Remarkably staged by the artistic director Clémence Farrell, and spread over a vast space, the “Hip-hop 360” exhibition offers numerous archives, visual and obviously sound, but also a lot of interactivity and immersion. Like a fake radio station, which you can switch to to hear excerpts from cult programs, or even a 360 ° room, with excerpts from concerts or dance battles, broadcast on screens.
The American origins of hip-hop, from the Bronx to New York in the late 1970s, are just an introduction to the exhibition. It’s about celebrating 40 years of hip-hop in France, with the pioneers Assassin, NTM, IAM, and many others. But not to be too backward-looking or nostalgic, “too old school”, as described by François Gautret, the curator of the exhibition.
“The heritage of hip-hop is disappearing.”
François Gautret, curator of the Hip-Hop 360 exhibitionto franceinfo
The former dancer, who became an archivist and documentary maker, had to find a balance. On the one hand, the rappers “historical”, which occupy about 70% of the exhibition, and for which “archives are harder and harder to find”, he explains.
On the other hand, the younger generation, “who does not necessarily want to be in a museum right away”. This will notably come to participate in “highlights, like battles, show cases, meetings”, during the seven months that the exhibition lasts.
Hip-hop enthusiasts will be able to discover or rediscover with pleasure the many and moving photographs of Maï Lucas, Marc Terranova or Sophie Bramly, immortalizing pioneers of the movement, some of whom have disappeared, such as Lionel D or even DJ Mehdi.
The “Hip-Hop 360” exhibition is on view until July 24, 2022, at the Philharmonie de Paris.