Statement Pieces – Hip Hop-Merch aus Deutschland (1990–2005)

In the organizer's words:

The Statement Pieces exhibition sheds light for the first time on how German hip hop merch from 1990 to 2005 was often more than just fan merchandise: it was a mouthpiece. For attitude. For identity. For style.

Curated by Nicolas Schwandt aka Magic Moments Vintage, who is making his collection accessible to the public for the first time, the exhibition brings together rare T-shirts and sweaters that carried multi-layered statements from concerts, rap videos and teenage bedrooms to the streets - messages that still resonate today. The exhibited pieces are more than just clothing: they are witnesses to a culture on the move.

Whether as a political statement, a creative stage or a symbol of belonging - each piece tells a story. Often there are several at once. The exhibition is accompanied by exclusive sound bites from the scene: Dendemann, Falk Schacht and Alec Web, among others, provide insights, context and anecdotes.

The curator of the exhibition is Nicolas Schwandt (born 1987), who writes about clothing, hip hop and everything in between as a copywriter for a German streetwear blog. He previously sold vintage shirts full-time for several years and became a name in the scene with his store Magic Moments Vintage: one of the best-known T-shirt collectors from Germany, with a global network. Munich hip hop listeners might also know him from another context: musically, he is active as Puerto Nico and with his band Bummvoll Brothers.

As a special highlight, a panel talk of the "Vintage am Mittag" podcast will take place on Saturday, September 13, at 4 pm: Germany's first vintage podcast - namely Luke (Relics Vintage), Taran (The Ish) and curator Nico (Magic Moments Vintage) - talk about iconic German hip hop merch, rap in this country, and the stories behind the exhibition itself. The conversation is recorded and filmed and forms the next podcast episode: a piece of the exhibition to discuss, listen to and review.