Courtesy photo
Next to The Shepherd is the Charles McGee Legacy Park, a permanent sculpture garden in honor of the late artist.
The long-awaited Library Street Collective project anchored by The Shepherd in East Village is opening on May 18.
They’re calling the whole 3.5-acre campus spearheaded by Library Street Collective co-founders and partners Anthony and JJ Curis, “Little Village.” It spans several blocks in Detroit’s East Village neighborhood and includes The Shepherd, the Charles McGee Legacy Park, a skate park designed by McArthur Binion and Tony Hawk, a bed and breakfast called ALEO, and the Lantern building.
Located in the former Good Shepherd church, The Shepherd has been redesigned by architectural firm Peterson Rich Office (PRO) to include two new gallery spaces, the Little Village Arts Library, performance art spaces, installations, and a mezzanine above the main gallery. A new cocktail bar called Father Forgive Me by Joe Robinson and Anthony Curis is slated to open in the church’s former garage.
The Little Village Arts Library will feature exhibition catalogs, monographs, and research materials on artists of color who have contributed to the Michigan art community curated by Asmaa Walton of Black Art Library.
With the Shepherd’s May opening also comes an expansive exhibit of Charles McGee’s work in collaboration with the Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit (MOCAD). This inaugural exhibition of The Shepherd, titled Charles McGee: Time is Now, is curated by MOCAD artistic director Jova Lynne and will be on view from May 18 to July 20.
McGee’s monumental career included sculptures, large-scale public works, paintings, and assemblages with themes chronicling the Black experience. The work in Time is Now “honors the way McGee’s practice fluctuated across narratives of representation, and his mastery of assembling patterns while deconstructing images across intimate drawings and larger-than-life sculptures,” according to a media announcement.
In tandem with Time is Now, MOCAD and Library Street Collective will present a sister exhibit at MOCAD titled Kin-ship: The Legacy of Gallery 7 from June 28 to September 23.
A permanent sculpture garden in honor of the late artist, the Charles McGee Legacy Park is also slated to open at The Shepherd on May 18 with three sculptures that McGee conceptualized before his passing in 2021.
“We count ourselves among the many who were touched by Charles McGee’s life and career, his commitment to uplifting the arts in Detroit and his passion for this city,” the Curises said in a statement. “It was truly a privilege to call him our friend. We look forward to celebrating Charles’ legacy with the inaugural exhibition at the Shepherd and are thrilled to partner with MOCAD on this historic moment.”
The Lantern, a mixed-use space a few blocks from The Shepherd, will house nonprofits Signal-Return and Progressive Arts Studio Collective (PASC) in addition to providing over 5,000 square feet of artist studio space and nearly 4,000 square feet of retail and restaurant space. It will also be the headquarters and recording studio for Detroit-based music label Assemble Sound.
ALEO, located in The Shepherd’s former rectory, is envisioned as a haven for artists and others seeking a “cultural retreat.” The bed and breakfast, also set to open in May, has work by nearly 30 Detroit-based artists, or artists with ties to the city, in guest rooms and communal spaces. It’s also the headquarters for McArthur Binion’s Foundation and nonprofit Modern Ancient Brown, which provides residencies and mentorship to BIPOC artists and writers.
Across from the Shepherd is another project called BridgeHouse, two repurposed residential buildings that will house a new pâtisserie by James Beard award-winning chef Warda Bouguettaya to serve ALEO guests and neighbors. BridgeHouse will be encapsulated within a two-story deck that will function as an outdoor meeting space, viewing platform with views of the skatepark, and stage for performances.
“The Shepherd reshapes an institution that built community around religion, to one that will build community around the arts,” said Nathan Rich and Miriam Peterson of PRO. “Anthony and JJ’s commitment to expanding access to arts in the city of Detroit is nothing short of transformational. Our firm is honored to play a role in this special project.”
Library Street Collective’s sister gallery Louis Buhl & Co. will relocate to Little Village later this year where it will have its first in-house production studio.
For more information, see lscgallery.com.
Randiah Camille Green
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