On Oct. 17, communication and journalism professor Josh Kun will introduce a series of programs called Crossfader at the Santa Monica Museum of Art (SMMoA), where he is serving as inaugural Resident Collector in its Collection of Ideas lecture series.
Crossfader is a two-part lecture in which Kun will use music to connect different communities and cultures.
“The crossfader is the toggle on a DJ mixer that allows you to move between the music on one input and the music on another. It lets you mix without erasing; combine without destroying—to juggle and sustain difference,” wrote Kun in the press-release for the series.
The guests Kun has chosen for each part of the series reflect his desire to combine cultural connection and popular music.
The first part of the series, “The Art of the Crossfade – The Fundamentals with Josh Kun and DJ J.Period,” will feature insight from Kun during a performance by DJ J.Period. DJ J.Period has been referred to as one of the “World’s top DJs” by The New York Times. He has worked with Grammy-winning hip-hop artists such as Kanye West and Mary J. Blige and has had his compositions featured in several film trailers, video games and brand campaigns.
The second part of the series, “The Art of the Crossfade – Creativity in the Global Mix with Josh Kun and DJ Toy Selectah,” is scheduled for April 16, 2013 at SMMoA. DJ Toy Selectah is a well-known remixer and producer within the Latin American music industry. He has worked with several artists from Latin America and the United States through the record label SONES DEL MEXSIDE, which he founded in 2000.
In addition to being an associate professor at USC Annenberg, Kun is also the director of the Popular Music Project at the Norman Lear Center and founded USC Annenberg’s Distinguished Lecture Series on Latin American Arts & Culture.
“Josh Kun is a pioneer. His unsurpassed ability to deconstruct music, art, and culture to examine today’s most pressing issues offers audiences new and insightful ways to understand the world,” said Elsa Longhauser, executive director of SMMoA, in the press release. “We are delighted to have Josh as the Museum’s inaugural Resident Collector and we are eager to hear what J.Period and Toy Selectah will add to the conversation.”
If you would like to attend the series, both events are open to the public. General admission tickets are $10, student tickets are $5 (with valid ID), and admission is free to SMMoA members.
