OSCAM x Top Notch present: BOUT IT #3

On March 19, 2022, the exhibition BOUT IT #3 opens in OSCAM, in which we, together with Top Notch, give a stage to female and non-binary hip hop artists and the major contributions they have made to the genre.

Hip hop is more than music: it is both a form of personal expression and a shared culture. Hip hop – the art and culture – is hugely popular on a global scale and from all socio-economic backgrounds, but is often misunderstood within the professional art world. Placing hip hop in a museum creates space for an interesting cross-pollination between two apparently different art worlds. The global becomes local, the personal becomes cultural and the audible becomes visual.

Feminine visions of hip hop have pioneered the music industry since the genre’s inception and undeniably paved the way for the genre’s global growth. To this day, these visions are overlooked in the still male-dominated scene.⁠⁠ To change this, OSCAM and Top Notch have teamed up once again for the latest edition of the recurring hip hop exhibition series BOUT IT.

For BOUT IT #3 our open space is partially transformed into a teen’s bedroom coming straight from the 90s. In our teens, music idols played a pivotal role on our journey to adulthood. Besides translating relatable thoughts, feelings and experiences into audible art, they became role models showing different ways of becoming ourselves and living our truth. The Teenage Room is a warm memory brought back to life, reminding us to dream big and become our own role models.

Participating artists

A large number of artists and enthusiasts we all know contribute to this exhibition. From old school MCs like Roxanne Shante, Queen Latifah and Missy Elliot to the latest generation of rappers like Little Simz, LIONSTORM and Lizzo, almost all names are featured in BOUT IT #3. The space will also feature works by the following visual artists:

Dana Lixenberg | During her time in New York, working with a large format analog camera, she portrayed many cultural icons from the hip hop community.

Marian Genet | Multidisciplinary artist who translates stories and experiences into photography and textile artworks that radiate positivity, sensuality and vulnerability.

Cheraine Baljé | Textile artist who creates vibrant art with her knit, crochet and sowing skills taught by grandma, and immortalizes lyrics on tufted wall hangings.

Marjorie Richards | Our homegrown creative talent, who breaks through as an artist with strong statements on soft fabrics.

Speak Sessions and Writerscamp

For this exhibition, we involve our audience in the process that precedes the opening of an exhibition: from the initial background research to the search for artists. That’s why we made a Speak Session series about BOUT IT #3, in which we talk to various female hip hop artists from the Netherlands and Senegal. This series can be found on our YouTube and Instagram.

In addition, we organize a writerscamps during the exhibition period with the help of the Prince Claus Fund. During the writerscamp, we bring Dutch and Senegalese hip hop talent together for transcultural exchange and to realize an international and innovative hip hop network with an inclusive character.

Colophon:

BOUT IT #3 is a joint exhibition by OSCAM and Top Notch
Concept BOUT IT: Marian Duff
Curator: Ahisha Adjoa
Production: Ahisha Adjoa, Anivia Beylard
Partner: Selin Karaaslan, Shiwa Safari (Top Notch)
Art direction: Ahisha Adjoa, Anivia Beylard
Graphic designer: Floreska Olmberg
Monogram: Pleun van Baren
Decor builder: Armand Ong-A-Swie
Sign and floor applicator: AS Sign
Copywriter: Louisanne van Hooff
Participating artists: Dana Lixenberg, Marian Genet, Cheraine Baljé, Marjorie Richards
Supported by: Prince Claus Fund, ​​VandenEnde Foundation
Special thanks: Amsterdam Museum, Dilara Jaring-Kanik