As part of its commemoration of the 1967 Detroit rebellion, the Detroit Institute of Arts (DIA) presents panel discussions with several of the artists featured in the exhibition “Art of Rebellion: Black Art of the Civil Rights Movement” on Aug. 25 from 10 a.m. to noon and 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. The programs are free with museum admission, which is free for residents of Wayne, Oakland and Macomb counties.
From 10 a.m. to noon, Detroit artists Allie McGhee, Rita Dickerson, Tylonn Sawyer and Sydney James discuss their art, the Detroit art scene for African American artists from the 1960s to the present and issues surrounding the idea of African American art as being inherently political.
From 1:30 to 3:30 p.m., artists who jointed collectives, established in the 1960s as a means to combat racial, social and political injustices, will talk about the advantages of being a member of such an organiation. Artists Wadsworth Jarrell, Jae Jarrell, Anthony Barboza and Ademola Olugebefola will discuss their art as members of AfriCOBRA, Kamoinge and Weusi respectively.
“Civil, social and political justice issues from the 1960s and 70s are still relevant today,” said Salvador Salort-Pons, DIA director. “We are fortunate to have many of the artists who expressed their feelings and ideas about these issues with us to provide the history and context of their work both then and today.”
The discussions will be moderated by Valerie J. Mercer, curator and department head of the DIA’s GM Center for African American Art and Juana Williams, GM Center research assistant/intern for exhibitions and programs.
This program is organized by the General Motors Center for African American Art and sponsored by the Whitney Fund.
The museum is open until 10 p.m. on Fridays, and the DIA encourages visitors to see the “Art of Rebellion,” which has been generously supported by the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan and the Whitney Fund while in the museum.
Image: “1967: Death in the Algiers Motel and Beyond,” 2017, Rita Dickerson, acrylic on canvas. Courtesy of the artist.
Museum Hours and Admission
9 a.m.–4 p.m. Tuesdays–Thursdays, 9 a.m.–10 p.m. Fridays, 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. General admission (excludes ticketed exhibitions) is free for Wayne, Oakland and Macomb county residents and DIA members. For all others, $14 for adults, $9 for seniors ages 62+, $8 for college students, $6 for ages 6–17. For membership information, call 313-833-7971.
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The Detroit Institute of Arts (DIA), one of the premier art museums in the United States, is home to more than 60,000 works that comprise a multicultural survey of human creativity from ancient times through the 21st century. From the first Van Gogh painting to enter a U.S. museum (Self-Portrait, 1887), to Diego Rivera’s world-renowned Detroit Industry murals (1932–33), the DIA’s collection is known for its quality, range and depth. The DIA’s mission is to create opportunities for all visitors to find personal meaning in art individually and with each other.
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