‘Eindhoven: a HipHop story’ in Van Abbemuseum

Photo credit: Kas van Vliet/Studio040 Since the birth of hip hop it has had a place in Eindhoven. This movement emerged in the early 1980s and fit with the ‘do it yourself mentality’ and the innovative character of the local culture. Van Abbemuseum is devoting an exhibition to it. Hip Hop came over from the United States and quickly gained a foothold in the ‘raw, industrial character’ of Eindhoven. Forty years later, Hip Hop has a place in mainstream culture. The experimental exhibition “Eindhoven: a HipHop story” shows the influence of this subculture on the identity of the city. The story is told from viewpoint of the community and the audience itself. For Grndmxr CazOne (graffiti artist, breaker and DJ) HipHop is a feeling and a way of life. “You don’t do Hip Hop, you are it”. Since then, four generations of creative makers, including dancers, rappers and graffiti artists, have been taking part in building the Eindhoven of today. The defining role of Hip Hop is often underestimated, according to the artist. “Eindhoven: a hiphop story“ lets visitors experience how this scene became part of the DNA of Eindhoven. Guest curators Four guest curators curated the exhibition: Virgil ‘Skychief’...