Examples of curved forms from Kelly’s, “family of forms.” In a special exhibit that will run through September 8th, the DIA is showing selections from their collection of Ellsworth Kelly prints. Kelly is an abstract print artist whose work deals primarily in bright blocks of color. Originally a native of Newburgh, New York and a […]

The crew at Live Coal, including owner/director Yvette Rock (standing). The newly-founded Live Coal Gallery on Trumbull in Detroit’s Woodbridge neighborhood hosted the opening of its second show on Friday, June 14th. The show, “Modern Impressionists,” featured three Detroit artists: Senghor Reid, Gilda Snowden and emerging artist Antoinette Connor making her debut. Much like the first […]

Dr. Monica M. White, at the start of her impassioned lecture. On Saturday, June 15th, Monica M. White, Ph.D gave a lecture at the Detroit Public Library Main Branch on the subject of “Black Farmers/Black Freedom.” Dr. White presented some of the research and outline for her forthcoming book on the history of black farmers […]

In a seamless progression from last month’s opening of Mike Kelley’s Mobile Homestead, the latest group show opened at the MOCAD (a Knight Arts grantee) last weekend, and continues to approach art from the perspective of home (and vice-versa).  (IN)HABITATION, curated by Greg Tom, features work of Jason J. Ferguson, Matt Kenyon and Osman Khan, […]

The international Cinetopia Film Festival took place over the weekend, from June 6-9, and for the first time included a program hosted by the Detroit Film Theatre. The festival, which has previously been based only in Ann Arbor has now expanded to include Detroit, and screened more than 40 feature-length movies, including 12 foreign language […]

Detail from “mammatus” by Maria Soledad Jofre. Surely I was not alone in my dismay regarding the news that Detroit’s Emergency Financial Manager was appraising the DIA’s priceless art collection, the suggestion being that it might be considered a source of revenue to balance the city’s debt. However, among the thoughts I used to console […]

The newest show at Public Pool needs you to finish it! Saturday, June 1st was the opening of “U-Build It!,” a group show at Public Pool in Hamtramck. Artists Mary Fortuna, Andrew Thompson, Shoshanna Utchenik and Michael McGillis have each created an interactive art space to enable attendees to participate in the creative process, working to […]

Printed in-shop, the info on the Ocelot Print Shop open house. Saturday, June 1st marks the grand opening of Ocelot Community Print Shop, with an introductory open house taking place from 4 p.m.-7 p.m. at their headquarters in the Cass Corridor Neighborhood Development Corporation (CCNDC), which opened its doors to Ocelot, offering them space in […]

From left to right, Ernst Fischer, Sebastian Black and Ben Hall, in discussion at 2739 Edwin Gallery. On Saturday, May 25th, Ben Hall sat down with cohorts Ernst Fischer and Sebastian Black to discuss themes and concepts around his show, “Let’s Don’t Take No Chance,” which opened at 2739 Edwin Gallery on April 27th and closed with […]

The 19th Media City Film Festival kicked off at MOCAD  (a Knight Arts grantee) on Tuesday, May 21st with a live musical performance featuring Michael Snow/Canadian Creative Music Collective and Wolf Eyes. The international film festival, which has run the last two nights, will continue through Saturday, May 25th, with all film screenings taking place at […]

Cass Corridor artist and living legend Robert Sestok. Photo courtesy of the artist Robert Sestok contains an awful lot of Detroit’s history for such an unassuming presence. The unraveling of his understated personality reveals an astounding cultural and historical index of Detroit, painstakingly accumulated since his move to the city in ’67, against the tidal […]