Only 40 (or so) hours to go…UPDATED
Posted on | July 24, 2010 | No Comments
Thanks again to all of my backers!
By Delphine Fawundu-Buford
In order for this project to be successful, we have to raise $3,830. in 40 hrs. I noticed that we have very few backers on the 5 and 10 dollar levels – of course the higher levels are driving the donations but I think that a mixture would really help.
Please continue to promote this campaign and encourage your facebook/twitter friends to at least make a 5 dollar donation within the next 40 hrs.
If we can do this in 40 hrs…wowzers! LOL!.
Let’s see.
Enjoy the NYC heat. Peace and Love.
Delphine.
(Unfortunately I didn’t open this until today because I’ve had spotty Internet access. Support this artist if you can! I went for the donor level that gets me the book, naturally!)
When I discovered that I was a photographer in 1993, I knew that hip-hop culture would be one of my main focuses. It wasn’t something that I had to investigate because I was already immersed in this culture. As I reminisce on my pre-adolescent years to my teenage years, hip-hop classics from Rapper’s Delight (Sugar Hill Gang) to Terminator X (Public Enemy) are the soundtracks to my life. Investigating the classic jazz photographs from the 1930’s to the 1960’s inspired my approach to transforming my love for this culture into beautiful images. Today, a culture that evolved within the confines of NYC has made it’s way around the world in a major way. As a photographer, I am interested in the manifestations of hip-hop as an international cultural movement.
With this project I will create, Freestylin’ in Prague, a photography book and blog on my exploration of hip-hop culture in Prague, Czech Republic. Through portraits, and interviews this book will feature the voices and images of Praguians as they share their interpretation of hip-hop culture. Through the interviews I will explore questions such as: How is hip-hop culture used as a vehicle for artistic expression and social change in Prague? What is the content of the music created within this culture? What are some of the societal issues that young people face in Prague? How do traditional Praguians respond to this new wave of hip-hop culture? The photographs will include coverage from one of the world’s hugest international hip-hop festivals, Hip Hop Kemp, and various hip-hop arenas in Prague: record stores, clubs, sneaker shops, clothing stores etc. I will also create photos representing the stylish trends within the city.
For many in the Czech Republic, hip-hop is fairly new. It wasn’t until after the fall of Communism in 1989 that people were exposed to hip-hop through media outlets like MTV. Some young people were immediately drawn to this peculiar music because it was something refreshingly honest and new. Eventually, hip-hop took it’s own form and became a voice for youth who found artistic liberation through this movement. Today, the hip-hop scene is still growing in Prague, with it’s own publication, record stores, clothing shops, freestyle and break dancing competitions and one of the world’s largest hip-hop festivals.
Freestylin’ in Prague will be part of a larger body of work that I am creating on international hip-hop culture. I’ve spent 17 years documenting hip-hop mostly in NYC and have documented this dynamic art form in Amsterdam, Netherlands and Accra, Ghana. I will do a series in Lagos, Nigeria this summer. Ultimately, I will create exhibitions and a book on international hip-hop. However, in the meantime I will create a limited edition book featuring the works created in Prague.
I invite you all to live vicariously through my blog entries at www.iluvhiphop.net (launching soon) in which I will document my daily experiences creating this project in Prague. What does a Praguian freestyle sound like? What are the hip stylish trends in the city? What does Praguian hip-hop music sound like? Follow the blog and you will find out. As a supporter, you will also get a chance to choose photo(s) of your choice.
As you may know, traveling from one continent to the next can be quite expensive.
Thus far I have been funding this project on my own. The funds raised will be used to cover transportation costs from NYC to Prague, the most reasonably priced lodging (I just need a bed and some pillows), film (yes I still use this archaic item at times) printing costs, and the amazing softcover limited edition book.
Feel free to check out more my work!
http://brooklynhistory.org/exhibitions/tivoli.html
www.youtube.com/delphinefawundu
Peace
Delphine Fawundu Buford
Project location: Brooklyn, NY
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