August 1 2017 (Detroit) — October is a month of exhibition openings, starting with Detroit Institute of Art’s Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) ofrenda exhibition, opening October 13 and “Monet: Framing Life” along with “Church: A Painters Pilgrimage” both opening October 22. There will be plenty to do throughout the month, including artist demonstrations, live music, drop-in workshops, lectures and more. The last weekend of October, the Detroit Film Theatre provides thrill seekers a chance to be spooked with classic horror films.  Don’t forget, this is the last month to view the DIA’s “Art of Rebellion: Black Art of the Civil Rights Movement” closing October 22.

Programs are free with museum admission and free for residents of Wayne, Oakland and Macomb counties unless otherwise noted. For more information, call (313) 833-7900 or visit www.dia.org.

Exhibitions:

“Ofrendas: Celebrating el Día de Muertos” on view October 13 through November 12.

“Monet: Framing of Life” on view October 22 through March 4, 2018.

“Church: A Painter’s Pilgrimage” on view October 22 through January 15, 2018.

“Art of Rebellion: Black Art of the Civil Rights Movement” on view through October 22.

 “D-Cyphered: Portraits by Jenny Risher” on view through February 18, 2018.

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.

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.; Sundays, Noon–4 p.m.

Drop-In Workshops (for all ages)

Friday, 6–9 p.m. | Saturday & Sunday, Noon–4 p.m.

Spinners: Sunday, October 1

Have fun making this retro toy from simple materials.

Retablos: Friday, October 6–Sunday, October 8

A retablo is a small painting enshrining an important person, place or thing. Learn about this Latin American folk art tradition while you create one of your own.

Paper Dolls: Friday, October 13–Sunday, October 15

Use one of our patterns or make your own, then design one-of-a-kind clothing for a paper doll.

Sugar Skulls: Friday, October 20–Sunday, October 22 & Friday, October 27–Sunday, October 29

Learn how sugar skulls are used for Day of the Dead celebrations in Mexican and Mexican American communities while you decorate one of your own.

Sunday, October 1

Detroit Institute of Awesome: Shadow Puppet Workshop: Noon

Members of the Yung Shing Le Shadow Puppet Troupe of Taiwan teach techniques of traditional Taiwanese shadow puppetry. Participants will create simple shadow puppets and learn a few performance basics. Tickets are free, but pre-registration is required.

Detroit Institute of Awesome: Puppet Performance: Taiwanese Shadow Puppets: 2:15 p.m.

Experience Taiwanese shadow puppetry featuring live music with performances of three different shadow plays, The Sandbag Trilogy, The Mountain of Flames and The Proud Return performed by Yung Shing Le Shadow Puppet Troupe of Taiwan.

Monday, October 2

Minds on Art: 1 p.m.

Minds on Art, presented in collaboration with the Alzheimer's Association of MI, Greater Michigan Chapter, is a free five-week art-based program for people living with memory loss and their caregivers. Registration open for the fall. Call Lisa Gardner at the Alzheimer's Association at 1.800.272.3900 for information and enrollment.

Thursday, October 5

Thursdays at the Museum: Tour: 1 p.m.

Enjoy a highlights tour of the DIA’s permanent collection. Every Thursday at 1 p.m., the Detroit Institute of Arts offers free programs for adults 55+.

Friday, October 6

Detroit Film Theatre: “Ex Libris: The New York Public Library”: 7 p.m.

Documentarian Frederick Wiseman captures the vast programmatic scope of New York City’s library system. The New York Public Library has a passionate staff and devoted, appreciative bibliophiles and beneficiaries across its 92 branches. Wiseman’s film reveals a place of welcome, cultural exchange, and intellectual creativity that is in no way diminished by the modern digital era. Tickets: $9.50 general admission; $7.50 seniors, students, DIA Members

Saturday, October 7

Detroit Institute of Awesome: Puppet Performance: “Geppeto—Extraordinary Extremities”:  2 p.m.

After the loss of his wife and partner, Geppetto, a puppet-maker and puppeteer, attempts to remount some of the couple’s most famous productions. Recommended for ages 6 and older.

Detroit Film Theatre: “Ex Libris: The New York Public Library”: 2 p.m.

See October 6 for description.

Detroit Film Theatre: “Documentary All-Stars!”: 7 p.m.

Detroit native Thom Powers, host of the Pure Nonfiction podcast and documentary programmer of the Toronto International Film Festival, brings a lineup of documentary filmmakers to the stage of the DFT for a one-night-only, live event, never to be repeated. Filmmakers Barbara Kopple, Steve James, Nelson George and others will share clips, behind the scenes stories of their favorite documentaries and discuss the challenges and joys of nonfiction cinema with the audience. Co-presented by the Freep Film Festival. Tickets: $9.50 general admission, $7.50 seniors, students, DIA Members.

Sunday, October 8

Detroit ’67 Wiki-Edit-A-Thon: 12:30 p.m.

In an effort to add diverse perspectives and counter-narratives through this encyclopedic tool, participants are asked to provide additional information on the 1967 Detroit rebellion Wikipedia Page, as well as create new pages connected to the historical event. Those with little-to-no experience will have the opportunity to learn how to edit and properly cite sources on Wikipedia. Participants will choose which pages to edit according to their interest and area of expertise.

Detroit Institute of Awesome: Puppet Performance: “Geppeto—Extraordinary Extremities”:  2 p.m.

See October 7 for description.

Detroit Film Theatre: “Ex Libris: The New York Public Library”: 2 p.m.

See Oct. 6 for description.

Thursday, October 12

Thursdays at the Museum: Art Talk: “Through Her Eyes II: Women Photographers”: 1 p.m.

This talk will introduce you to the impact of art photography by some of the leading women artists in the 19th and 20th centuries. Every Thursday at 1 p.m. the Detroit Institute of Arts offers free programs for adults 55+.

Friday, October 13

Step Afrika!’s The Migration: Reflections on Jacob Lawrence: 7 p.m.

Get an intimate look at Jacob Lawrence’s iconic painting series that tell the story of African-American migrants moving from the rural south to the urban north in the first half of the 20th century with Step Afrika!. The performers use the images, color palette and motifs of one or more of the series’ paintings to tell the migration story through body percussion and dance. Tickets are $20 for children younger than 17, $25 for students, seniors and DIA Members and $35 for general admission.

Saturday, October 14

Detroit Institute of Awesome: Cultural Performance: Aztek Traditions: 1 –3 p.m.

Designer Kia Itchel Arriaga will guide visitors in building an Tlalmanalli, an ofrenda using Aztek motifs. Traditional music, dance and poetry will be presented and participants are encouraged to share their own poems, songs and stories to honor lost loved ones. For families with children of all ages.

Arts + Minds: Betsy Campbell Lecture: “English Roses in the Garden”: 2 p.m.

An authority on all matters relating to roses, Michael Marriott shares his knowledge of and enthusiasm for English roses in a talk illustrated with photos of the lush gardens he has designed. He expounds on his organic principles for growing roses and provides an insider’s view into London’s renowned Chelsea Flower Show.

Sunday, October 15

Detroit Institute of Awesome: Dance Performance: Ballet Folklórico de Detroit: 1 & 3 p.m.

Celebrate the Day of the Dead and the opening of the community exhibition “Ofrendas: Celebrating el Día de Muertos” with Ballet Folklórico de Detroit. This group of dancers will showcase several traditional dances and costumes from various regions of Mexico. For families with children of all ages.

Author Talk: “The Orpheus Clock”: 1:30 p.m.

In partnership with Jewish Community Center and the Holocaust Memorial Center, the DIA hosts a talk by Simon Goodman, author of “The Orpheus Clock: The Search for My Family's Art Treasures Stolen by the Nazis.” Goodman discusses his book, followed by a talk by DIA Director Salvador Salort-Pons on museums and looted artwork. Admission is free, but advance registration is required. 

Thursday, October 19

Thursdays at the Museum: Art Making: Sugar Skulls: 1 p.m.

Learn how sugar skulls are used for Day of the Dead celebrations in Mexican and Mexican American communities while your decorate one of your own.

Friday, October 20

Lecture: “The Travels of Frederic Church: From The Heart of the Andes to the Mount of Olives and Beyond,”: 6 p.m.

Frank Kelly, deputy director and chief curator of the National Gallery of Art in Washington D.C. helps us celebrate the opening weekend of “Church: A Painter’s Pilgrimage.” Dr. Kelly suggests that Church’s desire to see places he had read about shaped his travels, as his travels shaped his art. This event is for members only. To learn more about memberships at the DIA, visit www.dia.org/support/membership.

Friday Night Live: Mr. Ho’s Orchestrotica Quintet: 7 & 8:30 p.m.

Percussionist Brian O’Neill leads a team of five musicians, who collaborate on instruments foreign and domestic to form modern compositions. From the high arts of jazz and chamber music to adaptations of mid-century exotica and pop art, Mr. Ho’s Orchestrotica performs O’Neill’s original compositions and adaptions of Bach, Gershwin, Shostakovich and John Adams.

Saturday, October 21

Detroit Industry Murals: Labor Tours: 11 a.m.

In partnership with the Michigan Labor History Society, the DIA will host guided tours of Diego Rivera’s “Detroit Industry” murals, focusing on city’s labor history. Tours will meet in Rivera Court.

Lecture: “Framing our Monet”: 2 p.m.

The DIA’s sole painting by Claude Monet—known for nearly 100 years as “Gladioli”—is a favorite among our visitors. But where, why, and how did Monet execute our masterpiece? And what happened to it when it left the artist’s hands?  Join “Monet: Framing Life” exhibition curator Jill Shaw to explore new research findings that have led the museum to retitle our painting and better understand its creation as an experiment in the development of Impressionism. This event is for members only. To learn more about memberships at the DIA, visit www.dia.org/support/membership.

Sunday, October 22

Detroit Industry Murals: Labor Tours: 11 a.m.

See Oct. 21 for description.

Wednesday, October 25

Arts + Minds: “Putting it Together: Organizing the Exhibition, Church: An Artist’s Pilgrimage: 6:30 p.m.

Where do museum exhibitions come from?  The idea for the DIA's “Church: An Artist’s Pilgrimage”  began with curator of American art, Kenneth Myers, who wanted to know more about the paintings that came out of Frederic Church's 1867–69 trip to the Middle East, Italy, and Greece.

Thursday, October 26

Thursdays at the Museum: Film Matinee: “The Freshman”: 1 p.m.

Harold Lloyd’s biggest box-office hit was this silent comedy dazzler, featuring the befuddled everyman at his eager best as a new college student. Though he dreams of being a big man on campus, the freshman’s plans go hilariously awry—but he gets a climactic chance to prove his mettle in one of the most famous sports sequences ever filmed. Restored, with a new orchestral score by Carl Davis. Every Thursday at 1 p.m. the Detroit Institute of Arts offers free programs for adults 55+.

Friday, October 27

Friday Night Live: Gaida: 7 & 8:30 p.m.

Detroit-born singer Gaida will perform the traditional music of her Syrian heritage, with hints of bossa-nova, belly dance and swing.

Detroit Film Theatre: “The Old Dark House”: 7 p.m.

Five travelers take refuge in a gloomy mansion, where they find themselves menaced by a monstrous, aristocrat family. Based on J.B. Priestley’s novel Benighted. Tickets: $9.50 general admission, $7.50 seniors, students, DIA Members.

Detroit Film Theatre: “Night of the Living Dead”: 9:30 p.m.

The late director George Romero rewrote the history of American horror films with Night of the Living Dead, which follows a group that barricades themselves in an old farmhouse to avoid flesh-eating zombies. An unrelenting, darkly funny, tale of a frenzied population devouring itself as it redefines the meaning of “civilization.” Tickets: $9.50 general admission, $7.50 seniors, students, DIA Members.

Saturday, October 28

Detroit Institute of Awesome: Art Demo: Hair Sculpting:  Noon–4 p.m.

Kristina Beaty, uses sculpting and the manipulation of hair to create everything from elegant bridal coiffures to extravagant avant-garde and fantasy hair sculptures. She explains the meanings and inspirations for hair design. Some audience members may even get the chance to model one of her gravity-defying works.

Detroit Film Theatre: “The Old Dark House”: 4 p.m.

See Oct. 27 for description.

Detroit Film Theatre: “Night of the Living Dead”: 7 p.m.

See Oct. 27 for description.

Detroit Film Theatre: “The Crazies”: 9:30 p.m.

When a biochemical spill takes place in a small Pennsylvania town, infected citizens turn homicidal. Though the military tries to contain the damage, it quickly becomes impossible to tell the difference between the “biologically crazy” and those panicked opportunists who seize the situation to declare open season on troublesome friends and family. Tickets: $9.50 general admission, $7.50 seniors, students, DIA Members.

Sunday, October 29

Detroit Institute of Awesome: Art Demo: Hair Sculpting:  Noon–4 p.m.

See Oct. 28 for description.

Detroit Film Theatre: “The Old Dark House”: 2 p.m.

See Oct. 27 for description.

Detroit Film Theatre: “Night of the Living Dead”: 4:30 p.m.

See Oct. 27 for description.

Museum Hours and Admission (Note: General admission increased as of July 1)

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.