Modern art: New shows of paintings and innovative fashion open at MOCAD
Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit
Alex Melamid & Rei Kawakubo
Feb. 8
7 p.m.
Closed since the
Words Fail Me exhibit came down on Jan. 20, the upcoming shows at Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit (MOCAD) had been shrouded in semi-secrecy. But the cat's out now as two separate shows, one dedicated to the world of hip hop and the other to anti-fashion as fashion, are set to open this weekend.
The shows are called
Holy Hip Hop, 12 portraits by Russian-born American painter Alex Melamid, and Japanese designer Rei Kawakubo's
ReFusing Fashion. Melamid's life-size portraits include Snoop Dogg, 50
Cent, Common, Kanye West and Russell Simmons. The 12 iconic figures are dressed in everyday clothes, and rendered with Old Master
style and quality. This is the first solo show for Melamid, an outspoken artist who once had his work dismantled and bulldozed by the Soviet government and had notable
collaborations with fellow Russian artist Vitaly Komar.
Rei Kawakubo established the high fashion house
Comme des Garcons in Tokyo in 1973 and is considered a key figure in re-defining sexual
identity in her work. Kawakubo
created a sensation with her androgynous and innovative design, and
solidified her stature as one of Japan's most significant avant-garde designers.
Her innovative fashion, unique methods of fabrication and
collaborations with artists working in many different fields including
the great modern choreographer Merce Cunningham, will be explored in a
unique installation of her work at MOCAD. The exhibition will include
over 40 key garments, costumes from and film of the Cunningham
performance, photographs and runway footage.
Each exhibition will remain up until April 20.
This Friday, Feb. 8, there will be an opening reception at MOCAD for both shows. The reception begins at 7 p.m. with a party featuring music and poetry by Mike-E Ellison and James "Suburban Knight" Pennington of Detroit's
Underground Resistance to follow at 9 p.m. General admission is $5 and free for members. There will be a cash bar.
The Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit is located at 4454 Woodward Avenue, Detroit. Museum hours are 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Wednesdays and Sundays; 11 a.m. - 8 p.m. Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays.