Hamilton is celebrating 50 years of hip-hop in a new show at the Art Gallery of Hamilton (AGH).
The non-profit organization Black Owned Hamilton (BLK) hosted a free hip-hop recognition event Oct. 14.
Hamilton-based vendors of colour crafted handmade arts ranging from clothing and soaps to bracelets.
Visitors were given pink pins from BLK at the entrance, along with pamphlets providing further information about the organization.
BLK’s main goals are to assist, highlight and support Black-owned businesses.
Vendors displayed their love of hip-hop and the culture with their hip-hop-inspired artwork, fashion, books and dolls.
Latesha Thomas, owner, and vendor of Yaga my Loc, shared what it means to be part of hip-hop culture.
“(My business) is all about self-love and embracing your natural hair. Hip-hop always continues to inspire us,” Thomas said. “Recognizing and paying tribute to it is a really wonderful thing to do.”
Graffiti artists Alexander Bacon and Moises Luvs collaborated on creating a mural at the AGH’s entrance, representing hip-hop visually.
“My advice is to always wear a respiratory mask (when doing graffiti) and ensure you never do it on someone’s property,” graffiti artist Luke Young said.
For more information on free events at the AGH, visit www.Hamiltonartgallery.ca.
English