“On May 9, the American Museum of Natural History opened Ice Cold: An Exhibition of Hip-Hop Jewelry, a special exhibition that celebrates hip-hop’s cultural influence through spectacular custom-made jewelry from its biggest stars, including Slick Rick, A$AP Rocky, Nicki Minaj, The Notorious B.I.G., Bad Bunny, Erykah Badu, and many more. Highlighting works of jewelry as enduring statements of individuality, empowerment, and resilience in the hip-hop community with an influence on the worlds of fashion, style, and culture at large, Ice Cold builds on New York City’s celebration of the 50th anniversary of hip-hop as a global phenomenon.
Ice Cold chronicles the evolution of jewelry in hip-hop over the past five decades, starting with the oversized gold chains that were embraced by rap’s pioneers in the late-1970s and moving through the 1990s, when hip-hop’s popularity exploded and artists sported record-label pendants sparkling with diamonds and platinum. With hip-hop’s exponential growth in the new millennium, the genre’s most influential artists turned to multi-colored jewelry with inventive designs that reference high fashion, pop culture, rap history, and more. Ice Cold showcases jewelry from all eras of hip-hop and demonstrates how the decorative art-form has served as a canvas for stories of resilience, rebellion, and creative self-expression.” — American Museum of Natural History
“Throughout the Museum, you’ll see objects that open a window onto our shared past or our current world, whether that’s nature, science, or culture. In Ice Cold, the objects are magnificent jewelry pieces and the window opens into one of the most powerful social and cultural forces of the past 50 years, Hip Hop,” said Sean M. Decatur, President of the American Museum of Natural History. “We’re pleased to showcase these iconic pieces and the cultural phenomenon of Hip Hop, thereby reminding our visitors that culture is not just long ago or far away, but a part of all of our lives that we can reflect on and celebrate.”
“Bringing the Ice Cold exhibit to the American Museum of Natural History is a testament to the cultural significance of this art form and culture,” said Ice Cold guest curator Vikki Tobak. “It’s time to celebrate the artists, jewelers, craftsmen, and everyday people who contributed to the storied history of hip-hop jewelry. This exhibit not only pays homage to hip-hop’s roots with pieces from Biz Markie and Jam Master Jay for example but also highlights its enduring impact on style and society with pieces from contemporary artists like Tyler, the Creator, A$AP Rocky, and FERG.”
The exhibition is curated by guest curator Vikki Tobak, journalist and author of Ice Cold: A Hip-Hop Jewelry History, published by Taschen, and guest co-curators Kevin “Coach K” Lee, founder and COO of Quality Control Music, and Karam Gill, creative director and filmmaker behind the 2021 documentary series ICE COLD.
Images courtesy the American Museum of Natural History.
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