Art of Hip Hop is honored to host Cey Adams, Departure: 40 Years of Art and Design, a career-defining retrospective exhibition celebrating the artistic contributions of visionary artist Cey Adams. The exhibition will be on display from December 4, 2024, through February 2, 2025, open to the public for the first time on December 4, 2024 at 12PM with a media preview on December 2, 2024. During Art Week, guests of the exhibit can expect to kick back on the Art of Hip Hop’s shared patio space with Museum of Graffiti, where there will be live music, limited edition drops, complimentary F&B, interactive art demonstrations, and more. 

The show features more than 60 works across multiple mediums, including photography archives, mixed media collages, paintings, textiles, fashion, street art, and contemporary fine art. These pieces present a visual timeline of Adams’ artistic journey, spanning themes such as pop culture, race, gender relations, and community.

The exhibition also includes a wall installation of more than 50 iconic album covers that Adams created for major Hip Hop artists such as Run DMC, Beastie Boys, LL Cool J, Public Enemy, The Notorious B.I.G., DMX, and Jay-Z.  The entire retrospective however doesn’t just highlight the work from Adams’ role as founding Creative Director of Def Jam Recordings but rather takes you on a journey from when the artist started as a young tagger on the streets of New York City in the 1970s to his current studio practice of masterfully created mixed media collages.

Adams’ ability to blend street art with commercial design is evident in his long-standing collaborations with global brands. The exhibition highlights projects with Levi’s, Mattel Creations, Apple, Google, Pabst Blue Ribbon, and now Spotify. Notable pieces include a custom chain-stitch embroidered denim trucker jacket created with Levi’s® Eureka Innovation Lab, paying homage to Adams' graffiti days of painting on vintage Levi’s® apparel. Another standout is a 5-foot sculpture of the Hot Wheels logo, created in partnership with Mattel Creations, which draws on brand archives from the 1960s and 1970s.

“We are thrilled to bring Cey Adams’ extraordinary career to life in this retrospective at Art of Hip Hop,” said Alan Ket, cofounder and curator of Art of Hip Hop. “His contribution to Hip Hop’s visual language and his cross-disciplinary work in art and design make this exhibition essential viewing for anyone interested in the evolution of contemporary art and culture.”

About Cey Adams:
Cey Adams, a native of New York City, emerged from the downtown graffiti scene alongside iconic artists like Jean-Michel Basquiat and Keith Haring. As Def Jam’s founding Creative Director, Adams created visual identities and album covers for Hip Hop’s biggest stars. His work has been exhibited at the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, MoMA, the Brooklyn Museum, and more. He has also authored several works, including DEFinition: The Art and Design of Hip-Hop and Def Jam Recordings: The First 25 Years.

About Art of Hip Hop:
Art of Hip Hop is a premier gallery located in the heart of Miami’s Wynwood district, dedicated to exploring the intersection of graffiti, street art, and Hip Hop culture. Through its exhibitions, events, and educational programs, the gallery serves as a cultural hub, fostering dialogue and creativity at the crossroads of urban art and contemporary culture.

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