Caption: Passerby viewing art installation of Artist Khary Mason
In collaboration with the non-profit organization ‘The Stories of Us,’ co-founded by Ashley Shaw Scott Adjaye and Dennis Marcus, Bedrock’s Decked Out Detroit has partnered with the Downtown Detroit Partnership to introduce an innovative storytelling project in downtown Detroit. The exhibition unveiled 10 expansive sculptures crafted by 11 talented local artists in Capitol Park, marking the public debut.
“Detroit is such a perfect city to begin, and it speaks so much to the history of America and to the different themes that we have in the project,” Shaw Scott Adjaye said. “Whether it’s emancipation, which is our third theme, and you think about the great migration and all the people who came to Detroit looking for opportunity. We have the culture here, which celebrates African American and African diasporic culture and speaks to Motown to the fashion, so much of the richness that we see and know in Detroit”.
These impactful sculptures are designed to ignite important discussions about the United States’ history, current state, and future. In 2026, the United States marks the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. The collection encompasses 10 themes, ranging from the stories of Origins and Emancipation to Ripples Across Generations and A More Perfect Union, among others. Each aims to highlight and explore different aspects of the country’s journey and add each artist’s personal story.
“We use art to engage and art is really such a human language, all the divisions they put up between each other are crossed with art because it connects to our emotions and our sensibilities. So, here, we hope that people come and learn about each other and see each other and our stories,” Shaw Scott Adjaye said.
Artist Senghor Reid and his mother, Shirley Woodson, worked together to create a collage on the Emancipation theme for this project. Reid says his mother is a member of the family history committee. Over the years, she has tracked the family lineage in Tennessee back to the Civil War.
“Being a part of this project is important because, during enslavement, we were not allowed to use drums to communicate with other plantations. So this idea that we as artists, and then this project starting in Detroit, where we are telling these stories and this narrative on these talking drums,” Reid said.
“This communication and synergy will be created and carry on through all these different cities. It is so powerful and helps us to tell these stories with dignity and honor.”
Nicole Macdonald’s murals and installations focus on telling Detroiters’ stories, sharing city history, and empowering neighborhoods. With her theme of A More Perfect Union, she included union workers along with the history and impact of labor organizer and activist General Baker, including the City of Detroit historian Jamon Jordan.
Photo Courtesy of Bedrock (Artist Nicole Macdonald painting Jamon Jordan)
“My piece is about workers’ rights, people who reimagine work, and those who fought for workers, the working class, and the poor. I’ve depicted Marian Kramer as a lifelong partner of Maureen Taylor,” Macdonald said.
“They’re always present at sit-ins, strikes, and protests, advocating not only for workers but for the citizenry and for things that should come with being alive and being human, which are a clean environment, water, and living wage housing. So that’s their life’s work.”
Artist Peter Daniel, originally born in Houston, Texas, now resides in Michigan. His artwork reflects the intricate layers of his identity as an American of mixed Indigenous and European heritage. Descended from the Coahuiltecan people, Daniel’s art weaves elements of his cultural heritage with his aunts, who are represented throughout his installation. He was also inspired by African American culture, with symbolic references to baptism and Martin Luther King’s impact.
“As an extension to my African American friends, we have a lot in common. Of course, we shared all kinds of different horrific things,” Bernal said. “But the drum is the common link. Every culture had a drum.”
Khary Mason, a former Homicide Detective for the Detroit Police Department who has transitioned into an artist, has an intriguing tale woven into his artwork. The piece is divided into four distinct chapters, each depicting various aspects of his life in law enforcement and leading up to the present day, creating a compelling narrative for viewers.
“The title of the sculpture is ‘System Failure. The full title is System Failure, Friendly Fire, a Black cops retrospective, in four panels,” Mason said. “This sculpture explains my indoctrination into what it means to be a patriot, but also how a police officer is born in the inner city of Detroit, particularly a product of the 80s.”
This exhibition will be displayed at Capitol Park until July 7 before moving to Valade Park for a second showing from July 9 to August 15. The final stop of this artistic journey will be at Afro Nation on August 17 and 18th.
“As we move towards 2026, we will grow the collection of sculptures to 50, and we will have 50 launches on Juneteenth 2026, probably in DC, and we will circle back with those 50 and bring them back to Detroit and engage the partners and the community that we built around this over the next few months,” Shaw Scott Adjaye said.
For more information on The Stories of Us Exhibit, visit DeckedOutDetroit.com and thestoriesofus.org and follow the exhibition in Detroit on Instagram at @DeckedOutDet, @BedrockDetroit, and #DeckedOutDetroit.
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