Tiff Massey

Talks & Tours

FJC's Private Exhibition, Tour & Celebration of Tiff Massey: 7 Mile + Livernois.

Tour & celebrate the exhibition Tiff Massey: 7 Mile + Livernois with Founders Junior Council and enjoy lite bites and entertainment immediately following.

Examining Adornment: InsideOut Literary Arts Writing Workshop

Join InsideOut Literary Arts for a hands-on creative writing workshop led by acclaimed poet, artist, and educator Brittany Rogers, inspired by Tiff Massey’s exhibition 7 Mile + Livernois. Participants will explore Massey’s vibrant tribute to Detroit while discussing themes such as adornment, beauty, and class. Through poetic forms like odes and ekphrastic poetry, participants will craft their own creative responses to the exhibition. This workshop is designed for teens and adults.Participants will meet in Dining Room A & B (on the main floor next to the cafeteria) before visiting the exhibit.InsideOut Literary Arts at the Detroit Institute of Arts is made possible by Tri-County millage support and Joseph C. Richert, Esq.

Performances

Closing Party for Tiff Massey's 7 Mile + Livernois: After Dark with DJ KESSWA and Donavan Glover

Join us for the closing event for Tiff Massey’s celebrated exhibition, 7 Mile + Livernois, on May 9, 2025 from 6:30–9:30 p.m.! Get a last look at Massey’s exhibition before it closes to the public on May 11, 2025, and dance under the stars on the Woodward Avenue Plaza during special performances from Detroit-based DJs KESSWA and Donavan Glover.Cash bar available.DJ sets will not be seated.ScheduleExhibition open all day, starting at 10:00 a.m. Last entry at 9:00 p.m.DJ experience: 6:30 - 9:30 p.m. Last entry at 9:00 p.m. Approx. Set times:Donavan Glover: 6:30 - 8 p.m.DJ KESSWA: 8 - 9:30 p.m. Advanced registration is now CLOSED.   Only guests who are pre-registered may enter the outside DJ performance area from Woodward Avenue.  Guests needing to check-in without registration, including DIA members and residents of Wayne, Oakland, and Macomb counties, must do so at the Farnsworth or John R entrances and enter the DJ performance area from inside the museum through the Woodward Avenue door.  Admittance to DJ area, exhibition, and dining venues will be subject to capacity limits.  Click here for information on dining, parking, and museum admission.Additional self-parking is located at WSU Rackham Structure (45 E. Warren), and WSU Welcome Center (61 Putman).  Debit and Credit cards accepted, no cash. For information on parking fees at Wayne State University visit their website.About the performersDetroit native Kesiena Wanogho didn’t really get to hear the music she wanted on the local scene, and her longing for a calming and grounding element within electronic music soon turned into her mission. DJ Kesswa now blends jazz and electronica, soul and ambient music with the rhythms and structures of traditional Nigerian music to create a common feeling: a meditation and affirmative attitude towards the world. In 2020, Kesswa was granted a tandem residency in Berlin and Detroit, during which she collaborated with DJ, radio host, and curator Tereza. Born in Detroit’s lower-eastside, and raised downtown in King Homes, Donavan Glover discovered the knack for the arts at a young age. He began making a name for himself in the photography and documentary spaces as early as 2010, with high profile directing and videography credits for acts such as Talib Kweli, Slum Village, Amp Fiddler, Dej Loaf, Royce Da 5’9, Dave Chappelle, jessica Care Moore, Travis Scott, Saul Williams, Vic Mensa, and countless Detroit acts. Glover’s work led him to win multiple awards and fellowships, before embarking on his next artist journey as a music producer and DJ in 2018.

Performances

7 Mile + Livernois After Dark with DJ Nick Speed

Tour the DIA’s new contemporary exhibit, 7 Mile + Livernois, by artist Tiff Massey. Then, at 7:30 PM, join DJ Nick Speed for dancing and a cash bar in Rivera Court and the Great Hall.7 Mile + Livernois is Tiff Massey’s new gallery installation, featuring sculptures commissioned by the DIA in conversation with works by other artists from the museum’s collection. Massey’s work reimagines art’s role in the community, offering a vibrant, inclusive view of Detroit. Her art invites us to celebrate collective identity, ancestral flyness, and beauty. Gallery experience: 7 – 9 p.m.DJ experience: 7:30 – 9 p.m.

Talks & Tours

A Conversation with Tiff Massey and dream hampton

Please join the DIA for a conversation between internationally recognized artist Tiff Massey and award-winning filmmaker and writer dream hampton. This talk will explore the themes behind Massey's celebrated exhibition at the Detroit Institute of Arts, 7 Mile + Livernois, on view through May 11, 2025. This event is an official part of the program for the 2024 Detroit Month of Design. This citywide project gathers designers, consumers, residents, and the greater community to celebrate Detroit's role as a national and global design capital.  

Tiff Massey: 7 Mile + Livernois Member Preview

Open to all current members. Come see Tiff Massey: 7 Mile + Livernois!

Tiff Massey: 7 Mile + Livernois Public Opening, with a live performance by Rimarkable

Join us for an opening reception celebrating Tiff Massey: 7 Mile + Livernois on Saturday, May 4, from 7–10 p.m., featuring a performance by Rimarkable, festive snacks, and a cash bar. This event is free with advance registration, with timed ticketing to enter the exhibition galleries. Access to the exhibition will be limited to 20-minute timed entry slots, reserved in advance. Registration is nontransferable. Please enter the museum via John R Street entrance. Complimentary coat check is available. Parking is available in John R Street public lot for $7. This opening reception is generously supported by the Friends of Modern and Contemporary Art and the Founders Junior Council. About the exhibition: Tiff Massey: 7 Mile + Livernois is presented by the Detroit Institute of Arts and will be on view May 5, 2024 – May 11, 2025. About Rimarkable: Detroit native Rimarkable is a DJ, vocalist, songwriter, and producer. She has lit up the stage with world stars including George Clinton, Madonna, and Erykah Badu, as well as legendary DJ colleagues Louie Vega, Todd Edwards, Francois K, Pete Tong, and Roger Sanchez. Rimarkable is known for her unwavering knowledge of where electronic music comes from and where it is going. Alongside her multi-hyphenate musicianship, Rimarkable is also an Adjunct Professor at NYU's Tisch School of the Arts in the Clive Davis Institute, where she teaches the younger minds about ’The Alchemy Of DJing’. Quite literally a party starter, she’s produced several successful, long-running events in New York, Detroit, and the Bay Area over the past 20+ years. In early 2021, Rimarkable signed with UK house music institution Defected, including the Defected Music publishing arm, and stepped up as a presenter for the weekly Defected Radio show. Rimarkable currently spends her time between Detroit and NYC.  

Member Lecture: Tiff Massey

Join us for an exclusive member lecture with renowned artist Tiff Massey as she shares the inspirations and stories behind her acclaimed exhibition 7 Mile + Livernois. Gain unique insights from Massey as she explores the cultural and personal significance of her work, reflecting on Detroit's vibrant history and community.