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Final Weeks For Public To See Popular Exhibition Exploring Hip-Hop’s Wide-Reaching Influences On Cultural and Social Movements, Locally and Nationwide

(Oakland, CA) July 26, 2018—The public will have a final opportunity to experience the popular presentation of RESPECT: Hip-Hop Style & Wisdom, on view through August 12 at the Oakland Museum of California. Starting from its roots on the streets, before rap, DJing, graffiti, breakdancing, and street fashion launched into mainstream culture, RESPECT explores one of the most influential cultural and social movements of the last 50 years.

 

Hailed as one of USA Today’s Best Exhibitions in the U.S. this summer, RESPECT uncovers the under-recognized story of how Hip-Hop changed the world. Informed by insights from more than 50 Hip-Hop historians, practitioners, and community members, the interdisciplinary exhibition explores the many ways that Hip-Hop provides a platform for creative self-expression, activism, youth development, and education.

 

“The response to this exhibition has been extremely powerful. We’re grateful to have had the opportunity to work so closely with the Hip-Hop community to celebrate this important movement, helping our visitors to learn more about the significant impact that Hip-Hop has had on all of our lives,” said Director of Exhibition Strategy and Senior Curator of Art René de Guzman. “Through interactive elements in our Hip-Hop Dojo—a practice and performance space within the gallery—and events like our Hip-Hop Block Parties during Friday Nights @ OMCA, we hope visitors have had the opportunity to come back to RESPECT several times to enjoy new experiences and learn new things each time.”

 

In the final weeks of the exhibition, visitors can attend several special events and programs associated with the exhibition, including Hip-Hop 101 weekend tours, Hip-Hop Yoga on Friday, August 3, Cypher Sunday on Sunday, August 5, and the closing party during Friday Nights @ OMCA on Friday, August 10, celebrating Hip-Hop’s birthday. More events related to the exhibition can be found at museumca.org/events.

 

RESPECT: Hip-Hop Style & Wisdom will be on view in OMCA’s Great Hall through August 12, 2018.

RESPECT: Hip-Hop Style & Wisdom is supported in part by the Oakland Museum Women’s Board and members of the Donor Forum.

 

UPCOMING EXHIBITIONS & PROJECTS

Around the Block: A Day of Neighborhood Stories
September 29, 2018
Go beyond the walls of the Oakland Museum of California to experience Around the Block: A Day of Neighborhood Stories. Visit five engaging pop-up projects within a three-block radius of OMCA, for one day only on Saturday, September 29, 2018. Explore dynamic and interactive events created by artists and community organizers through shared storytelling, literature, dance, art, performances, and photography. 

Listen, learn, and contribute your own story to these discussions about the many important issues facing of Oakland today, including cultural legacy, gentrification, homelessness, and processing emotions around loss of life. Pick up a map at OMCA to find your way to each of the five locations and be a part of a special one-day celebration of Oakland’s culture. This project was made possible in part by the Institute of Museum and Library Services.

The World Of Charles and Ray Eames
October 13, 2018–February 17, 2019

Fueled by their belief in design as a way of life, the innovative husband and wife duo Charles and Ray Eames were two of the most influential designers of the twentieth century. Go beyond their most well-known designs in this intimate and inspiring exhibition portraying their legacy and lives in California. The Eameses—who founded The Eames Office—valued knowledge and discovery, embraced the joy of trial and error, and saw no separation between life and work. Through multi-media installations, films, rare prototypes, photography, furniture, toys, products, as well as personal letters, drawings, and artwork, discover the story of the Eameses from a fresh perspective. Explore the breadth of their work across many fields in this interactive exhibition that brings their ideas and playful spirit to life. The World of Charles and Ray Eames was curated and organized by Barbican, London. There is an additional $4 admission fee for this special exhibition.

Cruisin’ The Fossil Coastline
November 10, 2018–March 17, 2019
Drop back in time to see the natural environment of California in a new way. Discover the connections between art and science through fantastically colorful renderings by artist Ray Troll and the research of paleontologist Kirk Johnson, who made an incredible journey to map the ancient world with a fresh perspective. Together, the fossil-loving scientist and his artist friend paint a vivid picture of the land and creatures that once roamed the West Coast thousands of years ago. Learn how fossils teach us about how California’s landscape, plants, and animals have evolved over millions of years. With the addition of sculpture, maps, a giant sloth—or Paramylodon harlani— and other fossils and bones from the collections of OMCA and the California Academy of Sciences, and a fun hands-on activity, this exhibition will thrill fossil fans and curious culture-seekers alike. Cruisin’ The Fossil Coastline was organized by the Anchorage Museum.

 

ON VIEW

J.B. Blunk: Nature, Art & Everyday Life
Through September 9, 2018
Discover northern California’s best kept secret in design and craft: J.B. Blunk (1926–2002), a mid-century artist whose connection to nature governed his daily life. Inspired by Japanese philosophies of nature and art’s inseparability, and influenced by rural utopian communities, Blunk’s muse and often his source of materials was the beautiful natural environment of Inverness, California. Blunk’s home property was his ultimate work of art, filled with his handcrafted furniture, ceramics, sculptures, and other functional objects used by his family. His remarkable craftsmanship also took the form of large-scale public works of art, including The Planet, a redwood sculpture commissioned by the Oakland Museum of California in 1969. J.B. Blunk: Nature, Art & Everyday Life brings together a comprehensive survey of the artist’s works. See northern California’s landscape anew through Blunk’s eyes, and get inspired to find the beauty of nature and art in your own daily life.

 

Homegrown Heroes: Oakland A’s at 50
Through October 21, 2018
Share your love for Oakland’s hometown team with a pop-up installation in the Gallery of California History celebrating the Oakland A’s 50th anniversary. Honor three iconic homegrown heroes—Dennis Eckersley, Rickey Henderson, and Dave Stewart—and get up close with rare photographs, high school yearbook images, and sports memorabilia worn by the players to learn about their roots in The Town and contributions to the team. Reminisce about the legendary 1989 Battle of the Bay World Series with a poster from the OMCA Collection, and contribute your own baseball memories of playing America’s favorite pastime or attending an A’s game.  This mini-exhibition is part of the Museum’s “History Now” series that produces small displays with select objects from OMCA’s collection in response to current events within the context of history – in this case, the A’s 50’s anniversary.

Take Root: Oakland Grows Food
Through January 13, 2019

Unearth Oakland’s multi-layered world of food in Take Root: Oakland Grows Food, an exhibition exploring aspects of growing food in Oakland. Enjoy this hands-on exhibition with the entire family to understand what factors determine where, how, why, and what is grown throughout the city. Hear personal stories from farmers and growers within the community, see compelling illustrations and maps, and meet the diverse flavors of Oakland. Learn what motivations Oaklanders have for growing food—including access to healthy and delicious ingredients, environmental and social justice values, or simply the joy of tending a garden. Visitors will be invited to share personal stories, explore interactive activities, and gain a deeper understanding of Oakland’s agriculture.

 

ABOUT THE OAKLAND MUSEUM OF CALIFORNIA 
The Oakland Museum of California (OMCA) tells the many stories that comprise California, creating the space and context for greater connection, trust, and understanding between people. Through its inclusive exhibitions, public programs, educational initiatives, and cultural events, OMCA brings Californians together and inspires greater understanding about what our state’s art, history, and natural surroundings teach us about ourselves and each other. With more than 1.9 million objects, OMCA brings together its multi-disciplinary collections of art, history, and natural science with the first-person accounts and often untold narratives of California, all within its 110,000 square feet of gallery space and seven-acre campus. OMCA is a leading cultural institution of the Bay Area and a resource for the research and understanding of California’s dynamic cultural and environmental heritage for visitors from the region, the state, and around the world.

 

VISITOR INFORMATION

The Oakland Museum of California (OMCA) is at 1000 Oak Street, at 10th Street, in Oakland. Museum admission is $15.95 general; $10.95 general, $10.95 seniors and students with valid ID, $6.95 youth ages 9 to 17, and free for Membres and children 8 and under. There is a $4 charge in addition to general admission pricing for special exhibitions. OMCA offers onsite underground parking and is conveniently located one block from the Lake Merritt BART station, on the corner of 10th Street and Oak Street. The accessibility ramp is located at the 1000 Oak STreet main entrance to the Museum. museumca.org

 

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