UNCATEGORIZED – Berlin and Los Angeles

JULY 5TH – AUGUST 4TH, 2018

Young Nas
Queensbridge Houses, NYC 1993
Digital Silver Gelatin Print
20×24 inch

OPENING: JULY 4TH, 2018 / 6 – 10 PM

HVW8 Gallery Berlin and adidas Originals proudly present UNCATEGORIZED, an exhibition of photography by Chi Modu. Alongside images of hip-hop royalty including Tupac, Biggie, Nas and ODB, UNCATEGORIZED also features previously unseen gems from Chi’s photographic archive. The show celebrates hip-hop’s creative energy and raw, unrivaled ambition in its prime, showcasing Chi’s documentation of the legends behind the sound. UNCATEGORIZED is an ode to a movement, honouring the impact that the early hip-hop icons inimitably maintain today.

UNCATEGORIZED stems from a wider exhibition series, the title of which marks Chi’s open-minded approach to his work. “I wanted to create something that is the opposite of putting labels on everything and make a statement against stereotyping,” he explains. “My work does not fit into any one stereotype and neither do I.” Reconsidering the conventional modes of exhibiting photography, Chi employs projection, prints onto fabric and uses experimental forms of collage installation.

Text by Brit Seaton

About Chi Modu

Born in Nigeria and raised in New Jersey, photojournalist and cultural observer Chi Modu has achieved worldwide acclaim for his photos of legendary hip-hop artists. During the 90s, Chi was the Director of Photography for The Source, the definitive magazine of hip-hop music and culture. His photos have also graced the magazine covers of Rolling Stone Magazine and Jazz Times, and the albums covers of Snoop, Method Man and Mobb Deep. Chi often shoots travel, sports, entertainment, and lifestyle images, and his work is regularly requested for commercials, films and music documentaries.

nas_berlin_pr

Young Nas
Queensbridge Houses, NYC 1993
Digital Silver Gelatin Print
20×24 inches

Compton, CA - 1994: Eazy E hopping his low-rider in Compton. This photo is from the Defining Years of Hip-Hop 1990-2000 (Photo by Chi Modu/diverseimages)