Interesting things are happening in Detroit’s East Village. The area is quickly becoming Detroit’s new cultural arts hub and destination, driven by life partners Anthony & JJ Curis.
First came the Library Street Collective in 2012, a contemporary art gallery that aims to connect Detroit to the international arts community while maintaining crucial support to the local creative renaissance of the city. The gallery has evolved to include exhibitions, collaborations and partnerships with major museums as well as large-scale public projects and community-based initiatives.
Library Street Collective inspired a broader effort to revitalize the entire neighborhood.
Driven to expand public access to the arts in Detroit, the Curises, working alongside neighbors and community stakeholders are developing ‘Little Village’ as a new cultural corridor with initiatives that place emphasis on historic preservation, contemporary adaptation, and community engagement.
Now comes the Shepherd – a first-of-its kind cultural campus with publicly accessible green spaces, curated programming, a public art library, artist studio spaces, restaurants, bars and more.
THE SHEPHERD GROUNDS. Photo by Jason Keen, Courtesy of Library Street Collective
The Shepherd is the former 110 year old Good Shepherd church and it now anchors The Little Village.
Detroitisit had the opportunity to speak with Anthony and JJ about their vision and plans for the area, and following this, we heard from Allison Glenn, Artistic Director of the Shepherd, and curator of the exhibition opening at the Shepherd this weekend, In an effort to be held.
DII: Tell me about the Shepherd.
JJ/Anthony: Formerly known as the Good Shepherd Church, the Shepherd has been developed into a cultural arts center with two new gallery spaces in the central nave and transept, space for performances and larger installations throughout the central crossing, apse, and mezzanine above the main gallery, and the Little Village Library, curated by Asmaa Walton of Black Art Library.
We see the Shepherd as more than a traditional gallery; we view it as a community space where we will collaborate with other arts and community organizations, museums, and institutions to bring both locally and internationally renowned art to the city.
The former rectory is home to ALEO, a bed-and-breakfast and the headquarters of artist McArthur Binion’s Modern Ancient Brown Foundation.
ALEO, A CULTURAL RETREAT B&B ON THE GROUNDS. Photo by Jason Keen, Courtesy of Library Street Collective
The grounds of the Shepherd include a new sculpture garden dedicated to one of Detroit’s greatest artists, Charles McGee. McGee completed the designs for the Legacy Park—three large-scale figurative sculptures—prior to his passing in 2021. Adjacent to that is the ‘It Takes a Village Skatepark,’ designed by Tony Hawk and McArthur Binion.
Overall, the grounds surrounding the Shepherd offer over 3.5 acres of new, publicly accessible park and green space.
DII: What is the impetus and vision behind it?
JJ/Anthony: Our goal has always been to expand public access to the arts in Detroit, and this community is so special to us. So much attention is paid to the downtown area, and we thought we could make an impact by focusing our efforts in the neighborhoods. We’ve partnered with many incredible residents, community stakeholders, artists, and architects to make this a new resource for the community and visitors to Detroit alike.
DII: Share with us the importance of the renovated church and how it translates to what the Shepherd is today.
JJ/Anthony: We partnered with Peterson Rich Office (PRO) to reimagine the church and focused on keeping the integrity of the original architecture intact while strategically inserting elements that introduce new opportunities for programming and subtly highlight the relationship between the old and the new.
PRO was very intentional with the design of the new gallery spaces within. For example, from some vantages, there are clear processions to the church’s altar and framing of the historical details. Many will recognize the original Pewabic tiles on the altar, stained glass windows, and largely unaltered façade.
DII: Who should visit the Shepherd?
JJ/Anthony: The Shepherd is free and fully accessible to the public. We hope that it serves as an engaging community anchor and a space that Detroiters are proud to have in their city.
DII: How has the community been involved?
JJ/Anthony: From the beginning we’ve worked closely with incredible community organizations such as the East Village Association, Jefferson East, Inc., the Villages CDC, and the City of Detroit to shape what is now the Shepherd. The relationships we have with neighborhood residents and stakeholders has really given us the motivation to think bigger.
Kevin Beasley, Site XXXIII, 2023. Photo by Jason Wyche. Courtesy of the Artist and Casey Kaplan, New York
The Shepherd’s newest exhibition, opening this Saturday, August 3 is titled In an effort to be held. Artistic Director Allison Glenn describes the exhibit and the inspiration behind it, saying:
“In an effort to be held presents an intergenerational group of artists working across media, who have developed experimental approaches to process and form.
This group exhibition includes artists who employ active techniques such as soak staining, wrapping, pressing, bending, and the pushing and scraping of paint with the body and household tools. Key themes emerge throughout, including how the usage of found materials conveys the histories they hold and carry, with consideration for the terrestrial, historic, mythological, and celestial.
Work will be installed everywhere in the Shepherd, including the altar, mezzanine, oculus, and more. We really took advantage of the interior architecture to create an exhibition that asks people to get curious, look further, and understand the artwork in relationship to their body.
Two artists works included In an effort to be held will be exhibited publicly for one year, extending it’s reach beyond the Shepherd and providing accessible viewing opportunities in public space. Zak Ove’s The Mothership Connection, a 26-foot tall illuminated sculpture, will be on view on the Shepherd’s grounds. For one year, Genevieve Gaignard’s Public Matter will be on view across a series of billboards in The Belt.
In an effort to be held is on view from August 3 – October 12, 2024 at the Shepherd.
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