Polaroid has announced the public release of their documentary, Made You Look, which explores the influence of Hip Hop on creative culture in London, Amsterdam, and Paris.
The documentary delves into art, music, lifestyle, and photography, featuring stories from UK pioneers like Charlie Dark (founder Run Dem Crew), Solomon ‘Soulz’ Boyede (co-founder Places+Faces), and Joseph McDermott (founder Victory Lap Radio). Contributors also include Amsterdam’s Edson Sabajo (co-founder Patta) and Paris’s James Dridi (founder Paperboy).
The film highlights how the Polaroid medium has documented the rise of Hip Hop for decades, capturing milestone moments beyond album covers. Today, Hip Hop-influenced communities in Europe continue to embrace the heritage of Warhol-era Polaroid portraits and their unfiltered DIY nature.
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“I think what happened with Hip Hop is, it was one of the first forms of music that arrived where you could look at it and be like, those people who were making it look like me. They think like me. They come from the same social circumstances as me,” said Charlie Dark MBE.
The documentary first debuted with screenings in Amsterdam on April 13, London on April 25, and Paris on May 17. Each screening was accompanied by a photography exhibition featuring local creatives. The public release is now available on Wax Poetics’ YouTube channel (and below).
Joseph McDermott shared his thoughts on the evolving nature of creativity: “Kids growing up with access to all technology and everything at their fingertips is super liberating now. But maybe in ten years kids are wanting to return back to human touch, and analogue, and what will be seen as archaic.”
Made You Look features contributions from several prominent figures in the Hip Hop community and showcases Polaroid photography by Elisabeth Ouni and Randy Soewarno.
Tour Dates:
- Amsterdam: 13th April 2024
- London: 25th April 2024
- Paris: 17th May 2024
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