Boombox Creators
showing with Holiday Pop Up Show
December 4, 2015 – January 3, 2016
Artist reception: Friday, December 4th; 8-11PM
La Luz de Jesus Gallery
4633 Hollywood Blvd,
Los Angeles, CA 90027
(323) 666-7667
www.laluzdejesus.com
Boombox Creators
Few things are as ubiquitous as a classic boombox. A cultural touchstone of both hip hop and heavy metal, the boombox is an iconic representation of the youth culture that developed in the 1970s and 80s and supplied a portable soundtrack to celebration and sedition alike. Corner breakdancing battles were won or lost as much by the volume of a crew’s box as their moves. At tailgate parties, the wattage of the boombox in the parking lot was as much a draw as the cars that brought them there. The bigger boomboxes were capable of drowning out every other sound within reach, making them environments unto themselves. What blasted from your box became the symbol of your personality. In walkable neighborhoods, you could hear their slow, ever-loudening approach, and gradual fade, as much a calling card for their owner as the roar of a Harley Davidson. The boombox was instant lifestyle, and the mix-tape culture was born of it. Multiple cassette deck boxes turned every kid into a DJ. Multiple input-jacks allowed for microphones and turned any party into a concert. It was an actual party in a box.
Boombox Creators is a tribute to the boombox. This exhibition features original, design blueprints for boomboxes that never went into production, paintings and sculpture inspired by them, photographs from the era, and of course, the boxes themselves. The boomboxes featured hail from three continents and include fully-functioning pieces at a full spectrum of pricing, from a simple, dual cassette Emerson to the Sharp HK9000 that Fab Five Freddy donated to the Smithsonian. We’ll also have a selection of rare Walkman, 8-track players, super dope mix tapes and other great, original issue cassettes.
IMAGES FORTHCOMING
