SONG OF SONS
a public art series by Nate Langston Palmer
ON VIEW MAY 12 - SEPTEMBER 28, 2025
Song of Sons is a dynamic public art series featuring the work of Nate Langston Palmer, inspired by his ongoing documentation of a dance crew he has been following since 2019. The crew, composed of young Black men, specializes in Beat Ya Feet, a dance style that originated in and remains unique to Washington, DC. Using dance and creative expression as its vehicle, the series focuses on the lives of these young men and their unique journeys into adulthood. As an artist born and raised in DC, Palmer has seen the City change drastically over the last few decades, and as a result, he has seen many of his neighbors forced to sell their homes and move to the outskirts of the City. What is clear is that with the displacement of long-term Black residents comes the displacement of a vast cultural network, one that in DC is deeply rooted in music, dance, and play. In and of DC, Palmer’s work explores cultural expression, young Black joy, and brotherhood. It aims to preserve and celebrate Black culture in Washington, DC, and those who keep it alive.
Song of Sons is funded by the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities, Public Art Building Communities Grant Program.
FIND THE ARTWORK
Song of Sons has two key locations: One at the corner of 9th Street and Maine Streets SW (800 9th Street SW), where you will find two building-sized photographs and a video projection, which starts nightly at 7pm.
A second photo installation will be on view outside at The Nicholson Project, visible from the back alley-side and most easily accessible via Prout Street SE.
Five additional photographs will be installed at bus shelters connecting these two key locations.
More information and map will be added once the project is live.
About nate langston palmer
Nate Langston Palmer is a documentary and fine art photographer. Through his practice in imagemaking, Palmer examines the collective understanding of masculinity in the United States, specifically within Black American communities. He currently lives and works between NYC and DC. @langstonpalmer