Never Forget: Rachel Willis' exhibit at GalleryDAAS memorializes slavery in Detroit and Martinique

Thu, 11/07/2019 - 9:30am by christopherporter

The University of Michigan Department of Afroamerican and African Studies' GalleryDAAS is hosting a multi-media collaborative exhibit by artist and scholar Rachel Willis, titled Il faut se souvenir, we must not forget: Memorializing Slavery in Detroit and Martinique. It combines Willis’ background in fine arts, history, and Francophone studies to bring the under-told history of slavery in Detroit and Martinique. 

Willis was raised in Detroit and received a Bachelor of Arts in French & Francophone Studies from the University of Michigan. In her current work, Willis employs a multi-disciplinary approach to her subject matter, using photographs, historical texts, and technology to explore the history of Detroit’s ties to slavery and the French Caribbean Island of Martinique. Willis is currently working on a Master of Arts in Transcultural Studies, with a focus on Francophone and Caribbean history. Her passion to make little-known yet highly important histories accessible through gallery text and voice tour, paired with photography, creates both a challenging and dynamic experience in GalleryDAAS. 

The Body Politic: Japanese artist Mari Katayama challenges attitudes toward the differently abled in her debut U.S. solo show

Wed, 11/06/2019 - 2:00pm by christopherporter

The first solo show in the United States for Japanese artist Mari Katayama is right here in Ann Arbor.

From the Ancient to the Future: Meleko Mokgosi's "Pan-African Pulp" at UMMA

Wed, 10/09/2019 - 11:45am by christopherporter

University of Michigan’s Museum of Art has launched a new program of site-specific, commissioned installations as part of a new biennial program, with the monumental work of Meleko Mokgosi. He debuted a solo commission to inaugurate the program, with a show titled Pan-African Pulp.

Four emotionally charged works by Egon Schiele come to UMMA

Wed, 08/28/2019 - 9:30am by christopherporter

University of Michigan Museum of Art’s Connector Gallery frequently displays new acquisitions to the public. Recently, UMMA received four works by early 20th-century Austrian artist Egon Schiele. These four works include pencil drawings and paintings that convey the unconventional figural style for which Schiele is well-known.

Ann Arbor Art Center's "The Instructor Show" showcases the talents who nurture future talents

Wed, 08/21/2019 - 10:45am by christopherporter

Befitting an exhibition made up of works from 18 of its teachers, The Instructor Show at the Ann Arbor Art Center offers a diverse range of media, including painting, sculpture, jewelry, printmaking, drawing, fiber arts, and encaustic. The exhibit is a fine display of the talent behind the multitude of programs, events, and classes the Art Center offers.

Gifts of Art's summer exhibitions offer meditative comfort at University Hospital

Fri, 08/09/2019 - 2:30pm by christopherporter

This summer's Gifts of Art at the University of Michigan Hospital, on display through September 6, features the works of a multitude of local and non-local artists in nine gallery spaces that offer multi-media artworks and a historical display by the Yankee Air Museum.

Of Skin and Dirt: Ann Arbor Art Center's "Earthbody" explores the human frame's relationship to its habitat

Wed, 07/17/2019 - 11:00am by christopherporter

The Ann Arbor Art Center’s Earthbody features works from 11 artists whose works explore, in some aspect, the relationship between the body and the environment. The exhibit focuses on works of current and recent students at the Penny W. Stamps School of Art & Design at the University of Michigan.

Sonic Resistance in the Motor City: "Call & Response" at U-M's Penny W. Stamps Gallery

Wed, 07/10/2019 - 1:45pm by christopherporter

In keeping with recent exhibition themes at the Penny W. Stamps Gallery, its most recent show asks audiences to imagine a better future through the works of innovative and iconic contemporary artists. 

Unmasking Herstory: Nastassja E. Swift's "she was here, once" at U-M's Lane Hall

Tue, 07/09/2019 - 3:45pm by christopherporter

Nastassja E. Swift wants to know what's behind the mask. 

The Virginia-based artist's exhibit at Lane Hall, the home of the LSA Women’s Studies program at the University of Michigan, is part of a larger performance piece, titled she was here, once. Swift, in her artist statement, expands upon the intent behind her work:

Jason DeMarte's "Garden of Artificial Delights" examines modern excess via fake still-lifes

Fri, 06/21/2019 - 5:15pm by christopherporter

Jason DeMarte's intimate solo show Garden of Artificial Delights mixes the domestic, the “natural,” and the artificial to create a room-sized simulacrum of a still-life at the University of Michigan Museum of Art.