ARTISTS Martin Basher, Colby Bird, Tyler Coburn, Corey D’Augustine, Sarah Davis, Jason Duval, Cacy Forgenie, Donna Huanca, Rashid Johnson, Jayson Keeling, Joyce Kim, Dorota Kolodziejczyk, William Lamson, Kalup Linzy, Jeffrey Lopez, Marisa Olson, Rosemarie Padovano, Alyssa Pheobus, Thabiso Phokompe, Fay Ray, Ted Riederer, Jacolby Satterwhite, Xaviera Simmons, Nick Stillman, Thomas Torrescordova, Lan Tuazon, Yuh-Shioh Wong

Long after the cassette tape has become an obsolete relic of a clumsier analog era, the essence of the mixtape lives on through CDs and MP3 playlists. Summer Mixtape Volume 1: the Get Smart edition pays tribute to this vital form of popular expression with a group exhibition that compiles some of the hottest work from the New York area that the curators have seen all year.

The curators looked back through previous calls for submissions, canvassed other curators and artists for recommendations, visited dozens of artists’ studios, and saw hundreds of shows to wind up with the 27 artists that make up Summer Mixtape Volume 1. The works in the exhibition cover a vast array of themes and mediums, mirroring the diverse mix of sights, sounds and cultures on the streets of New York. The show also features a jukebox programmed specifically for the exhibition that includes mixtapes and cover art produced by the artists and some special guests.

Audio mixes are still made for long road trips, disc jockey sets, as mood-setters for parties, as surrogate love letters, and as outlets to hear the latest hip-hop hitting the streets. Yet despite its cultural ubiquity, the mixtape remains a durable emblem of the counter culture. Drawing on these influences, Summer Mixtape Volume 1 materializes the mixtape’s spirit of appropriation, customization, unabashed nostalgia and relaxed fun.

Curated by Herb Tam and Lauren Rosati.