Where were you at 11:11 on November 11, 2011… a.k.a 11:11 11.11.11? Luckiest day of the century, luckiest moment? Maybe, maybe not. Regardless of your beliefs in numerology, 11.11.11 did present itself as an amazing day with the grand re-opening of Cranbrook Academy of Art Museum, including the newly constructed 20,000-square-foot collections wing. Located 18 miles northwest of Downtown Detroit, the renowned school, often called the “American Bauhaus,” has a tradition for excellence. Director of Cranbrook Academy of Art and Art Museum Reed Kroloff says, “People may not realize it, but Cranbrook art and design is everywhere. Whether you’re sitting in an Eames office chair or riding in a new subway car in New York City, you are experiencing design by Cranbrook graduates. [Antenna Design, which created the most recent subway cars, is co-directed by Masamichi Udagawa, a Cranbrook graduate.] The impact of this school on American life is ongoing and profound.”

Included in the inaugural exhibition, “No Object is an Island: New Dialogues with the Cranbrook Collection,” which opened on 11/11/11, will be 11 days of programming where the museum will be open for 11 hours (10 a.m. to 9 p.m.). A special 11-day membership will be available for $11. The special programming during the first 11 days includes tours, performances, workshops and lectures (find more info here). “No Object” hopes to inspire new generations of designers and artists while reiterating their practice of challenging the status quo since the school’s opening 80 years ago. The show will feature leading contemporary artists next to objects from Cranbrooks first-rate permanent collection of 20th and 21st century art and design. Examples include Nick Cave’s dreamy and abstract “Soundsuit” placed near a colorful tapestry by the master May Morris. This museum will resume regular hours after Monday, Nov. 21, and the show “No Object” will run until March 25, 2012. Regular art museum hours will be Wednesdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Thursdays and Fridays from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; and Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Regular admission is: $8 for adults; $6 for seniors; $4 for full-time students with ID; free for children 12 and under. For more information, please call 248-645-3320.