Hip-hop exhibit with over 65 artists making its only Canadian stop at the AGO in Toronto

An exhibit all about the culture of hip-hop featuring over 65 artists and over 100 artworks and objects is making its only stop in Canada at the AGO.

The Culture: Hip Hop and Contemporary Art in the 21st Century has been organized surrounding the 50th anniversary of the birth of hip hop, and showcases art from leading artists including Derrick Adams, John Edmonds, Deana Lawson and Hank Willis Thomas.

The exhibit shows how fashion, consumer marketing, music, videos and objects can intersect with paintings, sculpture, poetry, photography and multi-media installations to explore concepts like activism, racial identity, bling, gender, sexuality and feminism.

The Culture is titled after a phrase commonly heard in hip hop communities, “do it for the culture.”

You can expect to see pieces at the exhibit like Caitlin Cronenberg’s photograph of the CN Tower for Drake’s Views album cover, a portrait of a young Snoop Dogg by Craig Boyko, photos of Toronto hip hop artists by Patrick Nichols and apparel from Toronto streetwear brand Too Black Guys.

The exhibit is organized into six “chapters”: Language, Brand, Adornment, Tribute, Pose, and Ascension, and is accompanied by an ambient soundscape by Wendel Patrick.

“No conversation about hip hop would be complete without recognizing the many contributions made by Canadian artists. In bringing this exhibition to Toronto, we have an exciting opportunity to affirm our place in the global conversation about it,” said Julie Crooks, Curator, Arts of Global Africa & the Diaspora, AGO, in a press release. “The artworks on view here are as multifaceted as hip hop itself and in their conceptual and material innovations, reveal hip hop as a wellspring that has and continues to challenge Eurocentric ideals of beauty and power.”

The exhibit opens for exclusive member access on Dec. 4, and will be open for general admission from Jan. 7 to Apr. 6. There will be a public opening party on Dec. 6.

The Culture is free for Ontarians under 25, AGO Members, Annual Passholders, and Indigenous Peoples and is included in general admission.