'the hoodie' exhibition presents it as western fashion’s last truly political garment

a new exhibition dissects the omnipresent nature of ‘the hoodie’ within the last century. curated by writer and curator lou stoppard, the exhibition considers the role of the hoodie as a socio-political carrier and takes a deep dive into the story of the hoodie, tracing photography, film, installation, fashion, social media and other cultural artefacts.

images courtesy of het nieuwe instituut

on display at the het nieuwe instituut in rotterdam, ‘the hoodie’ explores the fashion garment as a staple of contemporary dress, hyped as a trend and a must-have item; but also stops to look at its other definitions: as an emblem of inequality, crime or deviancy. the exhibition traces the hoodie’s origins, from its popularization by champion in the 1930s, through to its cultural entanglement with the rise of surveillance culture. it also traces its symbolic value in shifting attitudes towards gender and of course its preservation in streetwear culture.

‘the hoodie tells many stories – tales of social inequality, youth culture, subculture, police brutality, racism, privacy, fear and style,’ a description of the exhibition reads. ‘it is a garment that sparks a range of emotions, communicating all manner of social and cultural ideas and nuances depending on the gender, geography, age, conduct and ethnicity of the wearer and, in turn, the prejudices and politics of the viewer.’

the show examines these themes in relation to the hoodie, challenging the viewer to consider its multifaceted relationship with contemporary culture. ‘the hoodie’ features work by seminal artists and photographers such as david hammons, campbell addy, devan shimoyama. it runs from sunday 1 december 2019 to sunday 12 april 2020 at het nieuwe instituut, rotterdam.

project info

exhibition: the hoodie
curator: lou stoppard
dates: sunday 1 december 2019 to sunday 12 april 2020
institution: het nieuwe instituut, rotterdam