The Team
Creators behind The Future Happened: Designing the Future of Music.
Curation
Lawrence Azerrad
Lead Curator
Lawrence Azerrad is a 2X Grammy award-winning creative director, author, curator, leader in the evolving symbiosis of design and music, and an unrelenting believer in the power of design to elevate humanity. As founder of LADdesign Inc. a Los Angeles based design studio, Lawrence works with musicians, educational and cultural institutions who seek to visualize the future.
Lawrence is the founder of the Designing The Future of Music initiative of which this exhibit is a component and includes academic programs at Global Innovation Design, Imperial College of London, and Graduate Design Futures program at California College of the Arts.
Lawrence has created album artwork for Esperanza Spalding, Wilco, The Red Hot Chili Peppers, among many others, plus comprehensive identity systems for USC, Berklee College of Music. Producer and creative director of The Voyager Golden Record, he is also the author of “Supersonic: The Design and Lifestyle of Concorde” Amazon’s 2018 selection of the year - Arts & Photography. Lawrence’s second book “Mirror Sound, A Look into the People and Processes Behind Self-Recorded Music” was co-authored with Spencer Tweedy published by Prestel. Lawrence has spoken on design and inspiration at The V&A Museum, London, The Smithsonian, TEDxUCLA, and at universities, professional organizations, nationwide and internationally.
Lead Curator
Lawrence Azerrad is a 2X Grammy award-winning creative director, author, curator, leader in the evolving symbiosis of design and music, and an unrelenting believer in the power of design to elevate humanity. As founder of LADdesign Inc. a Los Angeles based design studio, Lawrence works with musicians, educational and cultural institutions who seek to visualize the future.
Lawrence is the founder of the Designing The Future of Music initiative of which this exhibit is a component and includes academic programs at Global Innovation Design, Imperial College of London, and Graduate Design Futures program at California College of the Arts.
Lawrence has created album artwork for Esperanza Spalding, Wilco, The Red Hot Chili Peppers, among many others, plus comprehensive identity systems for USC, Berklee College of Music. Producer and creative director of The Voyager Golden Record, he is also the author of “Supersonic: The Design and Lifestyle of Concorde” Amazon’s 2018 selection of the year - Arts & Photography. Lawrence’s second book “Mirror Sound, A Look into the People and Processes Behind Self-Recorded Music” was co-authored with Spencer Tweedy published by Prestel. Lawrence has spoken on design and inspiration at The V&A Museum, London, The Smithsonian, TEDxUCLA, and at universities, professional organizations, nationwide and internationally.
Special Mentions
Lawrence would like to thank his wife Julie Muncy for the unending support and creative spark. Laura Flusche and the entire team MODA for the believing in this project and the opportunity to make it happen. Gretchen Gonzales Davidson and Ethan Daniel Davidson for the true creative encouragement in the form of possibility. To the miraculous team of talent, insight, and wisdom behind and in front of this project for which it would never happen: Ruby Savage, Floyd Hall, Marlon Fuentes, Sarah Elena Panzer, Christian Pugsley, Harika Adivikolanu, Omar Rafik El-Sabrout. To Helen Maria Nugent and Leila Sheldrick at CCA and GID for the insight in forming the initiative and lastly but most essentially, the brilliantly generous artists, designers, technologists, and musicians that shared so openly with the exhibit.
More from Lawrence Azerrad
Website ︎︎︎
Instagram ︎︎︎
Twitter ︎︎︎
Spotify ︎︎︎
Lawrence would like to thank his wife Julie Muncy for the unending support and creative spark. Laura Flusche and the entire team MODA for the believing in this project and the opportunity to make it happen. Gretchen Gonzales Davidson and Ethan Daniel Davidson for the true creative encouragement in the form of possibility. To the miraculous team of talent, insight, and wisdom behind and in front of this project for which it would never happen: Ruby Savage, Floyd Hall, Marlon Fuentes, Sarah Elena Panzer, Christian Pugsley, Harika Adivikolanu, Omar Rafik El-Sabrout. To Helen Maria Nugent and Leila Sheldrick at CCA and GID for the insight in forming the initiative and lastly but most essentially, the brilliantly generous artists, designers, technologists, and musicians that shared so openly with the exhibit.
More from Lawrence Azerrad
Website ︎︎︎
Instagram ︎︎︎
Twitter ︎︎︎
Spotify ︎︎︎
Ruby Savage
Curator
Raised on a mantra of “freedom, healing, peace and power in music,” Ruby Savage is a London based Music & Culture Curator who brings a special kind of affirmative energy to creative projects she gets involved in.
Ruby has worked for record labels Honest Jon’s and Sound Signature and has founded Wildheart Recordings. Her stewardship as label manager and primary creative director at Brownswood Recordings has been instrumental to the label’s growing success. Her personal exploits as a DJ have taken her to performing at clubs and festivals around the world.
Ruby has launched the Artist Recovery Club to facilitate creative healing and artistic discovery post 2020. She is also the creator of Don’t Be A Creep - an arts initiative that spreads a zero-tolerance policy towards harassment in music and nightlife culture.
Ruby has a BA in Production Design at the Dutch Film & Television Academy and an MA in Photography and Urban Culture at Goldsmiths University + a stellar dancefloor track record, granting her a unique compass that lets her connect the spiritual dots between music, culture, community and the arts.
Curator
Raised on a mantra of “freedom, healing, peace and power in music,” Ruby Savage is a London based Music & Culture Curator who brings a special kind of affirmative energy to creative projects she gets involved in.
Ruby has worked for record labels Honest Jon’s and Sound Signature and has founded Wildheart Recordings. Her stewardship as label manager and primary creative director at Brownswood Recordings has been instrumental to the label’s growing success. Her personal exploits as a DJ have taken her to performing at clubs and festivals around the world.
Ruby has launched the Artist Recovery Club to facilitate creative healing and artistic discovery post 2020. She is also the creator of Don’t Be A Creep - an arts initiative that spreads a zero-tolerance policy towards harassment in music and nightlife culture.
Ruby has a BA in Production Design at the Dutch Film & Television Academy and an MA in Photography and Urban Culture at Goldsmiths University + a stellar dancefloor track record, granting her a unique compass that lets her connect the spiritual dots between music, culture, community and the arts.
Special Mentions
Ruby would like to thank the mighty Lawrence Azerrad, for giving her this opportunity and showing utmost finesse from start to end. You’re an inspiration! Big thank you to badass Laura Flusche and Veronica Klucik at MODA. THE TEAM- Sarah Panzer, Floyd Hall, Marlon Fuentes, Christian Pugsley, Harika Adivikolanu and Omar El-Sabrout. You rock. And finally, a huge thank you to the exhibiting artists who trusted the vision and will continue to inspire generations to come with their music and art.
More from Ruby Savage
Website ︎︎︎
Instagram ︎︎︎
Spotify ︎︎︎
Ruby would like to thank the mighty Lawrence Azerrad, for giving her this opportunity and showing utmost finesse from start to end. You’re an inspiration! Big thank you to badass Laura Flusche and Veronica Klucik at MODA. THE TEAM- Sarah Panzer, Floyd Hall, Marlon Fuentes, Christian Pugsley, Harika Adivikolanu and Omar El-Sabrout. You rock. And finally, a huge thank you to the exhibiting artists who trusted the vision and will continue to inspire generations to come with their music and art.
More from Ruby Savage
Website ︎︎︎
Instagram ︎︎︎
Spotify ︎︎︎
Floyd Hall
Curator
Floyd Hall is a media strategist, cultural producer, writer, and documentarian from Atlanta, Georgia. As an artist and curator, his work often relates to the intersection of culture, media, and technology as platforms to construct narratives of place.
He has worked across the media spectrum in a variety of roles and capacities, including strategy, research, marketing and production; his current and past work spans several industries, including Digital Media, Brand Management, Nonprofit Arts, Nonprofit Media, Social Change, Sporting Goods, Sports Media and Luxury Lifestyle.
Floyd is an Idea Capital artist grant recipient; a Hambidge Cross-Pollination Art Lab Fellow and a Hambidge Creative Residency Fellow; and has presented as a guest lecturer at Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD), Spelman College, Spelman College Museum of Fine Art, and the Hudgens Center for Art and Learning.
He holds a BS in Mathematics from Morehouse College, a BS in Mechanical Engineering Georgia Tech, and an MBA from Columbia University.
Curator
Floyd Hall is a media strategist, cultural producer, writer, and documentarian from Atlanta, Georgia. As an artist and curator, his work often relates to the intersection of culture, media, and technology as platforms to construct narratives of place.
He has worked across the media spectrum in a variety of roles and capacities, including strategy, research, marketing and production; his current and past work spans several industries, including Digital Media, Brand Management, Nonprofit Arts, Nonprofit Media, Social Change, Sporting Goods, Sports Media and Luxury Lifestyle.
Floyd is an Idea Capital artist grant recipient; a Hambidge Cross-Pollination Art Lab Fellow and a Hambidge Creative Residency Fellow; and has presented as a guest lecturer at Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD), Spelman College, Spelman College Museum of Fine Art, and the Hudgens Center for Art and Learning.
He holds a BS in Mathematics from Morehouse College, a BS in Mechanical Engineering Georgia Tech, and an MBA from Columbia University.
Special Mentions
Floyd would like to thank Ellis Terrell, James Roberts, Myriam Van Buren, and Carlton McMillan.
More from Floyd Hall
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Instagram ︎︎︎
Twitter ︎︎︎
Email ︎︎︎
Floyd would like to thank Ellis Terrell, James Roberts, Myriam Van Buren, and Carlton McMillan.
More from Floyd Hall
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Email ︎︎︎
Marlon Fuentes
Curator
Marlon Fuentes is a designer, ethnomusicologist, and creative technologist from Mexico City by way of Los Angeles. After graduating from UCLA with a degree in Ethnomusicology, Marlon began experimenting with virtual and augmented reality and soon applied his passion for design, social justice and creativity toward the goal of empowering communities to document their lives in the most immersive and authentic way possible.
His work has won in competition at MIT Media Lab, SXSW, as well as notable fellowships and grants at Oculus, UCLA Anderson School of Business, Google, Bose, Red Bull, and the World Bank where he worked as an emerging technology coach for entrepreneurs in Tegucigalpa, Honduras. A scholar of Alvin Toffler, and Paulo Freire, Marlon sees a responsibility among radical thinkers to help build the future they want to live in. ‘The Future Happened’ is a personal celebration of fearless creativity, and self directed learning common among people working on emerging technologies and ideas.
Featured in Monocle Magazines Soft Power Issue (109) for his work with the Brazilian Consulate’s Cultural Ministry, his skill as a leader in cultural diplomacy has only furthered his ability to better understand the dynamic between private and public sectors. Marlon currently leads Global Music at the Recording Academy where he serves as a genre ambassador for the international community. At a time when every release is a global release, Marlon sees his role as a unique glimpse into the futures of media, global culture, and decentralization of power. As a former tour DJ for Shakira, he continues to merge his passion for culture with technology to produce an ever growing portfolio of creative works ranging from volumetric DJ sets to health data applications.
Curator
Marlon Fuentes is a designer, ethnomusicologist, and creative technologist from Mexico City by way of Los Angeles. After graduating from UCLA with a degree in Ethnomusicology, Marlon began experimenting with virtual and augmented reality and soon applied his passion for design, social justice and creativity toward the goal of empowering communities to document their lives in the most immersive and authentic way possible.
His work has won in competition at MIT Media Lab, SXSW, as well as notable fellowships and grants at Oculus, UCLA Anderson School of Business, Google, Bose, Red Bull, and the World Bank where he worked as an emerging technology coach for entrepreneurs in Tegucigalpa, Honduras. A scholar of Alvin Toffler, and Paulo Freire, Marlon sees a responsibility among radical thinkers to help build the future they want to live in. ‘The Future Happened’ is a personal celebration of fearless creativity, and self directed learning common among people working on emerging technologies and ideas.
Featured in Monocle Magazines Soft Power Issue (109) for his work with the Brazilian Consulate’s Cultural Ministry, his skill as a leader in cultural diplomacy has only furthered his ability to better understand the dynamic between private and public sectors. Marlon currently leads Global Music at the Recording Academy where he serves as a genre ambassador for the international community. At a time when every release is a global release, Marlon sees his role as a unique glimpse into the futures of media, global culture, and decentralization of power. As a former tour DJ for Shakira, he continues to merge his passion for culture with technology to produce an ever growing portfolio of creative works ranging from volumetric DJ sets to health data applications.
Special Mentions
Marlon would like to thank The Laventille community and Rhythm Section, Adam and Michael Cooper, Paula Durán, Christina Chu, Kyle Midgley, Red Bull, Hugh Hou, Cathy Hackl, Francis Chen, Sergio and Ella Mielniczenko, Daito Manabe and Naoki Ishizuka. Bose for supporting my crazy ideas, and the organizers of the MIT Media Lab Reality Virtually Hackathon. The UCLA Department of Ethnomusicology for believing in my future, and to my parents for raising me in homes full of books, music, and love. Respect to the music massive all over the globe, all the performers, selectas, people working behind the scenes, and dancers. Last but not least, the incredibly passionate and hardworking team that made this exhibit a reality and extended an opportunity for me to be here.
More from Marlon Fuentes
Website ︎︎︎
Instagram ︎︎︎
Twitter ︎︎︎
Youtube ︎︎︎
More from Marlon Fuentes
Website ︎︎︎
Instagram ︎︎︎
Twitter ︎︎︎
Youtube ︎︎︎
Production
Sarah Panzer
Producer, Associate Curator
Sarah Panzer is a multidisciplinary artist primarily working in film photography. They are currently pursuing a BA in Art Practice at Stanford University while exploring the intersections of design, science, art, and architecture. Their work investigates gender identity, queerness, mental illness, and notions of home. Central to their practice is the deconstruction and reimagination of the systems under which we operate. They feel most at peace surrounded by nature, in the studio, or in the darkroom, and most invigorated connecting with art and artists or in the DJ booth of KZSU Stanford 90.1. Beginning as an intern at LADdesign Inc. in 2019, they are honored to have been able to see this project to completion.
Instagram ︎︎︎
Email ︎︎︎
Spotify ︎︎︎
Producer, Associate Curator
Sarah Panzer is a multidisciplinary artist primarily working in film photography. They are currently pursuing a BA in Art Practice at Stanford University while exploring the intersections of design, science, art, and architecture. Their work investigates gender identity, queerness, mental illness, and notions of home. Central to their practice is the deconstruction and reimagination of the systems under which we operate. They feel most at peace surrounded by nature, in the studio, or in the darkroom, and most invigorated connecting with art and artists or in the DJ booth of KZSU Stanford 90.1. Beginning as an intern at LADdesign Inc. in 2019, they are honored to have been able to see this project to completion.
Instagram ︎︎︎
Email ︎︎︎
Spotify ︎︎︎
Christian Pugsley
Lead Web Designer, Producer, Developer
Christian Pugsley is a digital product designer working to create transparency for everyday people in global-scale systems, leveraging relationships between digital design, education, data privacy, and mental health. In addition to this exhibiton, Christian is currently pursuing his Master’s degree in Global Innovation Design–a joint Master’s course co-run between the Royal College of Art and Imperial College London–and is an adjunct professor in the Multi-Disciplinary Design program at the University of Utah, in Salt Lake City, Utah. Outside of his design work, Christian is also a music enthusiast and freelance concert photographer–when there’s concerts to go to. Website ︎︎︎
Instagram ︎︎︎
Email ︎︎︎
Lead Web Designer, Producer, Developer
Christian Pugsley is a digital product designer working to create transparency for everyday people in global-scale systems, leveraging relationships between digital design, education, data privacy, and mental health. In addition to this exhibiton, Christian is currently pursuing his Master’s degree in Global Innovation Design–a joint Master’s course co-run between the Royal College of Art and Imperial College London–and is an adjunct professor in the Multi-Disciplinary Design program at the University of Utah, in Salt Lake City, Utah. Outside of his design work, Christian is also a music enthusiast and freelance concert photographer–when there’s concerts to go to. Website ︎︎︎
Instagram ︎︎︎
Email ︎︎︎
Harika Adivikolanu
Education Initiative Author, Producer, Web Designer
Harika Adivikolanu is a user experience designer and a software engineer from California. She is currently London-based and is finishing a dual Master’s degree in Global Innovation Design at the Royal College of Art and Imperial College London. Her work focuses on designing for the future of human experience through immersive technology, specifically enhancing the balance between physical and digital interactions with the aim to cultivate connectivity, introspection and well-being. Harika also believes in empowering women in technology and has spoken at the Grace Hopper Celebration, Women’s Leadership Conference of Oregon and the Lesbians Who Tech and Allies in San Francisco. Website ︎︎︎
Instagram ︎︎︎
Email ︎︎︎
Omar El-Sabrout
Exhibit Text Author / Editor
Omar El-Sabrout loves to cook, chefing it up whenever possible. An aspiring writer and artist, he will get a BA in Comparative Literature and Art Practice from Stanford University at some point soon. Music and stories are his greatest passions, without which he would be lost. He is pretty sure he does not believe in a separation between art and social responsibility. He is also a co-general manager of KZSU, Stanford's FM and online radio station, where he is a music DJ.
Instagram ︎︎︎
Email ︎︎︎
Nice Little Song ︎︎︎
Seetharaman Subramanian
Web Production
Seetharaman Subramanian is an innovation-focused designer with a background in Engineering Design from India. His focus is on helping people change their daily water usage behaviours for a more sustainable planet. He is currently pursuing this topic as part of his Master's degree in Global Innovation Design from the Royal College of Art and Imperial College London. In his free time, Seetharaman enjoys reading fantasy fiction, photography and online gaming. Website ︎︎︎
Instagram ︎︎︎
Email ︎︎︎
Web Production
Seetharaman Subramanian is an innovation-focused designer with a background in Engineering Design from India. His focus is on helping people change their daily water usage behaviours for a more sustainable planet. He is currently pursuing this topic as part of his Master's degree in Global Innovation Design from the Royal College of Art and Imperial College London. In his free time, Seetharaman enjoys reading fantasy fiction, photography and online gaming. Website ︎︎︎
Instagram ︎︎︎
Email ︎︎︎
Daniel Karaj
Web Production, Lead Interview Editor
Daniel Karaj is a designer and engineer from South West London currently studying a Master's degree in Global Innovation Design at the Royal College of Art and Imperial College London. Having previously worked as a software engineer at Google, his work focuses on the intersection of the physical and digital and our relationship with technology.
Website ︎︎︎
Instagram ︎︎︎
Email ︎︎︎
Web Production, Lead Interview Editor
Daniel Karaj is a designer and engineer from South West London currently studying a Master's degree in Global Innovation Design at the Royal College of Art and Imperial College London. Having previously worked as a software engineer at Google, his work focuses on the intersection of the physical and digital and our relationship with technology.
Website ︎︎︎
Instagram ︎︎︎
Email ︎︎︎
Oriana Ren
Graphic Design
Oriana Ren is a graphic designer specializing in identity systems, with an interest in coding and print design. She will receive her BFA from ArtCenter College of Design at the end of April 2021. She is curious about integrating cultural, educational and sustainable philosophies into design thinking and emerging technological practices. In her free time you can probably find her at a museum or bookstore, exploring nature or browsing Spotify.
Website ︎︎︎
Instagram ︎︎︎
Email ︎︎︎
Graphic Design
Oriana Ren is a graphic designer specializing in identity systems, with an interest in coding and print design. She will receive her BFA from ArtCenter College of Design at the end of April 2021. She is curious about integrating cultural, educational and sustainable philosophies into design thinking and emerging technological practices. In her free time you can probably find her at a museum or bookstore, exploring nature or browsing Spotify.
Website ︎︎︎
Instagram ︎︎︎
Email ︎︎︎
MODA
Support
Aileen Farshi
Social Media
Website ︎︎︎
Austin Aubry
Interview Editing
Website ︎︎︎
Ayana Enomoto-Hurst
Interview Editing
Social Media
Website ︎︎︎
Austin Aubry
Interview Editing
Website ︎︎︎
Ayana Enomoto-Hurst
Interview Editing
Blue Hominy : Hadley Bazemore
Public Relations / Publicity
Website ︎︎︎
David Pugsley
Technical Drawings
David Onwukeme
Interview Editing
Public Relations / Publicity
Website ︎︎︎
David Pugsley
Technical Drawings
David Onwukeme
Interview Editing
Kevin Lee
Interview Editing
Marco Da Re
Interview Editing
Linkedin ︎︎︎
Thomas Pugsley
Interview Editing, Music Production
Interview Editing
Marco Da Re
Interview Editing
Linkedin ︎︎︎
Thomas Pugsley
Interview Editing, Music Production
Exhibit Design & Visual Identity
Thank You
To everyone that made this exhibit possible.
