By Carlie Dennis, Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit

Since MOCAD is currently closed for the installation of its next two exhibitions, Stéphanie Nava: Considering a Plot (Dig for Victory) and barely there (part two).  We thought we’d use this month’s blog post to share some exciting things going on in our neighborhood.

Situated in the heart of Midtown Detroit, MOCAD is proud to have taken an active and leading role in the revitalization of its surrounding Sugar Hill neighborhood, which is situated in the heart of Midtown, Detroit.  In its first five years, the Museum has become an artistic and cultural anchor in the city, a hub for the community and a gateway to this emerging arts district, which is also home to the G.R. N’Namdi Gallery. In addition to presenting the best of national and international art, and showcasing a broad and eclectic selection of public programs, MOCAD is working with local institutions like Midtown, Inc. to make Sugar Hill and Midtown an ever more pleasant place to live, work and hang out by creating more green space and public art, and encouraging walkability.

This year, the Museum received a Space for Change grant from LINC/Ford Foundation in order to begin a process to plan not only upgrades to its own building but also the eventual development of a space for community participation that will provide a link between area greenways and the proposed light rail line along Woodward Avenue.  With all of these changes, the Museum looks forward to contributing to the City and the neighborhood’s growing visibility as a place where art lives and is a major force of positive change.

We’ll be back on September 16, with a new set of exhibitions, Stéphanie Nava: Considering a Plot (Dig for Victory) and barely there (part two), and a new look. The artist’s first exhibition in the US, Considering a Plot is an evolving project that includes installations of drawings and sculptural objects, examining Victory Gardens in the UK and in the US during World War II.  barely there is a two-part group exhibition that explores issues of immateriality, presence, absence, performance and the performative.  The exhibition also considers the ability of art to engage broad and often intangible concepts by generating a series of connections rather than functioning as a prescribed whole. The exhibitions are both made possible with generous support of the Knight Foundation and other funders.

With the support of the Kresge Foundation, MOCAD has undergone temporary but significant renovations for institutional strengthening and strategic growth.  This includes new office spaces, a new front desk and reception area, and a redesigned store. We are looking forward to sharing these changes with our visitors soon and celebrating our fifth anniversary in October.