MOCAD has four exhibits on display celebrating surrealism, including Detroit-based artist and designer Chris Schanck’s "A Surreality." Photo credit: Clare Gatto

The Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit (MOCAD) has four new exhibits celebrating the 100th anniversary of surrealism, the literary and art movement that used a new mode of expression called automatic writing that focused on the goal of releasing the unbridled imagination of the subconscious. 

The concept originated in Paris in 1924 with the publication of the “Manifesto of Surrealism” by poet and critic André Breton. Surrealism then became an intellectual and political movement around the world. 

The exhibits include Detroit-based artist and designer Chris Schanck’s “A Surreality,” Mexico City-based artist duo ASMA Collective’s “Wander + Pursuit,” Detroit and Cleveland-based artists Clare Gatto and Kara Gut’s “Magic Circle,” as well as “Portal Fire: Shrine of the Torchbearer” from Detroit-based artist Levon Kafafian. The exhibit  runs through Feb. 23. 

A piece from ASMA Collective’s exhibit “Wander and Pursuit,” on display at MOCAD. Photo credit: House of Gaga

The museum is also hosting a curator’s tour 5:30-7 p.m. Friday to give a behind-the-scenes. MOCAD’s associate curators Abel Gonzalez Fernandez and Isabella Nimmo will discuss the thematic throughlines behind each of the four shows and the ways artists are continuing to respond to and extend the enduring legacies of surrealism. The event is free with general admission, which is $12. 

MOCAD co-directors Jova Lynne and Marie Madison-Patton talked to me via email about how they selected the artists in the shows. 

BridgeDetroit: How did the idea of a surrealism series come about? Do the four exhibits have similar themes that ties everything together?

Lynne and Madison-Patton: 2024 marks the 100th anniversary of the Surrealist art movement and institutions worldwide have been mounting exhibitions to celebrate. At MOCAD, we saw this as an opportunity to also look ahead at how contemporary artists interpret surrealism and explore world building, magic, and the intimate relationship between technology and the body in their practices.

BridgeDetroit: Did you already have Chris, ASMA Collective and the other artists in mind or were you looking at other artists as well? 

Lynne and Madison-Patton: It’s important that we highlight the strong cohort of local artists in Detroit in our programming; we’ve long had a relationship with Detroit-based artists Chris Schanck and Levon Kafafian. We’re thrilled to also introduce the community to the work of ASMA, Clare Gatto and Kara Güt.

BridgeDetroit: For those who are unfamiliar, how would you describe surrealism? How do each of the artists interpret the art movement? 

Lynne and Madison-Patton: Amid the aftermath of WWI, French poet André Breton published a treatise rallying against the constraints of realism and rationality. Visual artists soon came into the fold, transforming art by rejecting traditional forms and thought processes. Many will recognize names associated with this movement such as Salvador Dalí, René Magritte, Joan Miró, and Leonora Carrington. 

Each of the artists on view this fall are breaking boundaries, challenging perceptions and inviting us into worlds where the line between reality and the imagination blurs. We are excited to present these dynamic works that not only reflect the surrealist movement’s past but also shape its future in contemporary art here in Detroit.

As always, have a great week, Detroiters! 

Cheers, 

Micah

313 Scene

  • BridgeDetroit reporter Jena Brooker reports on Detroit-based interdisciplinary artist Ian John Solomon and his first solo exhibition, “City Wild,” at Playground Detroit. Solomon’s free exhibit is an invitation to explore Detroit residents’ relation to Detroit’s urban landscape and Michigan’s natural landscapes, employing a variety of mediums including collage, portraiture, and a series of 100 instant film Polaroid photographs encased in steel. 
  • BridgeDetroit and Detroit Free Press reporter Nushrat Rahman put together a list of six Detroit and Hamtramck bookstores to visit this holiday season, including Book Suey, 27th Letter Books and Next Chapter Books.  
  • For the third year in a row, Detroit will celebrate Kwanzaa with a 30-feet kinara at Campus Martius Park. The city will celebrate the beginning of the holiday with a lighting ceremony starting at 4 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 26, where city historian Jamon Jordan will deliver a keynote address. The event is free and open to the public. (Detroit Metro Times) 
  • Aretha Franklin’s Rose Estate, situated along the ninth hole of the Detroit Golf Club in the city’s Palmer Woods neighborhood, is receiving a multimillion-dollar restoration after years of disrepair. (Detroit Free Press)

What’s Going on in the D?

  • Irwin House Gallery recently kicked off its 5th annual holiday exhibit, “Gifted V.” The show will feature more than 100 works of original art by Detroit local artists, all priced under $500. The exhibit runs until Dec. 22. 
  • After being closed for two years for major restoration work, the Anna Scripps Whitcomb Conservatory on Belle Isle will reopen on Wednesday. One of the oldest conservatories in the United States, the space offers 13 acres of perennial garden, seasonal floral beds, a lily pond garden and five sections of flowers and plants. It will be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesdays through Sundays. 
  • Detroit rapper and Lions music producer Terry Fox, also known by his stage name P.L., is hosting a beat making workshop 5-7 p.m. Wednesday at Human-I-T’s Digital Equity Center, 6375 W. Seven Mile Road, Suite 101. Fox, whose music has been featured on FOX Sports and NBC’s NBA broadcasts, will give a tutorial on hip-hop production for teens ages 13-19. Human-I-T will provide attendees with free Apple iPads equipped with music production software. Those interested in signing up for the free workshop can fill out the form here.
  • Detroit Public Theatre kicked off its second Holiday Cabaret show last week, which runs until Dec. 22. DPT promises to serve up a fresh mix of holiday tunes, with some familiar favorites thrown in. Shows run Thursday-Sunday, with the exception of Wednesday, Dec. 11. General admission is $49, but some shows will have discounted tickets. 
  • Virtuosic and pianist Cyrus Chestnut will put his own spin on Vince Guaraldi’s classic score from “A Charlie Brown Christmas” 8 p.m. Friday at Orchestra Hall. Guests can expect to hear popular songs like “Linus and Lucy,” “Christmas Time is Here,” and “O Tannenbaum.” Some tickets are still available starting at $29.
  • Noel Night returns for its 50th year Saturday. The free event, held throughout Detroit’s Midtown and Cultural Center from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., celebrates the city’s arts and culture scene through holiday shopping, live entertainment, food trucks and more. Some of the many institutions and businesses participating in Noel Night include the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History, the Detroit Institute of Arts, Michigan Science Center, Third Man Records and Source Booksellers. 
  • Eastern Market is hosting its Holiday Market from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday. The event features Michigan-made gift options including clothing, art, jewelry, beauty products and more. The weekly market will be held on Sundays until Dec. 22. 

Micah Walker joins the BridgeDetroit team covering the arts and culture and education in the city. Originally from the metro Detroit area, she is back in her home state after two years in Ohio. Micah...