For the Love of The Culture: An Exhibition Review
With Strings Two by Jean-Michel Basquiat
May 28, 2023
This past weekend I journeyed to the Baltimore Museum of Art (BMA) where I experienced The Culture: Hip Hop & Contemporary Art in the 21st Century. This is one of my favorite exhibitions that I’ve ever attended – and that’s saying a lot.
“Coinciding with the 50th anniversary of the birth of hip hop, The Culture: Hip Hop & Contemporary Art in the 21st Century captures the extraordinary influence hip hop has had on contemporary society through more than 90 works and fashion by some of today’s most important and celebrated artists and iconic brands.”
This exhibition features works from multiple mediums including film, photography, and sculptures with artists like Jean-Michel Basquiat (omg!), Nina Chanel Abney, and Jordan Casteel. I was blown away by this exhibition, not only because I was in the same room as a Basquiat, but because of the overall vibe that the exhibition created.
Running from April 5, 2023 – July 16, 2023, The Culture is located on the second floor of the BMA and up the first flight of stairs (when entering from the east entrance). As you climb the stairwell, you are faced with the title of the exhibition in gold lettering against a dark gray charcoal -almost black- wall. This wall color is consistent throughout the exhibition.
While you hand your ticket to the attendant, you can hear hip-hop music playing lowly on the speakers. This is how you know you are in the right place. The very first artwork hits you as soon as you cross the threshold. An oil on canvas painting portrays not only the culture but also a sneak peek of what you are in for.
The overall exhibition was executed beautifully. Though it was bursting with a plethora of work, it was not overbearing or crowded. Many works were on walls by themselves because of the size. This allowed individuals to take in the sight without being too distracted.
As mentioned before, the walls are a very dark gray, which I particularly like. This set a specific atmosphere and made the general environment feel very homey and comforting. The music/sounds playing on the speaker also added another element to the exhibition. It provided a soothing quality and was not at all distracting.
I visited this exhibition on a Saturday at noon-ish and it was surely occupied. It was not so crowded that you couldn’t enjoy the work or stand in awe for a few moments by yourself, however, you weren’t alone. This being said, from my point of view I believe that the patrons were enjoying the experience. I witnessed two friends discussing the work of a painting for a few moments, while happiness and familiarity exuded from individuals. People were conversing about different work, some reminiscing and others saying “Oh, I didn’t know that…!”
The exhibit spanned five-ish rooms and it all flowed cohesively. They were a few screens that hosted one set of headphones & during my time there, I did not see the headphones being used. The exhibition ended with an interactive section where you could write down your favorite artist, musician, designer, revolutionary, etc on little sheets of paper. After you have finished writing down your favorite person, you place the paper in the category listed above, and you can see who others have picked for that specific section.
As stated before, the execution of this exhibition was extremely thought out, however, although the signage was large, many statements were wordy and not as concise as I would have liked. I mentioned that I loved the wall color, but, the labels were also in the same color which made it a bit difficult to see the details of the work (also I didn’t have my glasses so that could have factored in.)
All in all, I enjoyed myself at this exhibit. I believe that it’s one worth visiting. The artwork, the information, the people, the artists, and the staff all displayed top-tier quality. I’m even thinking about reattending myself. If you have a love for hip-hop, fashion, or the history of great things, this exhibit is for you! Until next time!
xx
Iz <3
