by Andrew J. Katz
The Hip-Hop Portrait Box series evolved out of an urge to build on more traditional portrait approaches and techniques.
During a viewing of an HBO ‘who-done-it’ series, there was a scene where the supposed murder weapon, was revealed to be in a violin case. The image struck a chord. I imagined constructing a painting/drawing surface in the shape of a musical instrument. The new surface would fit neatly into an empty case; where the instrument would normally be.
The morning after I had this epiphany, I logged into Ebay, and searched for ‘vintage instrument cases’. The results both surprised and inspired me. Instead of musical instrument cases, I was confronted with voltmeters, potentiometers, and varieties of electricians’ equipment. Rather than moving on from these interesting objects, I decided to purchase a few. I envisioned transforming the empty lids, with portraits, while making loose plans to deconstruct and manipulate the gauges and knobs.
The first box shipped to my studio, and I enthusiastically disassembled the casing. Making sure not to lose any of the small parts, and taking care that I could confidently put it all back together, I fashioned new pieces. I precisely cut a sheet of 140 lb Arches cold-pressed watercolor paper; to fit exactly into the empty space of the lid. Then, I began to paint, draw, build, and reimagine the graphics inside of these beautiful antiques.
As of March 2025, I have made close to twenty-five Hip-Hop portrait boxes. Each of these new assemblages pays tribute to a different Hip-Hop icon, their music, and their lyrics.
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