Detroit’s Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCAD) opened its doors in 2006 and today celebrates two decades of artistic experimentation with the exhibition “20 Years of MOCAD: A Practice of Multiplicity.” The show brings together over 80 artists—local legends like Olayami Dabls, Tyree Guyton and Shirley Woodson, as well as emerging voices such as Bryce Detroit, LaKela Brown and Conrad Egyir.

Artist spotlight: Sterling Toles

Detroit‑born Sterling Toles presents his piece “PT,” a large electrical device framed by bright orange vinyl curtains. Toles explains the work as a metaphor for transforming trauma into human energy: “This potential transformer takes a large amount of electrical energy, distills it down, and sends it to smaller places. It symbolizes our capacity to transform experience through action and connection.”

“PT” is the third work Toles has shown at MOCAD, following his participation in the 2021 group show “Dual Vision” and his 2022 solo exhibition “s(h)elves?” The artist, who began as a rapper and producer on Detroit’s east side, now creates mixed‑media pieces that repurpose everyday objects.

Other highlights

Leith Campbell, part of the Apetechnology collective, contributes the kinetic installation “Whip Salad,” featuring four machines that visitors can activate. The group’s earlier 2012 work “Vision in a Cornfield” transformed old cars into a large‑scale piece for MOCAD.

Acclaimed painter Sydney G. James offers a tribute to Detroit’s east side with “3‑1‑3 Kings of the East,” a portrait of three local artists she admires. James says the work is meant to introduce viewers to the creators behind the city’s vibrant cultural scene.

Curatorial vision

MOCAD Co‑Director and Artistic Director Jova Lynne describes the exhibition as an “enormous curatorial undertaking” that seeks to link artists across generations, disciplines and cultural contexts. She notes the museum’s physical limitations but emphasizes the importance of fostering dialogue and risk‑taking.

“Experimentation has always been central to our identity, not only in the work we present but in how we think about the museum itself as a platform for artistic production, dialogue, and discovery,” Lynne said. “Bringing together more than 80 artists allows us to celebrate the many voices that have shaped MOCAD’s story.”

Visit MOCAD

The exhibition runs at MOCAD, 4454 Woodward Ave., Detroit. Hours: Wednesday 11 a.m.–5 p.m.; Thursday and Friday 11 a.m.–8 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday 11 a.m.–5 p.m. Phone: 313‑832‑6622.

Original reporting: BridgeDetroit — read the source article.