Past Event
Thursday, March 21 2024
6:30–9:30 pm
Design Spotlight
Something Like a Phenomenon
Thursday, March 21 2024
6:30–9:30 pm
Design Spotlight
Something Like a Phenomenon
Design Stories Behind the Cultural Global Force of Hip Hop
The fabric of NYC is one of visual language and there is no denying that Hip Hop is at the helm of this conversation. From its beginnings in NYC to its global reach, the culture of Hip Hop is a creative force stretching far beyond its music.
The image-making behind Hip Hop culture started from a place of community and perseverance — working with artists and music labels to make a mark — while growing the talent, creativity, and craft over generations of designers and art directors.
Join us for a conversation with Michelle Willems, Julian Alexander, Amaechi Uzoigwe, and moderator Timmhotep Aku, we’ll hear stories from behind the scenes on the influence and evolution of design’s role in how Hip Hop drives culture forward.
Want your questions answered? Be sure to post your questions here for our moderator!
Event Series: Design Spotlight
These events are design talks or conversations that feature designers or creative teams sharing top of mind or breakout work.
About AIGA NY Education Event Warm-Ups
Warm-Ups is an initiative by AIGA NY Education to provide undergraduate design students at area schools a platform to introduce their work to the AIGA NY community, and to give our audiences an opportunity to see the best and brightest, and to learn about what’s happening at the area design programs. In previous years, the most promising and engaging students from Parsons, Pratt, SVA, FIT and Cooper Union have presented their projects alongside industry leaders in front of our audience of design professionals, educators and students.
Department chairs and faculty from area schools nominate students to present. Warm-Ups participants give 5-minute presentations about one project before the main presenter(s) of the evening takes the stage.
We are committed to keeping events accessible to all participants. Your ticket and donation supports AIGA NY and costs associated with events such as speaker honorariums, productions costs, and venue fees. If ticket cost is a barrier, please contact Stacey@aigany.org.
Schedule
- 6:30 pm Doors open & check-in
Tickets
- Non-members $20.00
- AIGA Members $15.00
John L. Tishman Auditorium, The New School
—
University Center
63 5th Avenue
New York, 10003
Speakers
Michelle Willems
Michelle is a visual storyteller and a creative discoverer. A gifted, experienced, innovative and award-winning art and creative director- music culture has been her constant muse, especially hip hop. Over her distinguished career of three decades, Willems has significantly contributed to the creative iconography that defined the genre that defined the generation – a rare distinction for a woman in the music, design and media industries. She has been a creative leader at leading culture brands – Sony, MTV, Tommy Boy, Honey Magazine, BET, NYU and most recently creative director in the Brand and Marketing studio at Twitter. Willems has received awards from the Broadcast Design Association, Print, the Young Guns Show at Art Directors Club and AIGA.
Her superpower however, is not only having an eye for new talent, but the vision, courage and expertise to develop, advocate for and hire that talent. As a result of her bold work and advocacy for other creatives, Willems has made the global design industry more diverse, colorful and dope. A native New Yorker, she is the mother of Nova, a devotee of dj’ing and dancing and exploring art in waffle making and the wild world.
Julian Alexander
Julian is a visual artist, GRAMMY-award-winning art director and founder of Brooklyn-based design studio Slang Inc. His iconic album artwork can be seen on packages that have sold over 100 million copies worldwide. In 2020, Julian started the Supremacy Project which addresses the systematic oppression and violence BIPOC communities are fighting to end through art.
Amaechi Uzoigwe
Amaechi is an award-winning music & creative executive, entrepreneur & innovator with a history of building celebrated careers, brands & ventures. His work has received 1x Emmy, 2x Cannes Lions, 7x CLIO’s plus 12x Libera Music Awards, and is the only 3x winner of it’s coveted Marketing Genius trophy.
As co-manager & business partner of multi Gold-certified & Grammy-nominated artist Run the Jewels (EL-P & Killer Mike), he oversees music, publishing, creative marketing, visual media, technology, e-com, apparel, touring, licensing & philanthropy. He’s also co-founder of Juice Runners and BaRTJ.club, creators & purveyors of award-winning craft beverages.
Most recently, Amaechi launched Portfolio Africa & Studio A.I. (Studio of African Intelligence), focusing on talent across the African diaspora plus IP investment & development, technology, media, events & social impact.
Additionally, Amaechi was elected Founding Chairman of A2IM, which represents the multi-billion dollar U.S. independent music industry; is Adjunct Faculty at NYU’s Clive Davis School; and board member for NYCxDesign & iVoted.org, the world’s largest digital music festival.
Moderator
Timmhotep Aku
Timmhotep, is a Brooklyn-bred and based culture worker who has written and edited for Pitchfork, Rolling Stone, NPR Music, Complex, The Fader, and other publications. He was the story editor on the Signal Award-winning podcast series, “The Blog Era” and his Black art-inspired radio show, “Subject To Change,” airs monthly on London’s NTS Live.
Livestream Access
This event will be live-streamed! Click here for livestream tickets.
John L. Tishman Auditorium, The New School
—
University Center
63 5th Avenue
New York, 10003