#KingsOfHipHop Exhibition by @Borbay

Recently, I ventured out into the city headed to the Publicis Modem in the Meat Packing district to check out Borbay, a collage artist, and his #KingsOfHipHop exhibition. I admit I was unfamiliar with the artist but his social media and press campaign intrigued me enough to see his work for the very first time.

At the launch party, I ran into a few familiar faces and made some new acquaintances. We each took turns dissecting and breaking down the pieces before us. I even had a chance to speak with the artist himself and ask a few questions.

I asked why he chose these particular subjects for this exhibition. While there is no denying that these figures have contributed to the hip hop culture in many ways, why them? Borbay decided to choose these artists because not only did they add to the hip hop culture through their music, but also through their businesses. These artists are not one dimensional and have contributed in many ways. He felt that hustling is a vital element to the hip hop genre and these figures were an embodiment of this trait within this culture. They also happen to be the top earners on the Forbes list.

While examining the art work, we couldn’t help to notice that the words juxtaposed and placed along the pieces sometimes resonated with the subject, but at times didn’t. I asked Borbay about this. He said that while the words featured in the works sometimes coincided with the subject, whether it was from their work or personal life. The other words that didn’t quite fit in were placed their in context to the time period they were created. Being that these words were actual headlines from newspapers, sometimes what was in the headlines showed up in the pieces during the time they were being constructed.

Borbay also discussed the concept for this series and why he focused on Hip Hop artists. ”As a collage artist, the concept of standing amidst, alongside, in front and behind your words is captivating; who better to explore than rap artists?”

The #KingsOfHipHop series included Snoop Dog, Dr. Dre, Diddy, Eminem, Kanye, Jay-Z and Lil Wayne, some of which are still up for sale. To find out more about this artist check his website Borbay.com. The #KingsOfHipHop exhibition is now available for private viewings for members of the press and perspective collectors; Monday – Friday, 9:00AM – 7:00 PM through September… all viewings must be scheduled in advance here. Check out some images from the exhibit below.