September 11, 2018—The Detroit Institute of Arts (DIA) offers a variety of programs both in the museum and out in the community.

Wayne, Oakland and Macomb county residents get free general admission.

The DIA thanks its sponsors for the following programs: Friday Night Live! is supported by the DTE Energy Foundation; the Detroit Film Theatre is generously supported by Buddy's Pizza.

IN THE MUSEUM

Exhibitions

“Ofrendas: Celebrating el Día de Muertos” through Nov. 11

“Repetition, Rhythm, and Vocab” through Nov. 4

“Lost & Found: Photographs from the DIA’s Collection” through March 3, 2019

Ongoing

General Guided Tours: Tuesdays–Thursdays, 1 p.m.; Fridays, 1 & 6 p.m.

Enjoy a guided tour of select galleries for an overview of the collection.

General and Family Guided Tours: Saturdays & Sundays, 1 & 3 p.m.

Enjoy a guided tour of select galleries or a family and kid-friendly tour.

Thursdays at the Museum, 1 p.m.

Special programs, including light refreshments, for adults 55+, featuring tours, talks, movies and artmaking. The DIA offers free transportation for groups of 25 or more from Wayne, Oakland and Macomb counties. To book a visit, call 313-833-1292. Support for Thursdays at the Museum is provided by the tri-county millage.

Detroit City Chess Club: Fridays, 4–8 p.m.

The club’s mission is to teach area students the game and life lessons. Members have won state, regional and national competitions. People wanting to learn to play chess should show up between 4 and 6 p.m. There will be no teaching between 6 and 8 p.m., but visitors can play chess.

Drawing in the Galleries (for all ages): Fridays, 6–9 p.m.; Saturdays & Sundays, Noon–4 p.m.

Drop-In Artmaking (for all ages): 

Fridays 6–9 p.m.; Saturdays, Noon–6 p.m.; Sundays, Noon–4 p.m. 

Saturday, November 3

2018 Annual Fundraising Gala: Arts of Asia 7–11 p.m.

The 2018 Detroit Institute of Arts Gala, the museum’s major annual fundraiser, celebrates the museum's new Asian art galleries. Enjoy the splendors of India and Asia through beautiful works of art, rich textiles, gourmet food, drinks, music and entertainment. Guests will be among the first to view the newly installed Asian art galleries. Tickets start at $750. More information to be announced.

Sunday, November 4

New Asian Art Galleries Open

The DIA debuts its newly expanded galleries dedicated to Asian art in the Robert and Katherine Jacobs Asian Wing, highlighting objects and themes that represent diverse art forms, cultural practices, and systems of belief. Works span thousands of years up to the present day in galleries of Japanese, Chinese, Korean, and Indian and Southeast Asian art, as well as a gallery for Buddhist art across Asia.

A Conversation with Artist Neha Vedpathak, 1 p.m.

Detroit-based artist Neha Vedpathak and DIA Assistant Curator Katherine Kasdorf, Arts of Asia & the Islamic World, discuss Vedpathak’s artistic practice, her background, and the large-scale work she created for the DIA’s new gallery of Indian and Southeast Asian art. Called “Still I Rise,” the commission exemplifies Vedpathak’s original plucked paper technique and explores the idea of resilience as a common ground between India and Detroit. Vedpathak is a multidisciplinary artist renowned for her inventive and original process-based practice and deep connection to her materials.

Concert: Asian Sound Revolution, 3 p.m.

Asian Sound Revolution is a collaboration of artists that preserves pan-Asian musical traditions and uses them to create contemporary sounds. Joining Korean komungo player Jin Hi Kim are a diverse group of musicians, including Masayo Ishigure (Japanese koto), Susie Ibara (Filipino percussion), VÂN-ÁNH VÕ (Vietnamese dan tranh) and Gao Hong (Chinese pipa). Together they explore the unique ways each musical tradition influences the others.

Thursday, November 8

Thursdays at the Museum: Art Talk with Clare Rogan, DIA curator of prints and drawings 1 p.m.

Friday, November 9

Friday Night Live! The Argus Quartet 7 and 8:30 p.m.

This string quartet invigorates the audience-performer relationship through innovative concerts and diverse programming. Its mission is to connect with a community of engaged listeners, with the belief that today’s ensembles can honor storied chamber music traditions while forging a new path forward. Its repertoire includes masterworks of the chamber music canon, as well as pieces by living composers.

Saturday, November 10

Puppet Performance: Yung Shing Le Shadow Puppet Troupe 2 p.m.

This Taiwanese shadow puppet show features live music accompanying three plays: "The Sandbag Trilogy,” “The Mountain of Flames” and “The Proud Return.” This century-old family theater keeps traditional practices and stories alive while infusing modern techniques and original stories to stay relevant to today’s audiences. Sponsored by the Michigan Taiwanese American Organization and the Taipei Cultural Office in New York. This event is part of the DIA’s year-long celebration of Asian arts.

Detroit Film Theatre: “Memoir of War” (La Douleur) 7 p.m.

In this adaptation of Marguerite Duras’s semi-autobiographical novel, “The War: A Memoir,” the author recounts a story of love and perseverance. In 1944 Nazi-occupied France, Marguerite is a Resistance member along with her husband, Robert Antelme. When the Gestapo deports him, she feigns a friendship with a French collaborator in hopes of finding her husband. As months pass with no news, Marguerite begins to confront the unimaginable, unsure of the wisdom of clinging to even the smallest shred of hope. In French with English subtitles. Tickets: $9.50 general admission; $7.50 seniors, students and DIA members.

Sunday, November 11

Detroit Film Theatre: “Memoir of War” (La Douleur) 7 p.m.

(see Nov. 10 for description)

Friday, November 16

Detroit Film Theatre: “Monrovia, Indiana” 7 p.m.

With a population of under 2000, Monrovia was founded in 1834 as one of many farming communities considered the backbone of early America. This documentary explores conflicting stereotypes and illustrates how values like community service, duty and authenticity are formed and lived. The film gives a nuanced view of daily life in Monrovia and provides some understanding of a rural, mid-American way of life. Tickets: $9.50 general admission; $7.50 seniors, students and DIA members.

Friday Night Live! Grand Band 7 and 8:30 p.m.

This new piano sextet from New York City features what the New York Times called “the Traveling Wilburys of NY’s new-music piano scene.” The pianists are Vicky Chow, David Friend, Paul Karekes, Blair McMillen, Lisa Moore and Isabelle O’Connell. The band performs music of Ben Wallace, Julius Eastman and Missy Mazzoli along with new compositions by Paul Kerekes and Detroit composer Harriet Steinke.

Saturday, November 17

Artist Demonstration: Black Ash Basket Weaving Noon–4 p.m.

Kelly Church, a fifth-generation black ash basket weaver and member of the Matchi-be-nash-she-wish Tribe creates traditional baskets along with experimental designs that include vinyl blinds, photographs, and metals. In 2002 when the Emerald Ash Borer killed millions of ash trees, Kelly began photographing and filming the process of harvesting, pounding and weaving for future generations to learn from.

Detroit Film Theatre: “Ryuichi Sakamoto: Coda” 4 p.m.

Ryuichi Sakamoto’s prolific career spans more than 40 years—from techno-pop stardom to award-winning film composer—and the evolution of his music has coincided with the trajectory of his life journeys. Following the disaster at Fukushima, Sakamoto became an iconic figure in Japan’s social movement against nuclear power. As he returns to music following a cancer diagnosis, his awareness of life crises informs a resounding new masterpiece. Tickets: $9.50 general admission; $7.50 seniors, students and DIA members.

Detroit Film Theatre: “Monrovia, Indiana” 7 p.m.

(see Nov. 16 for description)

Sunday, November 18

Artist Demonstration: Black Ash Basket Weaving Noon–4 p.m.

(see Nov. 17 for description)

Detroit Film Theatre: “Monrovia, Indiana” 2 p.m.

(see Nov. 16 for description)

Detroit Film Theatre: “Ryuichi Sakamoto: Coda” 4:45 p.m.

(see Nov. 17 for description)

Friday, November 23

Detroit Institute of Awesome: Thanksgiving Break 11 a.m.–1 p.m.

Families can visit the DIA for free fun during the Thanksgiving break. Enjoy Gallery Adventures in the third-floor Dutch galleries or pick up Gallery Games in Prentis Court.

Puppet Performance: The Joshua Show 2 p.m.

Award-winning puppeteer Joshua Holden’s new show will cheer up even the grumpiest grump, like Joshua’s right-hand man, Mr. Nicholas, who is planning an escape to outer space. With singing, tap dancing, and a cast of zany puppets, Joshua sets out to convince Mr. Nicholas to stay, and in doing so, brings glee to the masses. Great for families of all ages.

Detroit Film Theatre: “The Mystery of Picasso” 7 p.m.

In 1955 director Clouzot and his friend Pablo Picasso made "a film that could capture the moment and the mystery of creativity." They devised an innovative technique where Clouzot placed his camera behind a surface on which Picasso drew with inks that bled through, capturing a reverse image of Picasso's brushstrokes, whereby the movie screen becomes the artist's canvas. Picasso creates some 20 works—most destroyed after the shoot—that evolve in minutes via stop-motion animation. Declared a national treasure by the French government, “The Mystery of Picasso” has been newly restored in 4K high-definition. Tickets: $9.50 general admission; $7.50 seniors, students and DIA members.

Friday Night Live! John Pizzarelli Trio 7 and 8:30 p.m.

World-renowned guitarist and singer John Pizzarelli is one of the prime contemporary interpreters of the Great American Songbook. Pizzarelli has expanded his repertoire by including the music of Paul McCartney, Joni Mitchell, Neil Young, Tom Waits, Antônio Carlos Jobim and the Beatles. 

Saturday, November 24

Workshop: Collecting and Caring for Photographs 1 p.m.

The DIA’s “Lost & Found” exhibition features vernacular photographs of everyday life taken by untrained photographers. DIA Curator of Photography Nancy Barr explains why these accidental artists and the images they captured intrigue collectors around the country. DIA Paper Care Specialist Douglas Bulka shares tips for the long-term care of photographs. Registration is not required, but appreciated. To register go to http://bit.ly/registerphotoworkshop.

Puppet Performance: The Joshua Show 2 p.m.

(See Nov. 23 for description)

Detroit Film Theatre: “The Mystery of Picasso” 4:30 and 7 p.m.

(see Nov. 23 for description)

Sunday, November 25

Puppet Performance: The Joshua Show 2 p.m.

(See Nov. 23 for description)

Detroit Film Theatre: “The Mystery of Picasso” 2 and 4:30 p.m.

(see Nov. 23 for description)

Thursday, November 29

Special Event: A Celebration of Italian Art & Cuisine at the DIA 6–9 p.m.

Maria Manca, consul of Italy in Detroit, and DIA curators Eve Straussman-Pflanzer and Alan P. Darr give private tours of the Grand Tour of Italy galleries followed by Italian cuisine and wine. The event commemorates the 30th anniversary of the DIA auxiliary Visiting Committee for European Sculpture and Decorative Arts (VCESDA) and the worldwide celebration of the Third Annual Week of Italian Cuisine. Enjoy an elegant strolling dinner with wide-ranging tastes of Italy in the Great Hall and Rivera Court with wine and beverage service in a memorable evening of art, dining, music, and ambiance. Tickets are $150 per person and $125 per person for European Paintings Council and VCESDA members. Complimentary valet is available at the John R entrance.

This program is presented in collaboration with the Italian Consulate in Detroit, the Visiting Committee for European Sculpture and Decorative Arts and the European Paintings Council.

Friday, November 30

Friday Night Live! and Detroit Film Theatre: “Paddle to the Sea” 8 p.m.

The classic children’s book and Academy Award-nominated film “Paddle to the Sea” looks at our relationship to the bodies of water that connect our lives. Third Coast Percussion composed a new score to be performed live with the film, which tells the story of a Native Canadian boy who carves a wooden figure called Paddle-to-the-Sea and sets him on a journey through all five Great Lakes, the St. Lawrence River and finally to the Atlantic Ocean.

IN THE COMMUNITY 

DIA Away

DIA Away is a fully furnished, vibrantly designed, 53' double-expandable trailer. Inside, families and visitors of all ages will discover some of the ways artists think, then have the opportunity to try out creative thinking skills at digital and hands-on stations. Visitors will be surprised and inspired to discover the connections between themselves and the ways artists think and work.

Saturday, November 10

DIA Away: Downtown Detroit Tree Lighting, Campus Martius Park

5–10 p.m.

Museum Hours and Admission

9 a.m.–4 p.m. Tuesdays–Thursdays, 9 a.m.–10 p.m. Fridays, and 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. General admission (excludes ticketed exhibitions) is free for Wayne, Oakland and Macomb county residents and DIA members. For all others, $14 for adults, $9 for seniors ages 62+, $8 for students, $6 for ages 6–17. For membership information, call 313-833-7971.