CAMDEN — MAGNOLIA – Pioneer in the world of hip-hop graphic design Cey Adams will present this year’s annual Emerson-Thomas-Crone Lecture in Humanities at 7:30 p.m. on Feb. 5 at the Southern Arkansas University Reynolds Center Grand Hall in Magnolia.
His presentation, “Def Jam & Beyond: an Artist’s Story,” is free and open to the public.
As the legendary creative director of Def Jam Recordings, he created album artwork and logos, as well as advertising campaigns for the likes of Jay-Z, Run DMC, Beastie Boys, Notorious B.I.G., Maroon 5, and many others.
The Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington recently commissioned Cey to create a large-scale mural entitled One Nation, during Freedom Sounds: A Community Celebration. He designed the spectacular Def Jam Recordings: The First 25 Years of the Last Great Record Label and co-authored DEFinition: The Art and Design of Hip-Hop – the first comprehensive anthology written in the name of the genre.
Adams’ vision pushes the boundaries of art and design as it intertwines with hip-hop culture and society at large. His work focuses on themes including race and gender relations, cultural and community issues, and pop culture. He exhibits, lectures, and teaches art workshops at many established institutions including the MoMA, Pratt Institute, and universities nationwide.
Adams lives in Brooklyn, New York, where he is always creating mind-altering masterpieces.
For more information about the Emerson-Thomas-Crone Lecture or on how to begin an endowment to fund a lectureship series, contact the SAU Foundation Office at (870) 235-4078.