‘BRANDS OF HIP HOP’ Kelly Waters, Assistant Professor of Graphic Design, University of Connecticut, and Visiting Lecturer, Central Saint Martins
All images created by Kelly Walters
The Brands of Hip Hop are a collection of collaged posters inspired by iconic fashion brands mentioned in Hip Hop song lyrics dating from 1986–2014. The visual perception of black culture can be attributed to the complexities within black music, fashion, language, and geographic location. By locating the cultural shifts in media over time, I learn which visual markers have remained the same or have drastically changed.I am curious whether contemporary black cultural artifacts and representations are considered to be “post-racial” or still form a racial disconnect for black people. It is in these disconnects, that I find the most important aspect of my design practice: the formation of an alternative narrative that emphasizes voice, space and place. Each poster is 22" x 36."
14