribute to Tupac Shakur with his piece “They have They Can’t (2021)“.

Julie Crooks, Curator for Arts of Global Africa & the Diaspora at AGO, stated in a release, “To fully discuss hip hop, we must acknowledge the significant contributions made by Canadian artists. By hosting this exhibition in Toronto, we can emphasize our role in the worldwide discourse on it. The artworks displayed here mirror hip hop’s complexity and through their conceptual and material advancements, they demonstrate hip hop as a source that has consistently questioned Eurocentric notions of beauty and power.” The showcase boasts more than 100 artworks and items.

Art Gallery of Ontario
317 Dundas St W
Toronto, ON
M5T 1G4
Canada

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2025-03-19 10:55

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