The Rijksmuseum van Oudheden (the National Museum of Antiquities of the Netherlands, RMO) takes visitors on a deep dive into the world of music this summer, thanks to a major new exhibition titled ‘’Kemet: Egypt in hip-hop, jazz, soul & funk’’.
The show explores the continued influence of ancient Egypt and Nubia in the works of artists of African descent who use Egyptian motifs as symbols of empowerment, resistance and spirituality. These motifs include the name the Egyptians themselves gave their empire: Kemet, “the black land”. The eponymous exhibition examines this fascination with Egypt by presenting a dialogue between Egyptian antiquity and seventy years of music history.
The journey through history juxtaposes music, music videos and album covers by artists such as Beyoncé, Rihanna, Miles Davis, Sun Ra, the Sugar Hill Gang and Earth, Wind & Fire with ancient Egyptian objects from the museum’s collection.
In presenting these objects the way these musicians see them, “Kemet” showcases ancient Egypt in an entirely new way. The show as a whole is enhanced by a multimedia exhibition design by architect Afaina de Jong of AFARAI design studio. “Kemet” is set to run from 22 April to 3 September, 2023, and will include a summer-long programme of special events, concerts and lectures, for which the museum will extend its Thursday opening hours in June and July. https://www.rmo.nl
Why have Beyoncé and Rihanna both appeared on stage and in music videos as the Egyptian queen Nefertiti? Why does the cover art of one of Nas’ albums portray him as Tutankhamun? Why do almost all of Earth, Wind & Fire’s album covers feature pyramids? In short, how do ancient Egypt and Nubia function as sources of inspiration, strength and knowledge for artists of African descent?
The ancient cultures of Egypt and Nubia arose on the banks of the Nile in Africa around 5,000 years ago. The unique and distinctive art and hieroglyphs produced by these cultures command widespread admiration to this day. But for many artists of African descent, these works are more than mere ancient artefacts: for them, the antiquity of Egypt and Nubia symbolizes the antiquity of all of Africa, and is therefore part of their own identity. Embracing and claiming these cultures redefines Africa not by the tragedy of the transatlantic slave trade, but by the continent’s glorious past, and provides a new way to discuss the history of Africa. In doing so, the artists are making a clear historical, spiritual and political statement. We see this in the music, lyrics and imagery employed by a whole host of jazz, funk, soul, pop, reggae and rap artists over the past 70 years, including Miles Davis, Nina Simone, Prince, Fela Kuti, The Egyptian Lover, Erykah Badu, Nas and Frank Ocean. The same is true in the work of Dutch artists such as Zwart Licht, Pink Oculus and Ray Fuego.
The exhibition was conceived by Daniel Soliman, Egyptologist, music lover and curator of Ancient Egypt and Nubia at the RMO, and was put together over a period of three years with the help of a team of external experts. The team consisted of Beylula Yosef, Katayoun Arian, Kiran Sukul, Michael Ghebreab and Richard Kofi, and helped develop the exhibition’s resulting perspectives, content and themes. Musical expertise on the subjects of funk, soul, jazz, R&B and hip-hop was supplied by DJ and music connoisseur Rob “Manga” Nanere. Additional input was provided by a list of contributors and partners too numerous to mention.
“Kemet”, a musical journey
“Kemet” is designed to appeal not only to art and music lovers, but also to anyone interested in a deep dive into the history of ancient Egypt and Nubia from the perspective of musicians. Visitors will be invited to do so via a musical investigation of four major themes: Ancient Egypt is an African Culture, Egyptian Royalty, Ancient Egypt as a Source of Spirituality, and Ancient Egypt as an Inspiration for the Future. These themes will be brought to life with the aid of music videos, audio clips, concert recordings, photographs and album covers by famous and lesser-known musicians who derive inspiration from ancient Egypt. Highlights include Nas’ gold mask of King Tutankhamun and several of Sun Ra’s Egyptian-inspired costumes, as well as a selection of items from the museum’s Egypt and Nubia collection, including sculptures and figurines of Egyptian deities, pieces of gold jewellery, hieroglyphic texts and official royal portraits.
Supporting works and activities
The accompanying audio tour is by hip-hop artist Typhoon, who provides commentary on the sounds, styles and artists that populate the musical landscape of “Kemet”. The main exhibition is further complemented by new works by artists and performers on the Afro-diasporic exploration of the significance and wisdom of ancient Egypt and Nubia. These include a video installation by artists Richard Kofi and Christian Guerematchi, a new single by rap artist Nnelg, and a costume by fashion designer Vanessa Martina (Kosedo Studio), inspired by one of Sun Ra’s most iconic outfits.
The exhibition will be accompanied by a programme of special events, concerts and lectures, organized in collaboration with a host of partners including with the Super-Sonic Jazz Festival (Paradiso Amsterdam), Leiden International Film Festival and Afrispectives. The programme will also include an interactive multimedia tour, a creative competition and a “Kemet Night” party on 11 May for secondary school and vocational studies students. For children under the age of 13, there is a free Egyptian Summer School and a stimulating programme of arts and crafts activities during the summer holidays.
“Kemet” was realized with support from the VriendenLoterij, the Mondriaan Fund, the VSB Fund, Plato record store (Leiden) and the Dougga Fund (the donation fund of the National Museum of Antiquities).
Kemet: Egypt in hip-hop, jazz, soul & funk 22 April to 3 September, 2023
