Discover Detroit Art

Art Night
2024-06-19 20:00 - 2024-06-20 01:00, 2024-06-26 20:00 - 2024-06-27 01:00, 2024-07-03 20:00 - 2024-07-04 01:00 (America/Detroit) | Russell Industrial Center, 1600 Clay St, Detroit, MI, United States

"The Colour of Ink" Film Screening + "Water & Light" Artist Talk
2024-07-25 18:00 - 20:30 | PLAYGROUND DETROIT Gallery, 2845 Gratiot Avenue, Detroit, MI, 48207, United States
Ink is our primal medium. It has always been with us, inscribing the evolution of humanity. The Colour of Ink uncovers the medium’s mystery.

You’re invited to a special Film Screening and Artist Talk in celebration of the summer exhibition, “Water & Light: Instruments of Magic,” with artists Marta Abbott and Elizabeth Schmuhl.
Suggested donation: $10 (Film Screening)
Artist Talk to follow.
ABOUT THE FILM:
The Colour of Ink uncovers the medium’s mystery and power through the eyes of Jason Logan, a visionary Toronto inkmaker. Marta Abbott is also in the film, included in the exhibition.
Working with ingredients foraged in the wild–weeds, berries, bark, flowers, rocks, rust–he makes ink from just about anything.
Jason sends custom-made inks to an eclectic range of artists around the world, from a New Yorker cartoonist to a Japanese calligrapher. As the inks take on a life of their own, his playful alchemy paints a story of color that reconnects us to the earth and returns us to a childlike sense of wonder.

“Water and Light: “Instruments of Magic,” exhibits work by artists Marta Abbott and Elizabeth Schmuhl, serving as proof through deep knowledge and understanding of the visible and invisible works of the natural world, that magic is real.
Using essential elements often unexamined from the natural world that surround us, both artists highlight the importance of Water and Light by conjuring and bringing forth unique properties that reveal them as instruments of magic. As individual artists creating work with natural inks that rely heavily on water and light, they use their mutable properties such as intensity, consistency, shape, and hue to create artwork alchemy, transforming these elements that exist naturally without a single fixed form.
The series of work in “Water & Light: Instruments of Magic,” contains living material which has undergone a moment of transformation or transmutation through its use as an artistic medium. Both artists utilize their gained knowledge and exploration- chaos and control- while working with natural inks.
As a result, each piece is a snapshot of the artists’ choosing to capture this in-between state that echoes the workings of the natural world, revealing its own magic. The artists both credit the result of capturing this third state as evidence of the magic they find within the ingredients they use, the process of creation, and the pieces they create.
Schmuhl (Detroit) and Abbott (Rome) are also influenced by the cities that they reside in. This additionally informs their respective bodies of work, as both urban landscapes both share a history of decay and transformation. Each artist recognizes magic as an abstract concept that exists through both personal experience and belief. The idea of the supernatural is a human construct, after all; it is an attempt to explain the unexplainable.
This belief is what propels Abbott and Schmuhl to work in the ways that they do, using elements that shape shift and are not static. The result of tapping into the magic present in this ink through their collective creative processes is an exhibition that reflects the natural world and its ever-evolving states, emphasizing the power in fragility. Shown together, the paintings created softly but strongly demonstrate the importance of the natural world and our undeniable place within it.
Instruments of Magic: Water and Light (7/12-8/10) is guest curated by Jessie Devereaux.
On view through Saturday, August 10th.
About the Curator
Jessie Devereaux, based in Brooklyn, NY, is an independent curator and creative director. Since 2006, she has curated art exhibitions independently across galleries and pop-up spaces in Los Angeles, Chicago, and Detroit. Her enduring passion for making art accessible and fostering creative collaboration drives her as a facilitator between artists and the realization of thoughtful exhibitions.

ABOUT THE ARTISTS

Elizabeth Schmuhl is a multidisciplinary artist who creates work that explores nature, movement, and memory. Schmuhl deeply investigates the natural world, its cycles, and entropy, all of which inform her work. By documenting her experiences, reactions, and interactions through various media, Schmuhl is able to celebrate and share the wonder and beauty she encounters. Schmuhl resides in Hamtramck, Michigan and has taught at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Wayne State University, Oxbow School of Art, and elsewhere.

Marta Alexandra Abbott is a Czech-American artist based in Rome, Italy. Marta uses organic and botanical materials to extract and to describe that which is essential to the human experience of non-human nature, of awe, and of beauty. Her work combines concept and intuition, control and chaos. She seeks to answer age-old questions in contemporary ways, with eyes scanning earth and sky, seeking that which connects them.

Mapping Detroit Microgrants
2024-08-07 19:00 - 21:00 | PLAYGROUND DETROIT Gallery, 2845 Gratiot Avenue, Detroit, MI, 48207, United States
This community conversation and workshop will collectively map the micro-grant opportunities Detroit has offered to cultural workers.

Hosted by the Post Center Art Center and PLAYGROUND DETROIT-
For thousands of years, Detroit has been core to Michigan’s cultural industry—a $15.4 billion and 100,000 job industry across the state (larger than transportation ($13 billion) or utilities ($10 billion)). Yet since the COVID-19 pandemic (2020), access to microgrants (under $10,000), space, and mentorship for early professional artists in Detroit plummeted. Several Detroit-centered foundations, for example, redirected resources to other industries with no indication that their critical investment to the cultural industry will return.
Without these resources, cultural workers across art, music, dance, dance, film, entertainment, and photography will leave for other cities, threatening the future of our city’s cultural ecosystem.
This community conversation and workshop will collectively map the microgrant opportunities Detroit has offered to cultural workers before and after 2020.
Attendees will walk away with an actionable network for new and/or forgotten funding resources, and takeaways will be published online to re-invigorate funders to offer microgrants in the city.
About the hosts:The Post Center Art Center (PCAC) identifies, connects, and resources the art spaces in the United States outside of New York City and Los Angeles. Founded in 2022 by Detroit-based artist Daniel Sharp, PCAC’s first initiative is to build an accessible, searchable map of 1,000 art spaces across the Midwest, South, West, Noncontiguous, Native Nations, and U.S. Territories.
PLAYGROUND DETROIT is a Contemporary Art Gallery and Creative Talent Agency in Detroit, Michigan, located at 2845 Gratiot Avenue.
Image copyright: Common Field, What Now? Towards Artist Led Movements, 2022.

Super Bloom: Quinn Faylor X Detroit Month of Design 2024
2024-09-07 18:00 - 21:00 | PLAYGROUND DETROIT Gallery, 2845 Gratiot Avenue, Detroit, MI, 48207, United States
“Super Bloom: Quinn Faylor’s exhibition showcases their creative practice working across disciplines during Detroit Month of Design 2024.

Join us for Super Bloom, an immersive gallery experience by Quinn Faylor presented by PLAYGROUND DETROIT. Super Bloom is an exhibition of meticulously crafted 3D sculptures and paintings ground in vibrant abstraction and imaginative worldbuilding.

Created through processes including CNC and lap joinery manufacturing, the sculptures’ lively colors and dynamic forms draw viewers into an exhilarating realm, inviting reflections on personal identity as an assemblage of continuous parts.
These works explore the embodiment of queerness and celebrate the extraordinary potential within relationships. The symbolic lap joinery in these sculptures emphasizes balance and trust. These forms represent both personal and collective growth into new spaces.

ABOUT THE ARTIST
Quinn Faylor is a queer non-binary multidisciplinary maker based in Detroit, Michigan. They were born and raised in Petoskey, MI and have a Bachelor of Arts and Ideas in the Humanities from University of Michigan (2016). In the Fall of 2016, they moved to Detroit and began their practice.
They have various public murals across Michigan, as well as in San Francisco and Tokyo. In 2022-23 they were an artist in residence with City Walls (Detroit, MI). In 2022, they were an artist-in-residence with the Glen Arbor Arts Center (Glen Arbor, MI) and the Salt Spring Arts Council (Salt Spring Island, BC).
Faylor is a 2024 recipient of the Emerging Artist Fellowship from PLAYGROUND DETROIT.

ABOUT DETROIT MONTH OF DESIGN
Detroit Month of Design returns for its 14th edition September 1-30 exploring the theme “Creative Currents.. The festival was established in 2011 to connect creatives, introduce them to new markets and consumers, expose Detroit’s design aesthetic to worldwide audiences, and highlight the reason why Detroit is the first and only UNESCO City of Design in the United States.
Taking place throughout the City of Detroit and online, the festival features a balanced combination of virtual, outdoor, and indoor experiences. Key program elements include a mix of sponsored, independently produced, and Design Core signature events that range from exhibitions, installations, product launches, lectures, panel discussions, tours, workshops, and more. Detroit Month of Design is produced by Design Core Detroit, an economic development non-profit organization housed within the College for Creative Studies.

FWB x Renaissance City
2024-09-26 20:00 - 2024-09-27 02:00 | The Russell Industrial Center
Join us for as we continue conversations on “The Digital Renaissance” at The Stu, a vibrant creative space within the Russell Industrial Center (RIC), Detroit’s renowned hub for artists and innovators.
Throughout the evening, we’ll explore how blockchain technology can align incentives for community members, fostering growth and collaboration. Engage in meaningful discussions on how these tools can reshape the future for creatives.
Enjoy pizza and beer (while supplies last), live music, and immersive live painting sessions. Creative materials will also be available for you to express your own artistic vision.

City Wild: Ian John Solomon Solo Exhibition Opening Reception
2024-11-23 18:00 - 21:00 | PLAYGROUND DETROIT Gallery, 2845 Gratiot Avenue, Detroit, MI, 48207, United States
“City Wild” examines the relationship between Detroit’s land, infrastructure, residents & greater Michigan’s protected natural spaces.

City Wild, Ian John Solomon’s debut solo exhibition, opens to the public on Saturday, November 23 from 6-9pm at PLAYGROUND DETROIT.
This series of work examines the relationship between Detroit’s land, infrastructure, residents and greater Michigan’s protected natural spaces. Collage, portraiture and landscape make overlooked critical connections visible between a city and the climate haven it resides in while gallery space is used as a vehicle for art to meet action.
According to the artist, “Michigan and the City of Detroit, particularly Black Detroit, are often at odds. It’s not uncommon to hear prideful tones exclaim, “I’m not from Michigan- I’m from Detroit!” From culture to demographics, there are a wealth of validations to this claim, however this exhibition hopes to entice Detroit to take stake in greater Michigan’s natural spaces to act as better advocates, stewards and protectors of our natural resources.Meditating on his family’s East Side block, Ian focuses on capturing the infrastructure, materials and environmental politics of ‘home.’
Through collage, landscape, instant film and steel— City Wild takes a photo-interdisciplinary approach to bridging spaces that can often be at odds, an invitation to view Detroit through a natural lens.“From the Artist- “I have an artistic practice of investigating and embodying the environment. As a journalist I fact-find from patterns that ecology and environment offer. As an artist I seek a deeper understanding of self, community, desire and ancestry through connecting with the spaces I inhabit. Using self portraiture, collage, sound and craft I often bring spiritual explorations of space, ecology and self actualization into the tangible.

Self-portraits empower me to place myself within space and imagine new ways of personal being. I utilize collage to dissolve the barriers of connection subjects and spaces face allowing ideas and entities to be seen in entirely new ways. Sound invites a deeper, more immersive communication and collaboration with spaces while hand crafted objects with organic materials function as adornment, totems and bridges between body and land.My art practice is in tandem with a community practice of introducing Black Detroit’s to Michigan’s natural spaces. I founded the organization Amplify Outside with a mission to deepen my communities connection with the natural world around them. While this organizational mission at times faces logistical restrictions, my artistic practice facilitates limitless re-imaginings of a personal, communal and ancestral bond to land.”
Ian is the Founder of Amplify Outside– a Detroit based organization with a mission of connecting Black Michiganders with Michigan’s outdoor spaces. He hosted a PBS Great Lakes Now TV segment, “Ian Outside” showcasing The Great Lakes and served as the Communications Manager for the Detroit Parks Coalition. “ I have been grateful to become a resource for my community as it pertains to anything environmental and “outside” in Detroit and Michigan.”
On view through December 21.
Viewing HoursThursday- Saturday 12-5PM

ABOUT IAN JOHN SOLOMON
Ian John Solomon is an interdisciplinary artist from Detroit, Michigan. After receiving his B.A. in broadcast journalism and a stint as a congressional reporter in D.C., he found his love for community activism and storytelling required a more expansive modality. Ian’s interdisciplinary lens based practice explores themes of self, queer identity, ancestry, community and ecology. Deeply motivated by environment, Ian uses land as foundation and guidance for artistic expression and questioning. Ian is an Emmy-award winner, and has exhibited his artwork across Michigan.
He most recently completed a fellowship at Ox-Bow School of Art in Saugatuck, MI. He is a recent graduate from Cranbrook Academy of Art in 2024 with an MFA in Photography, and recipient of the Emerging Artist Fellowship 2024, which provides financial support and professional mentorship for artists to develop their individual practices and identifies, elevates and promotes Detroit-based artistic excellence.
Hosted by PLAYGROUND DETROIT, selected artists receive an exhibition and financial stipend to support them at a critical point in their career. This program is supported by the Community Foundation of Southeast Michigan

Outside at Home: Environmental Justice Panel Discussion
2024-12-21 14:00 - 16:30 | PLAYGROUND DETROIT Gallery, 2845 Gratiot Avenue, Detroit, MI, 48207, United States
From outdoor recreation to environmental justice, there’s a wealth of opportunties to get engaged in environmental efforts around Detroit.

From outdoor recreation to environmental justice, there’s a wealth of opportunties to get engaged in environmental efforts around Detroit.
Join us for a panel discussion moderated by featured artist Ian John Solomon featuring four local organizers sharing resources and their experiences building intentional community through Detroit’s natural spaces.
Featured Panelists:

Kamau Clark, We The People MI
Antonio Rafael, Black to The Land
Rachel Felder, Detroit Outdoors
Aja Edward, DNR Community Engagement

Moderated by Ian John Solomon
This event is the Closing Reception for Solomon’s solo exhibition, “City Wild” on view.
ABOUT THE ORGS
We The People MI
Whether we’re from the Lower or Upper Peninsula, the shores of Lake Erie or Lake Michigan, most of us pitch in for each other and hope to leave things better off for those to come. But today, certain politicians and their greedy lobbyists hurt us all by handing kickbacks to the rich, defunding our schools, blocking free, universal health care, destroying our environment, and threatening seniors with cuts to Medicare and Social Security. They try to divide us from each other at work and in our communities because they know we’ll all flourish when we go all in for all of us.
By joining together, we can rewrite the rules, and make Michigan a place where everyone thrives and leads full, satisfying lives.
Black to the Land
Black to the Land is a coalition of Black, Brown, and Indigenous nature enthusiasts, intent on helping our people to actively engage in meaningful outdoor experiences.
Detroit Outdoors
Detroit Outdoors is a network of Detroit-based institutions working to expand access to a variety of outdoor recreation opportunities.
Department of Natural Resources Michigan
DNR forest resources professionals maintain healthy forests, manage wildfire, maintain responsible harvesting certifications and improve wildlife habitat.

Camp Van Dyke, Inkjet Collage on Natural Cold Press, 28 x 28 inches, 2024

ABOUT THE EXHIBTION
“City Wild,” is Ian John Solomon debut solo exhibition examines the relationship between Detroit’s land, infrastructure, residents and greater Michigan’s protected natural spaces. Collage, portraiture and landscape make overlooked critical connections visible between a city and the climate haven it resides in while gallery space is used as a vehicle for art to meet action.
Meditating on his family’s East Side block, Ian focuses on capturing the infrastructure, materials and environmental politics of ‘home.’ Through collage, landscape, instant film and steel— City Wild takes a photo-interdisciplinary approach to bridging spaces that can often be at odds, an invitation to view Detroit through a natural lens.“
According to the artist, “Michigan and the City of Detroit, particularly Black Detroit, are often at odds. It’s not uncommon to hear prideful tones exclaim, “I’m not from Michigan, I’m from Detroit!” From culture to demographics, there are a wealth of validations to this, however, this exhibition aims to entice Detroiters to take stake in greater Michigan’s natural spaces to act as better advocates, stewards and protectors of our natural resources.
“I have an artistic practice of investigating and embodying the environment. As a journalist, I fact-find from patterns that ecology and environment offer. As an artist, I seek a deeper understanding of self, community, desire and ancestry through connecting with the spaces I inhabit. My art practice is in tandem with a community practice of introducing Black Detroit’s to Michigan’s natural spaces. I founded the organization Amplify Outside with a mission to deepen my communities connection with the natural world around them. While this organizational mission at times faces logistical restrictions, my artistic practice facilitates limitless re-imaginings of a personal, communal and ancestral bond to land.”
Ian is the Founder of Amplify Outside– a Detroit based organization with a mission of connecting Black Michiganders with Michigan’s outdoor spaces. He hosted a PBS Great Lakes Now TV segment, “Ian Outside” showcasing The Great Lakes and served as the Communications Manager for the Detroit Parks Coalition.“ I have been grateful to become a resource for my community as it pertains to anything environmental and being ‘outside’ in Detroit and Michigan.”
ABOUT IAN JOHN SOLOMON
Ian John Solomon is an interdisciplinary artist from Detroit, Michigan. After receiving his B.A. in broadcast journalism and a stint as a congressional reporter in D.C., he found his love for community activism and storytelling required a more expansive modality. Ian’s interdisciplinary lens based practice explores themes of self, queer identity, ancestry, community and ecology. Deeply motivated by environment, Ian uses land as foundation and guidance for artistic expression and questioning.
Ian is an Emmy-award winner, and has exhibited his artwork across Michigan. He most recently completed a fellowship at Ox-Bow School of Art in Saugatuck, MI. He is a recent graduate from Cranbrook Academy of Art in 2024 with an MFA in Photography, and recipient of the Emerging Artist Fellowship 2024, which provides financial support and professional mentorship for artists to develop their individual practices and identifies, elevates and promotes Detroit-based artistic excellence. Hosted by PLAYGROUND DETROIT, selected artists receive an exhibition and financial stipend to support them at a critical point in their career. This program is supported by the Community Foundation of Southeast Michigan.
ABOUT PLAYGROUND DETROIT
PLAYGROUND DETROIT is a contemporary art gallery and creative agency based in Detroit, MI established in 2012. As a social enterprise, the mission is to support and develop opportunities for creative professionals, artists and residents in order to enhance and sustain Detroit’s creative economy.

Closing Reception + Artist Talk: Dustin Cook on "Contours"
2025-02-01 14:00 - 16:00 | PLAYGROUND DETROIT Gallery, 2845 Gratiot Avenue, Detroit, MI, 48207, United States
Join Dustin Cook for his Closing Reception with an in-person conversation and Artist Talk about “Contours.” on the last day of his exhibit.

Join featured artist, Dustin Cook for his Closing Reception with an in-person conversation and Artist Talk about “Contours.”

Dustin Cook (b.1995) is an artist living and working in Detroit, Michigan. As an abstract artist, his work is a vibrant exploration of color, energy, and the interplay between form and atmosphere.

“My artistic process is driven by a playful and intuitive approach. Using bold, clean lines and geometric precision, I create compositions that dance with rhythmic vitality, inviting the viewer to immerse themselves in a world of dynamic abstraction.”

The shaped canvases in his solo exhibition, “Contours” redefine the traditional canvas, creating abstract pieces that are as much about the physical form as they are about the interplay of color and texture. Dustin Cook’s abstract paintings invite the viewer to find their own meaning within the interplay of color and form.

“Color plays a pivotal role in my work, acting as a conduit for expressing the rich and varied emotional qualities found in nature and the urban environment. I employ a vibrant palette that harmonizes contrasting hues, creating a sense of harmony and tension within the canvas. By harnessing the power of color, I aim to evoke the essence of different atmospheres, whether it be the tranquil serenity of a flowing river or the pulsating energy of a bustling cityscape.”

His art aims to evoke a sense of joy, wonder, and contemplation. I strive to create visual experiences that invite viewers into a realm where color, energy, and form coalesce, transcending the boundaries of the tangible world. Through the language of abstraction, he seeks to capture the dynamism of our surroundings, drawing inspiration from the beauty of nature, the boldness of architectural forms, and the pulsating energy of urban life.

This is the last day to view the exhibition in-person.

Art Night Detroit x Stu 202 Window Art
2025-02-19 20:00 - 2025-02-20 01:00 | The Russell Industrial Center
Come by Stu 202 for a evening of window art and hacker energy as we launch the new artnightdetroit.com website!

PLAYGROUND DETROIT Investment Open House X Honeycomb Credit
2025-02-20 18:00 - 20:00 | PLAYGROUND DETROIT Gallery, 2845 Gratiot Avenue, Detroit, MI, 48207, United States
Come join us for Open House where you can learn how to invest with Honeycomb Credit to raise capital for PLAYGROUND DETROIT!

Learn about PLAYGROUND DETROIT’s Vision for the Future

Join PLAYGROUND DETROIT on Thursday, February 20th at our gallery space! At this investment open house, you’ll have the opportunity to learn more about PLAYGROUND DETROIT’s live investment offering on Honeycomb Credit.

Come learn more about PLAYGROUND DETROIT’s nationwide expansion plans, meet other local investors, and learn how you can become an investor for as little as $100.

Light appetizers will be provided. Space is limited, so make sure you RSVP to save your spot.
Doors open at 6PM!
Time: 6:00-8PM ESTDate: Thursday, February 20th 2025Location: PLAYGROUND DETROIT2845 Gratiot Ave. Detroit, MI 48207

Welcome to the PLAYGROUND DETROIT Investment Open House X Honeycomb Credit event!
Join us at the PLAYGROUND DETROIT Gallery on Thu Feb 20 2025 at 6:00 PM for an exciting evening of networking and learning about investment opportunities. Meet with representatives from Honeycomb Credit and discover how you can support local businesses while earning a return on your investment.
Don’t miss out on this chance to connect with like-minded individuals and make a positive impact in your community. See you there!

WE ARE RAISING FUNDS TO PARTICIPATE IN NATIONAL ART FAIRS IN 2025!

There’s a buzz of activity at PLAYGROUND DETROIT, and we’re eager to share it with you. We’re shaping our next growth initiative, and here’s a small preview: To grow our business and elevate the careers of Detroit artists, we are planning to attend national art fairs starting in 2025!
This isn’t just about our growth; it’s about inviting you to be an integral part of our evolving story. We’ll be launching a community investment round where our customers and supports will have the opportunity to invest in PLAYGROUND DETROIT and the local art economy.
Community has always been the backbone of our business, and we wanted to offer an opportunity where our community can share in our future financial success. For as little as $100, you can invest in us.
Want join us?? Secure your spot by signing up now!

Art Night Detroit: Carnival Edition
2025-02-27 01:00 - 07:00 | Spot Lite, 2905 Beaufait, Detroit, MI, 48207
We’re back for another Art Night Detroit x @spotlitedetroit event! We’re celebrating the kick off of Carnival, celebrated all over the globe! We’ll be bringing the heat with Carnival themed art projects, DJ sets, themed cocktails*, and more!
Our musical lineup consists of @piggymctiggers with a special vinyl workshop, @cash.moneyrecords, @jasedagalore, @rapharazzi & @nathankarinen.
We’ll also have an interactive workshop from @hazelnut.helper and her art cart pop-up! Dressing up in a Carnival theme is encouraged! Also please bring an art project to work on, basic art supplies will be provided as always.
7:30PM-2:00AM with a $5 suggested donation at the door. Get ready to celebrate the launch of Carnival and our return to Spotlite! ❤️🎨🔊

#WeAreFashionRevolution Art Exhibition + Kick-Off Mixer
2025-04-22 17:00 - 20:00 | PLAYGROUND DETROIT Gallery, 2845 Gratiot Avenue, Detroit, MI, 48207, United States
Join us for a creative and thought-provoking evening as we kick off Fashion Revolution Week in Detroit!

Join us for a creative and thought-provoking evening as we kick off Fashion Revolution Week in Detroit!
This special mixer and art exhibition, #WeAreFashionRevolution, will showcase a curated collection of art inspired by responsible, upcycled, eco-concious fashion, featuring diverse interpretations of what the Fashion Revolution looks like and means in our Detroit community.
Hosted at the vibrant gallery, PLAYGROUND DETROIT, this event will bring together artists, activists, and fashion enthusiasts for an evening of conversation, connection, and celebration of a more responsible future for fashion. The exhibition will explore themes of slow fashion, ethical practices, and the role of art in sparking change in the fashion industry.
In addition to the exhibition, we are hosting a pop-up where some of the featured artists will be selling their other handmade creations beyond the art itself—perfect for those looking to support local makers and find unique items that align with the principles of conscious consumption.
Whether you’re passionate about making change in the fashion industry or simply looking to connect with like-minded individuals, this event is the perfect way to start Fashion Revolution Week Detroit.

Notes For Attendees:
What does Fashion Revolution mean to you? Come dressed in your best interpretation, showcasing your favorite garments- whether they were upcycled, made from scratch, swapped, or purchased!
The #WeAreFashionRevolution art exhibition will be available to view at PLAYGROUND Detroit through April 27th. Viewing hours will be Wednesday-Sunday from 12 pm to 5 pm.
On Saturday and Sunday, we will host a Pop-up Market curated by eugenie of sustainable fashion designers.
Ticket purchase is only necessary for the kick-off mixer on April 22nd, from 5 pm to 8 pm.

Meet Your Host:
Hi, I’m Sierra! I work as a production assistant at an apparel manufacturer in downtown Detroit, and I’m also a freelance sustainable brand consultant. I’m excited to attend and host events that build connections with other sustainable fashion professionals and creatives!

Yoga Class: Reflection Movement with Lauren J. Williams
2025-07-17 20:00 - 21:00 | PLAYGROUND DETROIT Gallery, 2845 Gratiot Avenue, Detroit, MI, 48207, United States
Attend a slow yoga experience led by Lauren J. Williams and view Frank Lepkowski’s solo exhibition, “Endless Summer.”

Join us for a reflective yoga experience led by Lauren J. Williams, and view Frank Lepkowski’s solo exhibition, Endless Summer on Thursday, July 17th at 8PM at 2845 Gratiot Avenue.
Join Yoga Guide Lauren J. Williams for an evening of mindful movement at PLAYGROUND DETROIT. This practice is a journey of reflecting on the past month, integrating the lessons we’ve learned, and preparing for the new lunar cycle.
The class will include breathwork, beginner-friendly movement, and meditation. People of all ages, sizes, and backgrounds are welcome. Come prepared to embrace your shadow and integrate it to elevate your spirit. Whether you are a new or seasoned practitioner, this class is perfect for you.
RSVP to attend. Capacity is limited.
Bring your own yoga mat.
ABOUT THE INSTRUCTOR
Lauren J. Williams is a yoga guide and professional ice skater with over a decade of experience who is passionate about social justice, inspiring creativity, and healing. She has spent years practicing yoga instruction in the Detroit community throughout various recreation centers, studios, and college campuses.

ABOUT THE EXHIBITION
Endless Summer is Frank Lepkowski’s second solo exhibition with the gallery. His paintings are a reflection on how we freeze time. What begins as a digital image becomes transformed—romanticized and reimagined—until it’s no longer just a captured moment, but a memory distilled.

Endless Summer continues a deeply personal exploration into memory, media, and the act of image-making. His paintings are a reflection on how we freeze time: first through the immediacy of a smartphone photo, and then through the slow, interpretive act of painting. What begins as a digital image becomes transformed—embellished, romanticized, reimagined—until it’s no longer just a captured moment, but a memory distilled.
At the heart of his work is the tension between the fleeting nature of lived experience and the permanence we try to assign to it. The glossy, hyper-corrected digital photo becomes a metaphor for nostalgia itself—a polished, perfected version of a moment that may have been far more complex in reality. These paintings are not merely nostalgic; they interrogate nostalgia’s illusions.
They ask what it means to want a moment to last forever, and what we lose in that pursuit. As the title suggests, there’s a yearning—for an eternal beauty, an unbroken serenity, an endless summer—that digital life tempts us with, but ultimately cannot provide.
On View through July 19th2845 Gratiot AvenueDetroit, MI 48207
VIEWING HOURSThursday – Saturday, 12-5PM or By Appointment
ABOUT THE ARTIST
Frank Lepkowski is a Detroit-based artist whose practice bridges technology and human experience. Lepkowski creates custom software and interactive tools that rely on physical interaction, translating these digital experiments into layered, analog compositions. His work reflects the overload of the digital age, rendered through bold textures and saturated color.
His work has been commissioned publicly by Louis Vuitton, Takoi and Complex Media. He is a recipient of the 20/20 Emerging Artists Fellowship through Playground Detroit and the Knight Foundation. His work has been featured in Complex Media, Acclaim Magazine and Oyster Magazine.
He has mounted solo and two-person exhibitions at Playground Detroit (Detroit, MI), LVL3 Gallery (Chicago, IL), and Skylab Gallery (Columbus, OH) and has shown his work internationally in group shows. Most recently, he had a solo booth at Future Fair in New York City. He is a special lecturer in Oakland University’s department of Art and Art History.

Soulful Movement: Vinyasa Flow Journey with Lauren J. Williams
2025-08-23 11:00 - 12:00 | PLAYGROUND DETROIT Gallery, 2845 Gratiot Avenue, Detroit, MI, 48207, United States
Join yoga guide Lauren J. Williams for an invigorating Vinyasa class in alignment with FIFTY’s current exhibition, “Me as the Machine.”

Join yoga guide Lauren J. Williams for an invigorating Vinyasa class at PLAYGROUND DETROIT.
In alignment with the exhibition on view by FIFTY, Me as the Machine, this class will be playful, vibrant, and encourage attendees to find a vigorous yoga flow.All levels are welcome. Come prepared to breathe, build heat, and ignite your internal fire. This class will celebrate movement, community, and soulful connection.This is the last day to view artwork on display by Paul “FIFTY” Johnson. His exhibition explores themes of identity, color, and representation, shaped by his experiences as a Black artist.The exhibition is on view by-appointment through Saturday, August 23.
RSVP to attend. Capacity is limited.
Bring your own yoga mat.

ABOUT THE INSTRUCTOR
Lauren J. Williams is a yoga guide and professional ice skater with over a decade of experience who is passionate about social justice, inspiring creativity, and healing. She has spent years practicing yoga instruction in the Detroit community throughout various recreation centers, studios, and college campuses.

ABOUT THE EXHIBITION
“Me as the Machine” is about what it means to create by hand in a time when everything feels automated or mass-produced. I’ve been thinking a lot about tools — the ones we rely on, and the ones we become. In this show, I’m exploring what happens when I turn myself into the machine.Through embroidered works on raw canvas and painted surfaces, he teases out the tension between tool and touch, labor and vision.

His signature approach — vivid color layered against stark black and white — creates visual rhythm and emotional contrast, blurring the line between textile and illustration.“Me as the Machine” is a reflection on what it means to make art in a time of automation and anxiety — where machines are faster, and complacency feels dangerously close.
In this show, Paul Johnson, aka “FIFTY,” positions himself as the machine: the motor, the muscle, the mind behind each stitch.This exhibition asks viewers to slow down. To feel texture. To witness a process that resists reproduction — art that must be experienced in person to be fully understood.
“Using a hand-cranked embroidery machine, I made each piece by guiding the thread like a pen — drawing with stitches. Some works are just embroidery on raw canvas, and others combine paint and thread to play with depth, color, and contrast. A lot of the pieces separate color from black and white, like they’re having a conversation with each other.”
– Paul Johnson
This show is textured, layered, and best experienced in person. It’s about slowing down and seeing how something gets made — one movement at a time.

ABOUT THE ARTIST
Paul “Fifty” Johnson’s (@_ffty) explores identity, color, and representation, shaped by his experiences as a Black artist. Blending street art, fashion, and contemporary aesthetics, his work often centers powerful female figures, inspired by his connection to femininity.
His latest evolution begins with loose, gestural sketches—linear marks like abstract sentences—built into complex forms through the inversion and contrast of a single color.This focus on monochrome invites a deeper emotional reading, uncovering dimension, texture, and relief without relying on multiple tones. By reducing his palette, Johnson pushes minimalism as a tool for meaning, exploring how his identity can change through restrained expression.

The Easel People present "Recess" Opening Reception
2025-09-26 19:00 - 22:00 | PLAYGROUND DETROIT Gallery, 2845 Gratiot Avenue, Detroit, MI, 48207, United States
“Recess” is a multidisciplinary exhibition presented by Easel People: Christopher Rogers, Elliott Rogers, and Yusuf D. A. Lateef.

“Recess” is a multidisciplinary exhibition presented by Easel People: Christopher Rogers, Elliott Rogers, and Yusuf D. A. Lateef, that invites audiences to take a break from the routine. Recess invites you to treat creativity as an exhale, a healing necessity for the human spirit.

Recess, in the context of life, refers to a period of temporary withdrawal from usual work or activities. It’s an interruption from the ordinary and a chance to engage in activities that are not directly related to one’s obligations. Easel People is a Detroit–Toledo based artist collective blending visual art, sustainable design, and a deep commitment to community well-being.

Opening Reception, August 29th 7-10PM
On view through Friday, September 5th
Closing Reception, 7-10PM

ABOUT THE ARTISTS

Christopher Rogers is a Detroit-based artist whose work bridges art, mental health, and industrial design. Drawing from experience in behavioral health, pattern making, and over a decade in industrial sewing, he creates with materials ranging from ash and wood to paint and mixed media, fostering a more intentional way of seeing and experiencing the world.

Elliott Rogers is an Ohio-based artist working at the intersection of craftsmanship and urban aesthetics. With roots in auto painting, construction, and graffiti, his mixed-media works combine industrial materials with refined surface treatments. His projects include The Quest for Fire Studios at the Toledo Museum of Art Community Gallery and costume design for Royal Caribbean. His installations explore the balance between structure and spontaneity, creating immersive experiences for viewers.

Yusuf Dubois Abdul Lateef is a Toledo-based artist, educator, and co-founder of Radiant City Arts and the Toledo Black Artist Coalition. For over a decade, he has developed arts programming for juvenile detention centers and public spaces, using art as a tool for healing, problem-solving, and community building. Holding a Master’s in 2D Studies and Social Engagement from Bowling Green State University, where now he is a professor in the School of Art continuing collaborative projects in the U.S. and abroad. See less

Forgotten Harvest Charitable Yoga Retreat + Fundraiser
2025-12-14 10:00 - 13:00 | PLAYGROUND DETROIT Gallery, 2845 Gratiot Avenue, Detroit, MI, 48207, United States
Join us for a cozy and reflective half-day yoga retreat and fundraiser to support Forgotten Harvest – time to flow, give back and have fun!

Celebrate the charitable season and make a tangible difference with a half-day yoga retreat led by Lauren J. Williams, hosted on behalf of Forgotten Harvest at PLAYGROUND DETROIT.
By attending, you directly support Michigan’s largest food rescue organization. Last year alone, Forgotten Harvest rescued over 40 million pounds of fresh, excess food from grocery stores, restaurants, farmers, and other sources to deliver food free of charge to our neighbors in need.More than half a million people in Metro Detroit, including nearly 180,000 children, are facing hunger.
Your immediate donation ensures nutritious meals reach families in need. Every contribution helps provide essential food to our neighbors. Your support matters.Together, we can help provide the Right Food, at the Right Place, in the Right Quantity, and at the Right Time.
This half-day yoga retreat features meditation, movement, journaling, and community. To participate, please register to reserve your spot. You are also encouraged to bring non-perishable food items to donate or make a financial contribution; every act of support helps fight hunger.

December 14th from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at PLAYGROUND DETROIT, located at 2845 Gratiot Ave, Detroit, MI 48207.
The cost is $150- we also offer a sliding scale option for those who may require it. Please contact us for more information about our sliding scale opportunity.

Love Yourself: Vinyasa Flow Journey with Lauren J. Williams
2026-02-15 11:00 - 12:00 | PLAYGROUND DETROIT Gallery, 2845 Gratiot Avenue, Detroit, MI, 48207, United States
Show yourself some love with this vinyasa class connecting with our breath and opening our hearts.

Join us for Love Yourself: Vinyasa Flow Journey with Lauren J. Williams!
Let’s flow through poses, connect with our breath, and embrace self-love through movement. No matter your skill level, this session is all about YOU.
This class is a guided vinyasa class. We will take time connecting with our breath, opening our hearts, and moving intentional vigor.
If you have been feeling stagnant, cold, or coping with the seasonal Winter blues, this class is the perfect remedy. Modifications will be offered as well.
Bring your mat, an open heart, and get ready to dive into this empowering practice.

ABOUT THE INSTRUCTOR
Lauren J. Williams is a yoga guide and founder of wellness brand Indie Spirit. She has over a decade of experience who is passionate about social justice, inspiring creativity, and healing. Indie Spirit curates transformational wellness experiences that invite soulful exploration, radical self-care, and elevated community connection.
Williams has spent years practicing yoga instruction in the Detroit community throughout various recreation centers, studios, and college campuses.

Artist Talk: Tony Rave on “Blue Lives Matter”
2026-02-22 14:00 - 16:00 | PLAYGROUND DETROIT Gallery, 2845 Gratiot Avenue, Detroit, MI, 48207, United States
Join Tony Rave for an in-person Artist Talk for a deep dive into the meaning and impact of “Blue Lives Matter,” his solo exhibition on view.

Artist Talk: Tony Rave on “Blue Lives Matter”

Come join us in person for an engaging Artist Talk with Tony Rave. Dive into the powerful themes behind Blue Lives Matter as Rave shares insights and stories about his work.
Don’t miss this chance to connect, ask questions, and get inspired by the artist himself. It’s going to be a thought-provoking event you’ll want to be a part of!
This exhibition brings together two interconnected bodies of work—the Reagan Series and the Smurks Series—that examine how systems of power shape lives long before consent is ever possible.

Tony Rave approaches both series with deep personal urgency rooted in lived observation. Growing up in Detroit, he witnessed how policy becomes personal and how slogans, symbols, and public messaging quietly embed themselves into private lives. His work does not chase shock value or reenact trauma; it insists on honesty.
Each piece invites the viewer to slow down, sit with the imagery, and confront it through the lens of their own experience. Many of the works in this exhibition are still in progress, making the show a snapshot of an evolving practice rather than a fixed or resolved statement.
By drawing on familiar characters and visual language, his work questions how innocence and authority become intertwined, and how imagery influences belief, belonging, and control. The connection between the two series is emotional and human rather than literal—together tracing a line between policy and culture, language and imagery, public narrative and inner life.

ON VIEW
Through Saturday, March 7th
Viewing Hours Thursday – Saturday, 12-5PM
