April 6–10, 2011, at 17 locations in Detroit’s Midtown District.
The Kresge Foundation will awaken the national art scene with an explosion of creativity showcasing exceptional Michigan artists at Art X Detroit.
Art X Detroit – A free celebration of the work of metro Detroit individual artists who are recipients of Kresge Eminent Artist Awards and the Kresge Artist Fellowships.
April 6–10, 2011, at 17 locations in Detroit’s Midtown District.
ARTISTS: 38 Kresge Foundation Artist Fellowship awardees and Kresge Eminent Artists who will debut new works, sharing their expressions on canvas, in sculpture, through the written word, music, dance and more.
Art X Detroit is produced by the University Cultural Center Association, a nonprofit organization that has spearheaded reinvestment in Midtown through the arts, beautification and economic development. For a complete Art X Detroit schedule visit www.ArtXDetroit.com. Visit Art X on Facebook for updates and artist video presentations. For more information on the Kresge Arts in Detroit program, visit: www.kresge.collegeforcreativestudies.edu.
HIGHLIGHTS:
• Opening night reception at 5:00 pm on Wednesday, April 6, at the Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit (MOCAD): Live performances by Kresge Eminent Artist Marcus Belgrave; Kresge Artist Fellow Joel Peterson in concert with BoxDeserter; exhibition of new works created by the 2009 Kresge Visual Artist Fellows; unveiling of a new installation by Kresge Artist Fellow Gordon Newton.
• “Spirit Renewal” – A sculpture by Kresge Eminent Artist Charles McGee. Measuring 8′ x 22′, this newly commissioned work will be located in front of the Horace H. Rackham Memorial Building across from the Detroit Institute of Arts (DIA).. McGee’s work promises to be a highlight of the future Midtown Loop Greenway Public Art Plan.
• “Street Folk” developed by world-renowned Heidelberg Project creator, Tyree Guyton, is a provocative social commentary that addresses the issue of homelessness in an installation that incorporates more than 10,000 pairs of shoes. According to Guyton, “The shoes are a reflection of people, all going in different directions and yet they are all in the streets.”
• African Rhythms – Jazz master trumpeter and Kresge Eminent Artist Marcus Belgrave joins master percussionist Isaac Okyerema Asante of Ghana in a performance between the American trumpet and African drums. Belgrave will also host a Jazz Development Workshop Youth Ensemble performance plus a duet with pianist Bill Meyer underscoring the film “One Hamtramck” on the opening night. Belgrave will also perform with members from his 1970′s collaborative ensemble, Tribe, who have never played together in Detroit until now.
• Invincible – Real Detroit Weekly named Invincible the Best Female Hip Hop Artist of 2011. Premiere from Invincible’s upcoming album, which also features Waajeed of the Platinum Pied Pipers. The performance will include a multi-media art installation by That’s That, and video projections by el iqaa. This live production will be preceded by an interactive performance and projection-based workshop in the Planetarium.
• The Troublemakers: The True, Epic Story of Diego and Frida, a multi-media story by Louis Aguilar. This three-act play tells the battle over Diego Rivera’s Detroit Industry fresco mural—a fierce controversy that nearly resulted in the whitewashing of Rivera’s masterpiece at the DIA. The Troublemakers will be presented in the DIA’s Rivera Court, featuring a cast of local community leaders and artists, with an original musical score by Jessica Hernandez, video by Emmy award-winning filmmaker Stephen McGee.
• Cedric Tai activates brick walls with vibrant patterns. Brixels—a term combined from the words “brick” and “pixel” – are the foundation for this project based around a fun online tool created in collaboration with Dan Marchwinski, which allows the public to create their own brixel designs. MakeBrixels.com.
• The Wire Car Parking Lot at Tech II is an installation presented by visual artist Chido Johnson. This is a miniature parking structure built for wire cars made by collaborators from different parts of Detroit, neighbors as close as Hamtramck and as far as Zimbabwe, the artist’s native home. A video documentary will be featured at MOCAD.
