By Katie G. McGowan, MOCAD

MOCAD’s summer exhibitions Vertical Urban Factory and Post-Industrial Complex both investigate elements of The City. As the show’s name suggests, the former is a study of the historical and contemporary uses of the vertical factory, from an architectural historian’s perspective. The latter is a somewhat unorthodox attempt to foreground, within a contemporary art world context, the everyday makers who comprise Detroit’s cultural landscape. The shows dovetail quite nicely. One is an in-depth survey of the way this particular model of factory impacts a city plan, while the other zooms in on human-scale production and ingenuity and their impact on the everyday.

As co-curator of this exhibition, with MOCAD’s Jon Brumit, I am pleased with the way Post-Industrial Complex has elicited some critical dialogue regarding the role and responsibility of the Museum within the community. Looking ahead to the remainder of our summer exhibition we have all sorts of community-focused events in the works–Family Day with the Nationwide Museum Mascot Project; the second installation of Drive-In Radio Theater; lots of great music, and a free swap meet! Also, on Thursday, July 12, Jerry Herron will further contextualize this season’s exhibitions with a lecture entitled, Detroit: America’s First Un-City. Hope to see you there!

MOCAD’s summer season runs through July 29.