September 13, 2022 (Detroit) – October at the Detroit Institute of Arts (DIA) brings a wide range of entertainment for people of all ages. From the opening of the DIA’s 10th annual Ofrendas: Celebrating Día de Muertos, a free Tai Chi demonstration and genre film, to drop-in art making, there’s something for everyone to enjoy.

October also marks the much-anticipated opening of Van Gogh in America, celebrating the DIA as the first public museum in the United States to purchase a painting by Van Gogh, his Self-Portrait (1887). This once-in-a-generation exhibition will only be at the DIA. Tickets can be purchased at www.dia.org/vangoghinamerica. There is a $10 discount for residents of Wayne, Oakland and Macomb counties. 

General admission is always free for residents of Macomb, Oakland and Wayne counties.

Exhibitions

• Ofrendas: Celebrating Día de Muertos opening September 24 on view through November 6, 2022.

This annual community exhibition features elaborate ofrenda altars, or offerings, created by local artists in celebration of Día de Muertos (Day of the Dead), honoring the life and memory of lost loved ones.

• Van Gogh in America opening October 2, 2022 on view through January 22, 2023

Van Gogh in America celebrates the DIA as the first public museum in the United States to purchase a painting by Vincent van Gogh, his Self-Portrait (1887). On the 100th anniversary of its acquisition, experience 74 authentic Van Gogh works from around the world and discover the fascinating story of America’s first introduction to this iconic artist, in an exhibition only at the DIA.

• Van Gogh’s Artistic Roots: The Hague School and French Realism on view through January 29, 2023.

Van Gogh particularly admired the painterly innovations of the Hague School––a group named for the city in the Netherlands where its core artists lived and worked beginning about 1870.

• Conscious Response: Photographers Changing the Way We See on view through January 8, 2023.

Conscious Response explores the history of visual storytelling and image-making as seen through the eyes of over 25 artists.

 

Ongoing

• Inside|Out 2022 on view through November 30, 2022

Inside|Out returns for its 13th year! This popular program brings high-quality reproductions from the DIA’s collection to outdoor venues throughout metro Detroit. Locations can be found at www.dia.org/insideout.

• GooseChase | Self-guided Scavenger Hunt available on the GooseChase App.

Tour the museum and discover new works with our app-based scavenger hunts.

 

All programs are free with museum admission, unless otherwise noted.

Saturday, October 1

Drop-in Workshop: Collage Portraits 12–4 p.m.

The term collage, derived from the French coller, to glue, describes artwork made from a mix of different materials. Using this distinctive process, use a mix of paper and cloth to create a portrait of someone important to you.

Detroit Film Theatre: The Story of Film: A New Generation 7 p.m.

Filmmaker and author Mark Cousins turns his gaze on world cinema from 2010 to 2021, using sequences from a vast range of works—including Frozen, Joker and Cemetery of Splendour — to explore recurring themes and motifs. With insights on everything from Deadpool and It Follows to Black Panther and Lover’s Rock, Cousins seeks out creators and communities often under-represented in traditional film histories, including Asian and Middle Eastern works, as well as boundary-pushing documentaries and films. Tickets are $9.50 general admission, $7.50 seniors, students and DIA members. There is a $1.50 online convenience fee when purchasing tickets online.

 

Sunday, October 2

Drop-in Workshop: Collage Portraits 12–4 p.m.

See Oct. 1 for description.

Detroit Film Theatre: The Story of Film: A New Generation 4:30 p.m.

See Oct. 1 for description.

 

Thursday, October 6

Thursdays “at” the Museum: Studio Visit: Carey Gustafson of Glass Action! Studio 1 p.m.

Join Carey Gustafson of Glass Action! Studio, founded in 2005 in Oak Park, MI, as she discusses her process creating unique and beautiful glass pieces of art.

 

Friday, October 7

Drawing in the Galleries: European, Medieval & Renaissance Galleries 6–8:30 p.m.

Create a pencil drawing to take home while taking a closer look at the collection. No experience is necessary. All supplies provided. For ages 6–adult (children ages 12 and younger should be accompanied by an adult). Capacity is limited.

 

Saturday, October 8

Drop-in Workshop: Paper Flowers 12–4 p.m.

Come to the studio to make your own paper versions of the flowers you find in our collection that inspire you.

Detroit Film Theatre: Lust for Life 2 p.m.

Kirk Douglas plays Vincent van Gogh in this colorful biography of the talented artist. This film is considered by many to be one of the principal factors that propelled Van Gogh’s art into America’s popular consciousness in the 1950s. Tickets are $9.50 general admission, $7.50 seniors, students and DIA members. There is a $1.50 online convenience fee when purchasing tickets online.

Detroit Film Theatre: Costa Brava, Lebanon 7 p.m.

A family leaves the smog and social unrest of big city life to live in a tranquil mountain home surrounded by lush rolling hills, until the youngest child spots strangers in the valley and learns that a new landfill will be constructed beyond their fence. Before long, household tension rises along with the landfill, and the family’s conundrum reveals long-simmering differences within the family. In Arabic with English subtitles. Tickets are $9.50 general admission, $7.50 seniors, students and DIA members. There is a $1.50 online convenience fee when purchasing tickets online.

 

Sunday, October 9

Drop-in Workshop: Paper Flowers 12–4 p.m.

See Oct. 8 for description.

Detroit Film Theatre: Costa Brava, Lebanon 2 p.m.

See Oct. 8 for description.

 

Thursday, October 13

Thursdays “at” the Museum: Virtual Tour: Childs Play: Children in Art at the DIA Part II 1 p.m.

Take another look at some of the youngest subjects in the DIA's collection.  Who are these children?  What does their presence mean?  Join us as we consider children in art across time and cultures.

 

Friday, October 14

Drawing in the Galleries: Japanese, Korean, Indian & Southeast Asian Galleries 6–8:30 p.m.

Create a pencil drawing to take home while taking a closer look at the collection. No experience is necessary. All supplies provided. For ages 6–adult (children ages 12 and younger should be accompanied by an adult). Capacity is limited.

Detroit Film Theatre: Alma’s Rainbow 7 p.m.

Rainbow Gold is entering womanhood and navigating experiences around standards of beauty, self-image, and the rights Black women have over their bodies. Rainbow lives with her strait-laced mother, but when Rainbow’s aunt arrives from Paris after a 10-year absence, the sisters clash over the “proper” direction for Rainbow’s life. Alma's Rainbow presents a multi-layered Black women’s world where the characters are eager to embrace life and love joyfully, while still wrestling with what it means to exercise their agency. This film has been fully restored by The Academy Film Archive and The Film Foundation and is presented by Julie Dash. Tickets are $9.50 general admission, $7.50 seniors, students and DIA members. There is a $1.50 online convenience fee when purchasing tickets online.

 

Saturday, October 15

Free Family Fun! Ballet Folklorico de Detroit 2 p.m.

Travel across varied regions of Mexico with Ballet Folklorico de Detroit, a community-based and multi-generational dance company dedicated to preserving rich Mexican culture with dance and music. 

After the performance, be sure to see the 10th installment of Ofrendas: Celebrating Día de Muertos, through November 6, 2022. Free with museum admission.

Detroit Film Theatre: Alma’s Rainbow 7 p.m.

See Oct. 14 for description.

 

Sunday, October 16

Detroit Film Theatre: Alma’s Rainbow 2 p.m.

See Oct. 14 for description.

Detroit Film Theatre: A Page of Madness with Little Bang Theory and Yamauchi Nanako 6 p.m.

This horror cult classic from Teinosuke Kinugasa tells the story of a man who takes a job at an asylum in hopes of freeing his wife, who is believed to be imprisoned there. Thought to be lost for over four decades until a print was discovered in 1970. The silent A Page of Madness will be brought to life with music by Little Bang Theory and benshi narration by Yamauchi Nanako performed in Japanese. Tickets are $9.50 general admission, $7.50 seniors, students and DIA members. There is a $1.50 online convenience fee when purchasing tickets online.

 

Thursday, October 20

Thursdays “at” the Museum: Virtual Tour: The Art of Spanish Speaking Artists in the DIA’s Collection 1 p.m.

This virtual tour celebrates the works of Spanish-speaking artists of various cultures in the DIA’s permanent collection.

 

Friday, October 21

Drawing in the Galleries: European, Medieval & Renaissance Galleries 6–8:30 p.m.

Create a pencil drawing to take home while taking a closer look at the collection. No experience is necessary. All supplies provided. For ages 6–adult (children ages 12 and younger should be accompanied by an adult). Capacity is limited.

Friday Night Live! New Standards Jazz Crawl: Camille Thurman 7 p.m.

In celebration of the opening of a new performance space in Midtown Detroit’s Carr Center, the DIA is participating in New Standards Jazz Crawl:, a series of performances by women composers curated by Terri Lyne Carrington.

Camille Thurman is a composer, multi-instrumentalist, vocalist, and unique interpreter of the jazz tradition. Her rich saxophone sound has been compared to Dexter Gordon, while her vocal approach has been classified alongside those of Ella Fitzgerald and Betty Carter. Thurman has shared stages with George Coleman, Wynton Marsalis, Jack DeJohnette, Jon Batiste and Diana Krall among others. 

 

Saturday, October 22

Drop-in Workshop: Papel Picado 12–4 p.m.

Make your own papel picado, which literally means “punched” or “perforated” paper. This form of traditional folk art is popular throughout Mexico where brightly colored strings of papel picado are strung across streets, public spaces and in homes during secular as well as religious celebrations and festive occasions. 

Detroit Film Theatre: Van Gogh 2 p.m.

This film is a dramatization of Van Gogh’s last 67 days of his life, with an intimate depiction of a fascinating, troubled, yet frequently charming genius. In French with English subtitles. Tickets are $9.50 general admission, $7.50 seniors, students and DIA members. There is a $1.50 online convenience fee when purchasing tickets online.

Detroit Film Theatre: Hold Me Tight 7 p.m.

Hold Me Tight is a portrait of a woman on the run from her family, alternating between her adventures on the road and the struggles of her abandoned husband as he tries to adapt to his new reality and the demands of caring for their children. Official Selection, Cannes Film Festival; Rendez-Vous with French Cinema, Lincoln Center. In French and German with English subtitles. Tickets are $9.50 general admission, $7.50 seniors, students and DIA members. There is a $1.50 online convenience fee when purchasing tickets online.

 

Sunday, October 23

Drop-in Workshop: Papel Picado 12–4 p.m.

See Oct. 22 for description.

 

Thursday, October 27

Thursdays “at” the Museum: Artist Talk: Ofrendas: Celebrating Día de Muertos  

Artists who designed the ofrenda altars on view in the DIA's special community exhibition Ofrendas: Celebrating el Día de Muertos will give insight into the inspiration and meaning of their work while exploring the rich history of the Day of the Dead and the tradition of ofrenda altars."

 

Friday, October 28

Drawing in the Galleries: American, Arts & Crafts, & Art Nouveau Galleries 6–8:30 p.m.

Create a pencil drawing to take home while taking a closer look at the collection. No experience is necessary. All supplies provided. For ages 6–adult (children ages 12 and younger should be accompanied by an adult). Capacity is limited.

Detroit Film Theatre: 2022 CatVideoFest 7 p.m.

Returning to the Detroit Film Theatre for the first time since its record-breaking sold-out shows in December of 2021, the 2022 edition of CatVideoFest is a compilation of the latest and best cat videos culled from hours of submissions, animations, music videos, and internet powerhouses. This annual favorite is available on the big screen. The festival’s distributor continues to contribute a portion of revenues for cats in need through partnerships with a variety of cat charities and shelters. (70 minutes) Tickets are $9.50 general admission, $7.50 seniors, students and DIA members. There is a $1.50 online convenience fee when purchasing tickets online.

Friday Night Live! New Standards Jazz Crawl:: Susie Ibarra 7:30 p.m.

In celebration of the opening of a new performance space in Midtown Detroit’s Carr Center, the DIA will participate in New Standards Jazz Crawl:, a series of performances by women composers curated by Terri Lyne Carrington.

Susie Ibarra is a Filipinx composer, percussionist, and sound artist. Her interdisciplinary practice spans formats, including performance, mobile sound-mapping applications, multi-channel audio installations, recording, and documentary.

 

Saturday, October 29

Art and Action in the Films of King Hu 1:30–5 p.m.

Join us for an afternoon celebrating martial arts as seen in the films of legendary director King Hu. Through epic martial arts skills and the magic of editing, Hu brought subtlety and expressivity to his films and the genre.

1:30 p.m. - Demonstration: Tai Chi Pushing Hands

Detroit Tai Chi Group, led by Master Ching-Yu Meng will demonstrate the basic steps of pushing hands, a form of Tai Chi practice that emphasizes the principle “softness overcoming hardness.” Audience members will be invited onstage to try the movements themselves.

3 p.m. - Film: Raining in the Mountain

During the Ming Dynasty, a Buddhist abbot charged with protecting the sacred scroll of Tripitaka prepares to name his successor. An aristocrat and a general arrive at his secluded mountaintop monastery promising to help in his search but are in fact scheming to secure the scroll for themselves. As they set about recommending corrupt successors, rival bands of martial artists lie in wait to steal the precious artifact; they soon transform the monastery into an epic battleground for the scroll, with each player caught in a web of betrayal. Newly restored. In Mandarin with English subtitles.

This program made possible through partnerships with the DIA’s auxiliary Friends of Asian Arts and Cultures and Michigan Chinese Women Association, Taipei Cultural Center, and is supported through a generous grant from the Freeman Foundation.

Detroit Film Theatre: 2022 CatVideoFest 7 p.m.

See Oct. 28 for description.

 

Sunday, October 30

Detroit Film Theatre: 2022 CatVideoFest 12 & 3 p.m.

See Oct. 28 for description.

 

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

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The Detroit Institute of Arts (DIA), one of the premier art museums in the United States, is home to more than 65,000 works that comprise a multicultural survey of human creativity from ancient times through the 21st century. From the first Van Gogh painting to enter a U.S. museum (Self-Portrait, 1887), to Diego Rivera's world-renowned Detroit Industry murals (1932–33), the DIA’s collection is known for its quality, range and depth. The DIA’s mission is to create opportunities for all visitors to find personal meaning in art individually and with each other.   

Programs are made possible with support from residents of Macomb, Oakland and Wayne counties.   

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