The Dirty South: Contemporary Art, Material Culture, and the Sonic Impulse

Brown Foundation & Nina and Michael Zilkha Galleries
On View: November 5, 2021–February 6, 2022

The Dirty South: Contemporary Art, Material Culture, and the Sonic Impulse makes visible the roots of Southern hip hop culture and reveals how the aesthetic traditions of the African American South have shaped visual art and musical expression over the last 100 years. While the expression “Dirty South” is codified within the culture of Southern hip hop music, it encompasses a much broader understanding of the geography, history, and culture of the Black South. The Dirty South explores the traditions, aesthetic impulses, and exchanges between the visual and sonic arts over the last century. Featuring a multi-generational group of artists working across a wide range of media—including sculpture, painting, film, photography, and sound—The Dirty South presents more than 130 works and spans the entire Museum.

Brown Foundation & Nina and Michael Zilkha Galleries
On View: November 5, 2021–February 6, 2022

The Dirty South: Contemporary Art, Material Culture, and the Sonic Impulse makes visible the roots of Southern hip hop culture and reveals how the aesthetic traditions of the African American South have shaped visual art and musical expression over the last 100 years. While the expression “Dirty South” is codified within the culture of Southern hip hop music, it encompasses a much broader understanding of the geography, history, and culture of the Black South. The Dirty South explores the traditions, aesthetic impulses, and exchanges between the visual and sonic arts over the last century. Featuring a multi-generational group of artists working across a wide range of media—including sculpture, painting, film, photography, and sound—The Dirty South presents more than 130 works and spans the entire Museum.