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ZuCot Gallery Debuts “The Gift” Exhibition,
Explores Hip Hop’s Global Impact and Cultural Influence
The Fall 2023 installation highlights the 50th anniversary of hip hop, celebrating the intricacies, significance of its influence through art .
ATLANTA, GA - (UPDATED - October 2023) – ZuCot Gallery, the largest African American-owned fine art gallery in the Southeast, has announced an exhibition that will salute hip hop’s roots, transcendence and representation through fine art. Titled “The Gift,” the 39-piece collection will open publicly on September 29 and run through the end of November.
Exhibition curators have tapped 11 renowned visual artists who will delve into the global impact of hip hop and its influence on society through their mixed-media works. With a keen focus on how African American culture has permeated every corner of the globe, the exhibition examines both the positive and negative aspects of hip hop's journey over the past five decades.
“Hip hop’s influence is undeniable - from fighting to be heard to now being the voice of generations. This exhibition pays homage while also looking ahead to its continued evolution and prominence,” said Onaje Henderson, Zucot co-owner and exhibition curator. “Every artist and piece we selected represents a different perspective of hip hop’s impact on not only society but in the lives of individuals. For many, hip hop is more than just a genre. It’s more than a ‘dope beat’ or a ‘sick 16.’ It’s an expression of freedom, rebellion, optimism, kinship, strength, resilience, joy, progress.”
Featured artists include Petie Parker, Horace Imhotep, Charlotte Riley-Webb, Alfred Conteh, Michi Meko, Maurice Evans, Nathan Addley, Michael Reese, Charly Palmer, D.L Warfield and Paper Frank.
“Hip hop is not just the music, it’s not just the fashion, not the traditional elements of it,” said Alfred Conteh, a multidisciplinary artist featured in the exhibition. “Hip hop is people’s lives and realities – that’s what gets reflected in music. Outside of the sneakers and what’s playing through the system is extracted from what people do from dawn to dusk, and that’s what I capture in my work.”
This exhibition also reinforces ZuCot’s passion for educating communities about the importance of celebrating African-American culture and owning a piece of it through original art from living Black artists.
“We are really excited to use this milestone cultural anniversary as an opportunity to expose more people, particularly young people and Black people, to the world of fine art and collecting,” added Henderson. “With the support of partners like Microsoft and the City of Atlanta, we have been able to curate a number of special events throughout the run to help illustrate this. Our artists have also contributed some incredible and very relatable pieces, and we feel confident that anyone, no matter their age or background, will be able to walk through our doors and connect to at least one piece on our walls.”
Special events throughout the exhibition’s cycle to include:
- Sponsored exclusive dinners: Private dining experiences for attendees to engage in thought-provoking discussions and celebrate the spirit of hip hop.
- Microsoft Experience with students (AI Rap Experience): An immersive event reserved for 25 young adults and music artists, exploring the intersection of emerging technology and hip hop.
- Art Tasting: The Art Tasting experience gives an informal, hands-on, and interactive way to appreciate art in a comfortable environment and also provides an open forum for discussion on topics related to the creation of an art piece, materials used to create a piece, art as an investment (why collecting is important), and how to determine real vs. fake.
- Culture & Collecting Conversations with Mayor Andre Dickens: A dialogue centered on art collecting–featuring entertainers who are avid collectors–and the convergence of creativity and cultural preservation.
Virtual access to the gallery will be available beginning on Thursday, September 28th through a Microsoft-sponsored partnership. The in-person exhibition will be open to the public regularly on Saturdays from 12-6 p.m.
For more information about the exhibition and updates, visit the gallery’s website at www.zucotgallery.com.
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Media Assets:
Alfred Conteh “The Gift” Exhibition Interview
Michi Meko “The Gift” Exhibition Interview
Sample Art from “The Gift” Exhibition
About ZuCot Gallery:
ZuCot Gallery is the largest African-American owned fine art gallery in the Southeast. Located in the historic Castleberry Hill district of downtown Atlanta, the 3,500 sq. foot space offers an eclectic decor and features some of the most prolific contemporary artists of our time. The gallery’s mission is to promote original works of art by living African American artists and provide both novice and seasoned collectors with meaningful and unique services that enhance the art collecting experience. Collectors benefit from services including educational programming, networking events, and the highest quality original works of art. ZuCot Gallery stands by its mission of influencing the collection of art in the African-American community by spreading its significance in cultural and financial value.