Empire is TV’s contemporary art gallery

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http://www.newyorker.com/culture/cul...ry-art-gallery

"The show’s four-stage Chicago set doesn’t feel like a contemporary art gallery,” says Antwaun Sargent. “It’s much less pristine, and the artwork hangs inconspicuously on the walls amid the on-set chaos. But the art world’s influence is clear. The paintings on display, mostly portraits, represent a generation of celebrated works by black artists, which have toured America’s museums during the past two decades. The works sit underneath special lighting, designed to show off their powerful imagery when the cameras are rolling.” PLUS: Empire’s secret weapon is the ability to constantly remind you that it’s important and popular and “the best" — a perfect distillation of the hip-hop ethos.