Always, lots going on in the arts including openings around town at Paramount Bank, Gallery Project, and many, many more this weekend. Check out openings in our comprehensive and always up-to-date arts calendar here.

Events March 28, 2007
The CCS Woodward Lecture Series presents:
A lecture by ANDREI CODRESCU
This Thursday, March 29 at 7:30 p.m.
Free and open to the public
SEATING IS LIMITED!
Wendell W. Anderson Jr. Auditorium
Walter B. Ford II Building
On the CCS campus (corner of John R. and Frederick Douglass Streets)

ANDREI CODRESCU, the Romanian-born poet and essayist, emigrated to Detroit in 1966, and has since gained a national reputation as a candid and shrewd social and cultural critic. Now a fixture in New Orleans, Codrescu is the MacCurdy Distinguished Professor of English Literature at Louisiana State University, is the founder and editor of the literary magazine "Exquisite Corpse," and writes poetry, essays, short stories, novels, screenplays and art criticism. His probing, thought-provoking commentary is a regular feature on NPR's award-winning news magazine "All Things Considered." When Codrescu came to Detroit in 1966, he was immediately immersed in our active cultural scene, befriending the artists, poets and musicians who were creating the avant-garde in Detroit. In conjunction with CCS' Center Galleries exhibition "Ann Mikolowski: Two Ways of Looking in a Mirror," Codrescu will discuss Ann's work, the cultural climate in Detroit during the 1960s, and his relationship to both.

And there's more...

CCS' Center Galleries presents:
A Poetry Reading in Celebration of the exhibition "Ann Mikolowski: Two Ways of Looking in a Mirror"
This Friday, March 30 at 8:00 p.m.
Featuring:
ANDREI CODRESCU
CLAYTON ESHLEMAN
KEN MIKOLOWSKI
CHRIS TYSH
Free and open to the public
Center Galleries
College for Creative Studies
301 Frederick Douglass
On the CCS campus (corner of Frederick Douglass and Brush Streets)

Be sure to see the Center Galleries exhibition "Ann Mikolowski: Two Ways of Looking in a Mirror," on the work of CCS alumna and visionary painter Ann Mikolowski. The exhibition is accompanied by a full-color catalogue with an essay by nationally renowned critic JOHN YAU, and recollections of Ann by DONNA BROOK, ANDREI CODRESCU, CLAYTON ESHLEMAN, BRENDA GOODMAN, FAYE KICKNOSWAY, DENNIS ALAN NAWROCKI, RON PADGETT, EDWARD SANDERS and ANNE WALDMAN. This exhibition runs through Saturday, April 28.

MOCAD STUFF

Thursday, March 29 at 6 PM
LECTURE AT MOCAD:
IMAGINATION, PROCESS, REALITY: THREE PROJECTS FOR DEVELOPMENT IN

Gretchen Wilkins (University of Michigan), Thomas Gardner and Matthew Miller (Housing Operative) and Philip Cooley (Slow's BBQ and Los Pistoleros) present their projects in Detroit.

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Friday, March 30 from 6 to 9 PM
LIGHTNING BOLT
BUG-SIZED MIND
PRURIENT
$8

Visit Lightning Bolt's website,
http://r.vresp.com/?MuseumofContemporary/949e26f102/895785/1ab435ba24/3591134
for more information

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Friday, March 30 at 9 PM
MUSIC AT MOCAD: EXPERIMENTAL PERFORMANCE FROM PERFECT WIENERS AND
BUTTS AND JEFF KAROLSKI

Musical performances from some of Detroit's most cutting-edge purveyors of sights and sounds. Beginning with another creation by notorious Hamtramck artists Jeff Karolski, who's performances often include everyday objects (i.e. fans, heaters, fish tanks, electric
saws and ice) interacting with his electronics to create a site-specific, performance oriented sound sculptute. Closing the evening will be Perfect Wieners and Butts, blending a live band, pre-recorded video and live semi-comic performance into a chaotic multi-media musical.

Visit Jeff Karolski's website,
http://r.vresp.com/?MuseumofContemporary/e73c9bb36d/895785/1ab435ba24/3591134

Visit Perfect Wiener and Butts' MySpace page,
http://r.vresp.com/?MuseumofContemporary/d94b49fd23/895785/1ab435ba24/3591134

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Saturday, March 31 at 1:30 PM
GALLERY TALK: IDEAS & PROCESS
at Cranbrook Museum of Art

Cranbrook Academy of Art graduate students will talk about Shrinking Cities and offer studio tours of the departments.

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Saturday, March 31 at 7 PM
FILMS AT MOCAD

I am Farming Humanity Ingo Vetter and Annette Weisser (16 min, 2001).
The film features an interview with Lee Burns, retired engineer and
co-founder of the Detroit Agriculture Network.

Garden Stories Boris Gerrets (50 min, 2004). Garden Stories focuses on the phenomenon of farming and gardening for subsistence and as a means of social engagement in shrinking cities.

Friday March 30
Havana Nights @ Music Hall/Jazz Cafe

No cover -
Live music, Salsa Class, Drink Specials, and new friends
are waiting for you in Jazz Café at Music Hall this Friday!

Young Playwrights Present
HIV/AIDS Awareness Production

Matrix Theatre Company's Young Playwrights Program presents an
entertaining, informative production to raise awareness about HIV/AIDS.
The young people, ages 13-18, will present a staged reading of "CAUTION:
This Is How It's Caught" on April 2 & 3 at the Matrix Theatre.

The Young Playwrights have worked diligently to create a production that
appeals to their peers. They spent several months researching HIV/AIDS and
getting educated, aiming to produce an interactive high-energy production
that will engage audience members in surprising ways.

The staged reading takes place Monday, April 2 and Tuesday, April 3 at 7:00
pm at Matrix Theatre, 2730 Bagley, Detroit 48216. Admission is $5.
(313) 967-0999

Always, lots going on in the arts including openings around town at Susanne Hilberry, the Windsor Biennial, and many, many more this weekend. Check out openings in our comprehensive and always up-to-date arts calendar here.

BOHEMIAN NATIONAL HOME

Saturday, March 24: The Magik Markers with Bad Thoughts
The new front-line of No-Wave derived sonic experimentation. The Magik Markers hail from Hartford, Conn. Their releases on Apostasy and Ecstatic Peace display a range of influences or fortuitous similarities that stretch from DNA to 1/2 Japanese to Bad Brains. Detroit/Ann Arbor's Bad Thoughts mine some of the same angular guitar and disco/punk drumming resources, with a dose of Pere Ubu thrown in. Brainy music for the dance floor.
Doors at 9pm; $7.

Grand Re-Opening of the Dossin Great Lakes Museum

The Society’s Belle Isle attraction, dedicated to the maritime history of southeastern Michigan, the Detroit River, and the Great Lakes, has been closed to the public since December 30th for an upgrade of exhibits and facilities.

The “Dossin Makeover” culminates with a free to the public “Grand Re-Opening” weekend celebration starting Saturday, March 24th with special hours.

The Dossin Great Lakes Museum is located at 100 Strand Drive on Belle Isle.

This celebration features free admission all weekend long, complimentary refreshments, and free gifts to the first 100 people through the doors each day.

Grand Re-Opening Weekend hours are the following:

Saturday, March 24 – 11 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Sunday, March 25 – 11 a.m. – 6 p.m.
For more information, call (313) 821-2661.

Always, lots going on in the arts including openings around town at the Arab American National Museum, CCS, Detroit Industrial Projects, Lemberg Gallery, and many, many more this weekend. Check out openings in our comprehensive and always up-to-date arts calendar here.

Thursday, March 15 at 6 PM
LECTURE: ARCHITECTS IN A SHRINKING CITY - AIA DISCUSSION ON SHRINKING CITIES

Organized by the Urban Priorities Committee of the American Institute
of Architects, this lecture will be centered on the exhibition with a
discussion about the role a shrinking city plays for architects in
Detroit.

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Friday, March 16 at 9 PM
MUSIC AT MOCAD: DETROIT GARAGE ROCK FROM OUTRAGEOUS CHERRY & THE ALL
SEEING EYES

Minimalist 60's rock'n'roll masterpieces from area garage pop
stalwarts Matthew Smith and Outrageous Cherry. Plus, the All Seeing
Eyes, a more tuneful return from ex-members of garage punk godfathers
Rocket 455.

Flying Cat Circus @ Furniture Factory

WHO: The Flying Cat Circus is a comedy circus
sideshow that blends glass walking and fire
eating with stand-up comedy and raw
intelligence.

WHAT: A comedy circus theatre event

WHEN: March 8th - April 21st
Thursdays 8:00 PM Fridays and Saturdays
9:00 PM

WHERE: Furniture Factory Theatre
4126 3rd Street
Detroit, MI 48201

TICKETS: $15.00 available at
www.flyingcatcircus.com

Friday March 16 7 p.m.-9 p.m.
Detroit - Detroit Artists Market (www.detroitartistsmarket.org)

InsideOut Literary Arts Project Reading Series

A stellar line-up of four poets: Christina Archer, Nandi Comer, Vievee Francis and Matthew Olzmann

Thursday, March 15
Soul Purpose @ McKenny’s

"Come one come all, we're gonna have a ball, down @ the function at the junction!!"

Soul Purpose featuring Cee Cee will be performing at McKenny's (formerly TJ's Pub) located at 40000 Garfield Road, Clinton Township, MI 48038. This soirée will kick off at 9:00pm, Thursday, March 15th. Musicians bring your tools of the trade and sit in with the band!

For more information call: (586) 416-7777

The Contemporary Art Institute of Detroit
Friday, March 16, 2007(and every third Friday)
Northern Soul Night

D.J.'s Brad Hales and Breck T. Bunce play rare 60's & 70's
(and even a couple 80's) 45's for dancing. Northern Soul returns to one of it's spiritual homes: Detroit! Not funk night, but instead, tons of Detroit/Chicago classics, Sweet Soul, crossover, Tamla-Motown, rough R&B, a few modern gems as well...and, it's only a short walk from Hitsville U.S.A. Join us for the best in obscure and truly magical underground American R&B. One of the only late night events of its kind on this continent?

Midnight, $5

The 10th Detroit Film And Video Festival @ MoNA
Saturday, March 17, 2007 @ 2pm 7 North Saginaw St,

Java & JAZZ Featuring MILDREA @ Detroit Public Library
Tuesday, March 20, 2007
6:00 p.m.
5201 Woodward Avenue
Detroit, Michigan 48202
Free to the public

Come out and support local entertainment! For more info, call the Library at 313-833-4042.

Events March 8, 2007

Always, lots going on in the arts including openings around town at MONA in Pontiac and Hatch in Hamtramck, and many, many more this weekend. Check out openings in our comprehensive and always up-to-date arts calendar here.

We've also brought back specific Lit listings and Theater listings, in their respective sections.

The Hamtramck Blowout is on - check out our Music Section for a preview of this annual giant event.

Thursday, March 8 at 6 PM
PANEL DISCUSSION AT MOCAD: WHY DETROIT?
Detroit is an international city with a fluctuating population of
immigrants. Co-organized with Kemba N'Namdi, several community leaders
from many of region's international communities will discuss "Why
Detroit?"

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Friday, March 9 at 9 PM
MUSIC AT MOCAD: THE BLACKMAN: LIVE! W/ LARVAL

Live MC's and hardcore urban funk from legendary Detroit hype-man, the
Blackman, and his funk revue comprised of area luminaries Piranhahead,
Ras Kente, plus members of Parliament-Funkadelic, Soul Clique, and the
Beast Crew. Also performing are composer Bill Brovold and his
thundering, orchestral prog-rock ensemble, Larval.

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Saturday, March 10 at 1:30 PM
GALLERY TALK: IDEAS & PROCESS
at Cranbrook Museum of Art

Cranbrook Academy of Art graduate students will talk about Shrinking
Cities and offer studio tours of the departments.

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Saturday, March 10 at 6 PM
ARTIST'S TALK AT MOCAD: DETROIT SUMMER (LAMP) PROJECT

Using the interviews conducted with peers examining the causalities of
dropping out of school, students from the Live Arts Media Project
(LAMP), will conduct a workshop seeking solutions for combating the
growing problem of drop-outs in Detroit area schools.

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Sunday, March 11 at 1:30 PM
PANEL DISCUSSION: SYPTOM AND WASTE - COMMENTS ON USELESSNESS IN THE
FABRIC OF THE CITY
at Cranbrook Museum of Art

A panel of experts from the region's leading institutions will explore
the theme of urban architecture and design as a philosophical,
historical and cultural phenomenon. The panel will be led by Dr.
Michael Stone-Richards, of the College for Creative Studies.

Bohemian National Home

Sunday, March 11: Dennis Gonzalez's Yells at Eels featuring Carl Smith
Dennis Gonzalez is a trumpeter based in Dallas. His carrer has included
playing and recording with luminaries such as Charles Brackeen, Frank Lowe, Andrew Cyrille, Malachi Favors, Roy Hargrove, Fred Hopkins, Oliver Lake, Max Roach, Cecil Taylor, Henry Grimes, Ahmed Abdullah, Mark Helias, Ellery Eskelin, George Cartwright, Sabir Mateen, Roy Campbell, Jr., Olu Dara, Douglas Ewart, Hamid Drake, Elton Dean, Keith Tippett and many more. His more recent forays into the New England jazz scene have been particularly productive, gigging and recording with Joe Morris, Charlie Kohlhase, Nate McBride, Luther Gray, and Timo Shanko. His trio consists of his sons Aaron and Stefan.
Sliding scale; suggested donation $10. Time TBA

3/13 Kenny Millions' "Tech Jazz"
Kenny (formerly known as Keshavan Maslak) is a Florida based, ex-Detroiter who combines DJ skills with a notable history in jazz, mainstream pop, rock and improvising. He began his studies of music at the age of 6 in Detroit. His grandfather, being a performer of Russian and Jewish folk songs, introduced him to the beauty of Eastern European folk and classical music. His first professional experiences were playing for the immigrant Slavic community of Detroit at the age of 12. Later, his Motown connected classmates at Cass Tech indoctrinated him into the joys of Motown R&B and the mysteries of jazz and the blues.

"We will all rise beneath her wings." Art Photographer Answers Our Four Questions.

First, a few words from the artist …

My pseudonym DVS is an acronym for my studio, Dark Vision Studio, as well as a play on the word "devious", to which I define as "departing from the common norm". Simply put, I am an artist. Those four words summarize who I am...who I will always be...and how I am afflicted. Afflicted to always seek beauty within the shadows of life, find inspiration in those with amazing complexity and achieve serenity within the work that aspires from it.

DVS shared his answers to thedetroiter.com's famous four questions with Lee Runchey.

Why Detroit?

Detroit creates a unique breed of artist. Because we do not have many of the resources and opportunities other cities take for granted, we are forced to struggle through our individual hardships to stand and have a voice. This struggle makes us strong...unique...and gives us a commanding voice that is uniquely our own. We live within the shadows of our great industrial past shed from the light of our destined rising. Together we have despair and hope intertwined. Though this may seem tumultuous, it actually balances us. You cannot have one without the other. Like the night before the dawn, you cannot appreciate one with the absence of the other. So why Detroit? Because I see Detroit as the great phoenix that will soon rise from within its ashes to soar towards unmeasured heights...and with faith, we will all rise beneath her wings.

Why art photography?

Photography, for me, has been many things. In my black and white film beginnings, it was primarily therapy to express the inner turmoil from the tragic loss of a dear friend. I created sculpted androgynous figures in emotive postures that symbolically displayed what was going on within. I then created scenes for each one and photographed them as living entities to dispel the pain in tangible form. Now, within digital color, photography is a physical expression within the spiritual exploration of self. As I continue my evolving journeys of mind, body and soul, I try to convey my thoughts, visions and dreams within my imagery, now using actual persons. The challenge is then to give birth to these visions physically within the studio...honestly without digital manipulation through experimentations with real elements such as fire, hand-made wardrobes, unorthodox lighting fixtures and shadowplay. I came from film beginnings so I try to remain faithful to the essence of creation from the actual flaming heart in "Sacred Heart" to the swirling lights in "Maelstrom". All this while attempting to balance the image with the essence and persona of the model as overall, this art is a collaboration of two.

What is the future of art photography?

The future of photography, in general, is unfortunate with the wonderful advancements in digital technology. In the past with film, we took our time. We waited for or created the moments to preserve or merely immortalized candid moments of time. Now, many rush through taking many photographs in hopes to capture that one magic instant. Without much thought, we erase unwanted images that used to hold candid charm. We easily erase our history as well as an integral part of our lives. Photography, in a sense, has become homogenized, pasteurized and sterilized. I don't condemn it, mind you...I do it myself. The future of "art" photography, on the other hand, will depend on the ingenuity of those photographers who think "outside the box". Some are already experimenting with antique cameras retrofitting them with modern films. Some are using other technologies not design for photography to create the unconventional. As with anything else in life, never mind what is said you cannot do. Experiment, explore and have fun.

What is the future of art photography in Detroit?

I am currently working with other professional photographers on organizing a society of fine art erotic photographers. The group promises to be a collection of the finest photographers of erotica in the region as well as serve to re-cultivate the classic definition of words "fine art". It will also serve as a mentoring or guidance program to those showing promise within this genre as well as provide them exposure through printed annuals of collected works. It is in its infancy, but great names in the profession have seen its potential and signed on.

You can view DVS' diverse portfolio of art photography as well as other artistic mediums at “www.dvsdetroit.com”.

DVS, BT Charles, Chris Maher and Danielle Kaltz will display their work for “Hush”, the first series in The Dirty Show photographer showcase, at Pulse, 156 Monroe, Detroit. The opening reception is Thursday March 8 beginning at 6 pm and runs through March 31. Please see our arts calendar for more information on this and other arts listings.

For a look at previous Four Question Interviews from our archives, click here.