After a burst pipe caused “devastating” flooding damage at the Detroit Artists Market (DAM) earlier this year, forcing it to temporarily close, another local gallery has stepped up to help out.
The the Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit (MOCAD) will host an upcoming exhibition that was originally scheduled to open at DAM in February, both galleries announced Wednesday.
Curated by Hayla Hay, GIRLHOOD is set to open on Friday March 14.
“The flood is an immense challenge, but the support from our community and partners like MOCAD has been truly humbling,” DAM executive director Miah J. Davis said in a statement. “This collaboration ensures that GIRLHOOD and the incredible artists behind it still have the platform they deserve. We are grateful for MOCAD’s partnership in keeping this exhibition alive and for the continued engagement of our audience during this time.”
MOCAD said it was happy to lend a helping hand.
“We are thrilled to support our neighboring institution, Detroit Artists Market, through exhibitions and public programming at MOCAD,” the museum’s co-directors Jova Lynne and Marie Madison-Patton said in a statement. “We are committed to serving the community we live within and believe that this partnership will amplify the local arts ecosystem.”
According to a press release, “GIRLHOOD invites us to reflect on youth with a sense of distance and clarity. Girlhood is often viewed through an innocent lens, reminiscing on the bows in our hair and ballet flats covering painted toes. However, these depictions frequently overlook the diversity of experiences shaped by race, ethnicity, identity, etc.”
It adds, “Through this exhibition, GIRLHOOD seeks to expand the narrative, inviting an inclusive dialogue about what growing up means across different lived experiences.”
The exhibition features work by artists Kaleigh Blevins, Judy Bowman, Sue Carman-Vian, Bella Kiser, Mars McCuiston, Emilia Nawrocki, Sabrina Nelson, Julianna Sanroman, and Maddie Shubeck. It also includes work by featured artist Nina Ashraf, curated by Veronica Bielat.
“These artists’ works are steeped in the sentimentality of their formative years,” Hay said. “Watching these pieces come to life and engaging in meaningful conversations with the artists has been a profoundly connective experience that I am excited to share with the community.”
MOCAD will host an opening reception for GIRLHOOD from 5-8 p.m. on Friday, March 14. The exhibition runs through April 6.
A nearly 100-year-old gallery, DAM is undergoing renovations and plans to eventually reopen.
