The Midwest in Paris: WSU artists, alumni shine in Detroit Salon’s global debut

Detroit's creative community is taking the global stage by storm in Paris, with Wayne State University artists and alumni at the epicenter.

Taking place Oct. 24-26, Detroit Salon - Detroit's first global citywide contemporary art event and international exhibitions platform - and WSU's College of Fine, Performing and Communication Arts (CFPCA) are on full display during Art Basel Paris.

The inaugural Detroit Salon celebrates the city's artists, designers, and cultural innovators, many with roots at CFPCA. The exhibition is curated by Juana Williams, a Wayne State alumna and recipient of the CFPCA Arts Achievement Award, who serves as Chief Curator of Detroit Salon. Williams' leadership reflects the far reach of Detroit's creative ecosystem - and Wayne State's role in nurturing it.

"Detroit Salon beautifully demonstrates how Detroit's artists - many of them connected to Wayne State - continue to influence contemporary art on a global scale," said Kelly Young, Interim Dean of the College of Fine, Performing and Communication Arts. "Our faculty and alumni shape not only the creative culture of our city but also the conversations happening in galleries and museums around the world. This is exactly what it means to be a Detroit university with a global impact."

Detroit Salon is a high-profile, multi-year contemporary art initiative executed in partnership with Salonnière, MEDC, Visit Detroit, CultureSource, TechTown, and Michigan Municipal League Foundation to celebrate the Detroit region as an emerging global art hub, and to attract new visitors to discover and explore Detroit's vibrant art scene.

Among the featured artists are Lauren Kalman, Elaine L. Jacob Endowed Chair in the James Pearson Duffy Department of Art, Art History, and Design, whose practice spans jewelry, performance, and installation, and Allana Clarke, Assistant Professor and multimedia artist whose work interrogates identity and material transformation.

"As the event brings Detroit's legacy of creativity to international audiences, it also showcases the university's deep connections to that story," said Kalman. "From studios in Midtown to exhibitions in Paris, WSU's faculty, alumni, and partners continue to define what it means to make, teach, and share art in - and from - Detroit."

Distinguished alumni and past faculty whose ongoing influences are also celebrated in the Paris project include:

• Carole Harris, alumna, acclaimed fiber artist, Arts Achievement Award honoree, and former Chair of the CFPCA Board of Visitors
• Shirley Woodson (CLAS '65), painter, educator, and one of Detroit's most celebrated cultural figures
• Senghor Reid (BFA '04, Art Education), whose vibrant works explore the intersections of environment, community, and healing
• Kesswa (CLAS '17, Sociology), musician and alumna whose work embodies Detroit's dynamic music and arts culture
• Levon Kafafian (BA '14, Anthropology), an interdisciplinary artist whose textiles and performances merge storytelling and cultural identity
• Zahra Amajidi (BFA '17) a visual artist and metalsmith, a visual artist and metalsmith who explores how objects and adornment help displaced communities preserve their craft traditions.
• Clare Gatto and Hubert Massey, both past WSU faculty and staff, whose creative legacies continue to enrich the Detroit arts landscape