Have you ever felt the power that comes from expressing yourself freely and finding a common voice with others fighting for the same goals?
Image gallery
Beastie Boys Radio City New York 1985
Deutsche Rapper
That's exactly what hip-hop is; a transformative genre that reimagines community and continues to empower people around the world today.
From the crews of the early years to the great artists of today, no one remains untouched by the influence of this movement.
On 20 September 2024 Fotografiska Berlin opens the exhibition Hip Hop: Conscious, Unconscious. We invite you to discover what collective expression has to do with empowerment, captured by photographers who were - and still are - in the thick of the action.
This retrospective shows where the heart of hip-hop beats and traces over 50 years of its history, from its roots in the Bronx in the 1970s to its evolution as a global billion-dollar industry. Featuring 200 striking photographs by more than 50 renowned photographers including Martha Cooper, Jonathan Mannion, Janette Beckman and Campbell Addy, the exhibition showcases iconic figures from the hip-hop scene including: Beastie Boys, Lauryn Hill, Tupac Shakur, Erykah Badu and Kendrick Lamar.
The exhibition covers the many chapters of hip-hop history, starting with the moment on 11 August 1973 when DJ Kool Herc's party in the Bronx laid the foundations for the genre. At its core, it's about how hip-hop has brought people together and provided a platform for marginalised voices. In doing so, it has enabled political and social change and countered oppression. The photographs are more than a chronological account. They show how hip-hop has enabled empowerment and thus a revolutionary movement.
Hip Hop: Conscious, Unconscious has already been exhibited at Fotografiska New York and Stockholm and will be given an exclusive extension in Berlin with ‘Hip Hop in Germany’.
This part of the exhibition traces the development of German rap in five different phases. From the early hip-hop jams of the 1980s through the golden era of the late 1990s and early 2000s to the diverse scene of today, this part of the exhibition combines documentary photography, portraits and interactive elements. It offers a new perspective on the cultural and political influence of rap in Germany.
In addition, Hip Hop: Conscious, Unconscious presents rare and lesser-known moments that show the development and ongoing influence of hip hop as one of the most influential pop culture movements of our time.
We invite you to experience the transformative power of this exhibition that honours artists who have helped make music history.
Hip Hop: Conscious, Unconscious is presented by Fotografiska in partnership with New York-based media company Mass Appeal and co-curated by:
- Sacha Jenkins, Chief Creative Officer, Mass Appeal
- Sally Berman, Visuals Director, Hearst Visual Group
- The German section ‘Hip-Hop in Germany’ was co-curated by Yolandé Gouws, Davide Bortot and Miriam Davoudvandi in close collaboration with Ron Schindler and Götz Gottschalk.
Johnnie Walker supports the exhibition & the opening party.
BIOGRAPHIES
Sacha Jenkins is an American filmmaker, writer, artist and documentarian of the hip-hop, graffiti, punk and metal scenes. In 1988, he published Graphic Scenes & X-Plicit Language, one of the first magazines dedicated to graffiti art. Jenkins co-founded the magazine Ego Trip in 1994. In 2007, he developed the reality competition show ego trip's The (White) Rapper Show, which aired on VH1. Jenkins is the former creative director of Mass Appeal magazine.
Sally Berman is a producer, art director and image researcher. From 2001 to 2009, as photo director at XXL Magazine, she ensured the highest visual standards of the leading hip-hop magazine and directed shoots with artists such as Kanye West and Eminem. Known for her creative vision, she has set strong visual standards that have made publications leaders in their category, including as photo director at Mass Appeal. Now, as Visual Director at Men's Health, Berman continues to shape the brand identity of a premier publication.
Fotografiska Berlin
Oranienburger Str. 54
10117 Berlin
Open daily 10:00 AM bis 11:00 PM
