MOCAD’s ‘Dual Vision’ Pairs Local Artists for a Group Exhibition

A new exhibition at the Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit pairs local artists to communicate through collaboration. Dual Vision matches 40 artists who work, or have worked, in Detroit across different disciplines and generations, acting as a survey of Detroit’s artistic landscape. The pairs were matched based on their relationships or similarities in their work. Each was asked to collaborate on one piece, and, in the process, enter into a dialogue with each other through their art.

“This is an artist-driven activation,” says Jova Lynne, MOCAD’s senior curator. “Some artists have relationships, and some do not. But their work is in relationship to each other.” Lynne says the ideas behind the pieces in the show are drawn from conversations and experimentation between the artists. Even among the artists who knew each other prior, many of them hadn’t had the chance to actually collaborate on one piece. Dual Vision – Lynne’s first exhibition since returning to MOCAD – is a starting point for a new approach to these relationships.

The expansive roster of artists draws on a wide variety of mediums, from painting and photography, to metalworking and fiber, to sculpture and interactive installation. Walking into the gallery, the viewer is welcomed by a plethora of artworks that engage with them in different ways. Some artists offer work in their signature style, while others chose to step outside of the norm, opting to embrace the experimental. Each piece is accompanied with a QR Code that guests can scan to learn more about each pair and the thought behind the pieces.

Another major element of the exhibition is bridging gaps between generations and movements, from established veterans of Detroit’s Cass Corridor of the ‘70s who helped co-curate the show, to emerging artists of today and everything in between. Lynne says the mashups help highlight the continued influence of older generations of artists and sets the stage for up-and-coming artists who are working to do the same. “If you think about the historical art movements that exist in the city, how are these artists shaping that cannon right now?”

Open through Aug. 8

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