Holy Hip-Hop and ReFusing Fashion, two excellent exhibitions at the Museum of Contemporary Arts-Detroit, will close this Sunday, so this weekend is your last chance to see them. Here’s Metroblogging’s review of the exhibition.

MOCAD is offering two final events to celebrate the exhibitions: Sarah Lewis, Art Historian at Yale, will talk about the Holy Hip-Hop paintings, and several experts will hold a discussion titled The Relevance of Fashion. In addition, the Black History 101 Mobile Museum will be parked outside (or maybe inside?) the museum on Sunday, April 20.

All this is free: the exhibitions, the discussions, the vagabonding black history museum. All free. The MOCAD is a great place for Detroit, doing great things. Feel free to donate a few dollars while you’re there and let’s keep enjoying and supporting this institution.

MOCAD Gold is a first annual fundraiser for the Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit and will feature a broad survey of Detroit bands to play “pop cover songs spanning the last 30 years in their band’s own distinctive style.”

Here’s the line-up:

9:30 - Rabid Eye (ex-Lee Marvin & Genders)
9:45 - Dark Red (ex-Paik, current Chris Turner)
10pm - Esquire
10:15 - Bad Party (ex-White Devil & Tamion 12 Inch)
10:30 - the Silent Years
10:45 - Deastro
11pm - Tyvek
11:15 - the Sisters Lucas
11:30 - the Go
11:45 - T-3 presents

all night - Dee Jay Frankie Banks

MOCAD Gold will include the current Holy Hip-Hop and Re-Fusing Fashion Exhibits. See my review of these exhibits here.

Tickets are $15 for the music part of the evening, with a ritzier early program for $75.

MOCAD Gold is a first annual fundraiser for the Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit and will feature a broad survey of Detroit bands to play “pop cover songs spanning the last 30 years in their band’s own distinctive style.”

Last 30 years? Does that leave out early Motown?

Bands on the bill are T3, The Go, Lee Marvin Computer Arm (really? I thought they’re breaking up?), Tyvek (heard great things about these guys), Bad Party, Dark Red, EsQuire, Deastro, The Sisters Lucas, The Silent Years, and Dee Jay Frankie Banks.

MOCAD Gold will include the current Holy Hip-Hop and Re-Fusing Fashion Exhibits. See my review of these exhibits here.

Tickets are $15 for the music part of the evening, with a ritzier early program for $75.

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Anyone who thinks a Friday night at an art museum sounds like a staid and snooty affair missed out Friday night on the kind of dynamic cultural event that Detroit can deliver. To celebrate the opening of two new exhibits, Holy Hip-Hop! New Paintings by Alex Melamid and ReFusing Fashion: Rei Kawakubo, the Museum of Contemporary Arts-Detroit (MOCAD) threw an all-night dance party featuring home-grown Hip Hop artists Mike-E Ellison and James “Suburban Knight” Pennington.
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Outside MOCAD on Noel Night

I had the great pleasure of being part of an intimate - this means embarrassingly small - audience at MOCAD for Naomi Long Madgett - Poet Laureate of Detroit. Ms. Madgett read excerpts from “Pilgrim Journey” of her exceptional life during the war, during the civil rights movement, and her experiences as a black woman. The MOCAD has some great programming showcasing local literary talent that deserves much more support.

Wine, books, and good company - I cannot imagine a more delightful evening in the D. Froggy482 - thank you for mentioning Wayne State University Press’s Celebrate Detroit that took place at MOCAD Thursday night. Booklovers were treated to complimentary valet parking, snacked on delicious Detroit fare, and sipped wine with the authors of seven Detroit related books. Heidelberg Project artist Tyree Guyton, photographer Monte Nagler, and world renowned mystery author Loren Estleman were a few of the honored guests. MOCAD’s raw edge in contrast with the elegant décor and company provided the perfect setting for a brilliant literary evening.

How much more appropriate can one be in catching a drive-in movie in the Motor City? This Saturday MOCAD is screening “Cry, Dr. Chicago,” preceded by short films including Invisible City - a look at Detroit - by Jack Cronin.