January 10, 2017: Your Arts and Culture Adventure Picks
This post is a part of a series of posts curating adventurous arts and culture experiences in Southeast Michigan. Sign up for email updates (choose “Arts & Culture Adventures” list).
Happy New Year! I’m excited for this cold winter chock full of funky, affordable, and spectacular events to share with you! I’m still bursting about Batsheva Dance Company this past weekend at the Power Center and am really quite pumped for the rest of the UMS season, which you can gander here. Now, onto my picks for what I think will bring you warmth when the weather can’t.
Metropolis at the Senate Theater
Looking to the future? Maybe 2026? Then check out the 1927 silent film classic Metropolis, which will be playing at the historic Senate Theater in Detroit. The German expressionist epic is a dizzying two and a half hour wonder of mechanics, special effects, class struggles, and futuristic dystopian city living as told by the past. Also, there will be live musical accompaniment by Stephen Warner on the Might Wurlitzer Organ. Tickets are $10 and the film starts at 8 pm on January 14. One night only, don’t miss out. More.
Martin Luther King, Jr. Keynote + Talks at the University of Michigan
As a part of the great number of Martin Luther King Jr. Day events happening at the University of Michigan, three talks involving four truly exceptional thinkers + creators have me mouth-breathing, to say the least. The first is the keynote lecture, more so discussion between Issa Rae, writer, producer and star of the hit HBO series Insecure, and Amy Goodman, award-winning investigative journalist, author and host of Democracy Now! The two will be in conversation at 10 am on January 16 at Hill Auditorium. That same day, star poet Claudia Rankine gives a talk at Rackham Auditorium at 4 pm, and on January 18 at noon, author + activist Junot Díaz will also grace the stage. Just when you thought it couldn’t get better, all of these events are free. More here and here.
Printers Without Presses at Public Pool
A group exhibition highlighting the ingenuity of printmakers without access to presses is the next show hitting the Hamtramck art space. With open doors for the past 6 years, Public Pool continues to be dedicated to showcasing contemporary art, collaborating with artists from near and far, and creating a space where community members can dive right in to whatever is going down. Printers Without Presses will accomplish all of the above, exhibiting fresh press-less work and inviting you to also make a print on the premises. The show opens on January 21 from 7-11 pm and gallery hours are Saturdays 1-6 pm until February 25, where there will be a reading + neighborhood potluck to wrap up the show. More.
Hank Willis Thomas at the Michigan Theater
Featuring a roster of prominent artists, designers, makers + creators, the Penny Stamps Speaker Series is back from winter vacation and in full throttle. Normally taking place every Thursday at 5:10 pm at the Michigan Theater, the series allows audience members to listen and learn from these creatives (for free!) as they present, converse, ask + answer questions and show work. On January 26 at 5:10 pm, contemporary photographer and visual artist Hank Willis Thomas will speak about his work, and hopefully much more, including his series Unbranded, which focuses on stripping slogans + brands from ads to direct attention to the visual and social content at play. Fingers crossed. More.
Facebook Page // Facebook Event
The Wright Museum of African American History
As the new Museum of African American History and Culture in DC continues to create buzz and ticket lines, you need not travel far to find a reputable, innovative, and an all-around wonderful local equivalent. Throughout the year, the museum hosts a great number of programs ranging from the African World Festival in the summer to field trips, film screenings and conferences. This month, the Wright has a strong line-up of MLK-related events including dance workshops, lectures, and an art exhibition opening, which are just small additions to the two permanent and two temporary exhibitions already on display. If you haven’t been, you’ve got to go. More.
Thanks for giving this a read! Which events do you have on your calendar? Have any suggestions? Feel free to shoot me an email at adamedesj@gmail.com, or comment below. I’d love to hear from you!
Photos courtesy of artists and performance spaces.
Adam Desjardins is a UMS Blogging Fellow. Learn more about the blogging fellows program.
