Snag yourself a statement find at Pivot Maker Collective! Support local artists in the process.
Pivot is an art gallery and shop in Detroit’s Cass Corridor neighborhood; it opened at the end of last year. I stumbled across it during a stroll through the neighborhood, after visits to Bon Bon Bon and Nora.
I wasn’t planning on buying anything when I stopped in; I was simply intrigued by a storefront I’d never seen before. But then I spotted this necklace. It was comprised of gleaming copper circles, linked together to form a triangle. It was gorgeous!
The artist who crafted the striking statement piece, Danny K. Dunbar, was working the shop that day. The copper circles were pennies, Danny explained. That was why Danny had dubbed the piece “changemail” – a punny name reflecting how the shiny, reworked pennies resembled chainmail.
Pivot held more of Danny’s beautiful pieces, plus work by other local artists: paintings and other wall art; candles; clothing; and more. Danny, the originator and organizer of Pivot, explained that the space would also act as a gallery, spotlighting different artists’ work. The first artist showcase happened in February, as Pivot hosted works of painter, sculptor, designer, and curator Uta Brauser.
I don’t know about you, but artist showcases are sounding like the exact antidote I need to cure my end-of-winter doldrums. That’s why I’m following Pivot’s Instagram account (pivotdetroit) so I’m up on the shop’s happenings!
Experience beautiful, thought-provoking art at Norwest Gallery of Art!
The gallery based in the Rosedale Park neighborhood of Detroit features work by contemporary artists, many of them African and African-American. The exhibit on display the day of my visit was Pray for Us, a gorgeous collection of photos and video highlighting mothers and their connection to and influence on spirituality. Curated by Detroit-based artist Bre’Ann White, the exhibit included a reproduction of the living room of her mother, Edna, who recently died from cancer. What a poignant display of love and remembrance that was.
Norwest Gallery of Art is also the steward of Womxnhouse Detroit, an artists-residency program that supports BIPOC artists who identify as women or non-binary. The program’s artists display their work in an annual exhibit installed at Norwest owner Asia Hamilton’s childhood home. The second-annual Womxnhouse Detroit exhibit is on display through October 23; learn more about it and purchase tickets here. If it’s anything like last year’s exhibit, it’s sure to be a powerful experience. Do yourself a favor and go.
And do yourself a favor and visit Norwest Gallery of Art! The exhibit on display there as of the writing of this post, a collection by Jamar Lockhart titled In Living Color, appears to be full of beautiful, thought-provoking art, indeed.
What a powerful place Womxnhouse Detroit is! The house at 15354 St. Marys Street in Detroit has been transformed into an exhibition space for the work of 14 female artists. From the bedrooms to the bathroom, the back porch to the front closet, the house bursts with thought-provoking, visually dazzling displays.
Womxnhouse Detroit was inspired by Womanhouse, the groundbreaking 1972 installation of feminist art by female artists curated by Judy Chicago and Miriam Schapiro, founders of CalArts’ Feminist Art Program.
The WomxnhouseDetroit exhibit was curated by local artists Asia Hamilton (who owns the Norwest Gallery of Art) and Laura Earle. I was fortunate to visit when both of them were there and to receive a tour of the exhibition from Laura. She walked me and the other women visiting at the time through each piece, explaining the inspiration for and symbolism of each. I’m grateful to Laura for taking the time to do this; it made the art that much more impactful, to have intimate knowledge of what went into creating it!
WomxnhouseDetroit launched in mid-September 2021. This weekend (October 30-31, 2021) is the last one to see the exhibit. Future plans for the house include an artist-in-residence program.
The photos above give a sneak-peek of the exhibit. The picture of the house’s front porch showcases a piece by Asia Hamilton called Fall in Love. It represents the fairy-tale version of love so pervasive in our society, especially in messaging intended for women and girls. THE AWAKENING (also by Hamilton), is a response to that piece. It resides on the back porch and is a portrayal of marriage many viewers will find to be a much more realistic one.
The second photo shown above, of the kitchen, is of a piece called Antepasados by Rosa María Zamarrón. It’s a beautifully immersive experience that showcases the kitchen as a sacred space, one where Rosa’s mother imparted family recipes – and thusly, elements of their Latin heritage. I was moved by this exhibit: by the vibrant warmth and intimacy of the details that make this kitchen a home – from the crimson and gold papers flowers festooning the ceiling to the sounds of Zamarrón’s mother talking and cooking (yes, there is an audio component!). It reminds me of times I practiced elements of my family’s culture with my beloved grandmother, when we made Italian cookies in her kitchen.
I could recount more of the art I experienced at Womxnhouse Detroit – art showcasing themes of grief and healing and abortion rights and the gender pay gap and forgotten women . . . and so much more. But my words would pale in comparison to the experience of witnessing it firsthand; the exhibit begs to be experienced. If you’re in the Detroit area this weekend and into art that’s both culturally significant and visually stunning, do yourself a favor and visit Womxnhouse Detroit! Admission to the exhibit is technically free, though donations are encouraged if you’re able to give. Proceeds from the exhibit will fund the artist’s residency.
I’m excited to see what art this incubator of creativity serves up next. Thank you, Womxnhouse Detroit, for being the facilitator of such magical experiences!
100 Places in the D 