Conny Chavez January 21st, 2022 - 4:11 PM
The Los Angeles Grammy Museum brings back its inaugural exhibit Songs of Conscience, Sounds of Freedom, this time with the new addition “Sounds of Los Angeles.” The exhibit examines the impact of music in American history, from the American Revolution to today’s fight for racial justice. The Songs of Conscience, Sounds of Freedom exhibit runs from January 15th to May 8th, 2022.
Songs of Conscience, Sounds of Freedom was first on display at the LA Grammy Museum in 2008 when the museum first opened. 13 years later, the exhibit returns with a new addition that includes the Black Lives Matter movement, LGBTQ+ rights, and the newly expanded section of “The Sounds of Los Angeles” that touches on Los Angeles-based social movements such as the Chicano Movement during the 1960s and 1970s, the 1965 Watts Riots, the 1992 Riots, and much more.
The exhibit is placed on the second floor of the LA Grammy Museum and features handwritten lyrics from artists such as H.E.R., Lalo Guerrero, Bob Dylan, and more. The exhibit also includes a wide span of artist memorabilia such as a custom dress designed by Naeem Khan worn by Mickey Guyton, Chuck D’s shoes, John Mellencamp’s guitar, handwritten letters from Nelson Mandela and U2’s Bono to Steven Van Zandt, and so much more.
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The new addition of “The Sound of Los Angeles” includes major social movements that are not always talked about, the intertwine between these movements and local music that has helped compose the identity of Los Angeles. The new expansion focuses on decades-long issues such as police corruption and brutality, poverty, gang violence, and other issues that continuously affect the communities in Los Angeles.
Thought out the walls of the exhibit are television screens that play “Song Spotlights” and featured content such as videos of artists and world leaders speaking about socially conscious songs and the importance of music. Every inch of the exhibit is quite amusing for music lovers as it is a walk-through of music history and its major impact on society. Visiting the newly updated exhibit Songs of Conscience, Sounds of Freedom is a must for those who love and appreciate the social influence that music brings to the world.
