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D etroit is in the process of a creative renaissance. Once the most affluent metropolitan area in the United States, the city fell into a state of disrepair in the latter half of the 20th century, causing many to write it off as lost for good. The new millennium is shaping up to be one of metamorphosis and rebirth, particularly when it comes to the arts scene. Detroit’s major museums are leading the way, but the establishment of Little Village in 2024, which defines itself as “a cultural corridor fostering an inclusive community centered around the arts,” has extended the boundaries of creativity to incorporate not just institutions but entire neighborhoods.
Into this rich mix enters Lumana, an initiative from philanthropist, collector, and entrepreneur Jennifer Gilbert. Lumana will join the community at Little Village, specifically in the redeveloped shipyards at Stanton Yards, housed in a building designed by SOLID OBJECTIVES IDENBERG LIU. “Once open, Lumana will support new generations of artists, designers, and the institutions that champion them,” says Gilbert. “This is a city that is very important to me, and I’m excited to build something long-lasting here.”
Lumana is a culmination of a life spent dedicated to creativity. Gilbert, a Detroit native, has over 20 years of experience in interior design and founded several businesses including the Detroit-based, award-winning POPHOUSE design studio, Amber Engine, a home furnishings services and solutions technology company, and Doodle Home, a digital platform for residential interior designers. In 2015, she worked with the gallery Library Street Collective and real-estate firm Bedrock to launch the Detroit Art Collection, which places pieces of contemporary art—paintings, prints, sculpture and more—in public spaces in downtown Detroit. The initiative’s aim is to broaden the community’s exposure to art in real life.
“My passion for art began in my college art history classes and evolved into a passion for collecting,” says Gilbert. “Over the years, I’ve also supported museums and cultural institutions, and now I’m excited to develop this new project.”
Lumana will exist as an expansive space (around 20,000 square feet) for exploration, dialogue and discovery. In Stanton Yards, the reimagined building will include multiple exhibition spaces, an auditorium, bookstore, and café. Gilbert is being very intentional about the future of the project: “I hope to see the impact of Lumana reflected in the success of the artists, designers, and cultural institutions it supports. Little Village, recently named one of TIME’s Greatest Places, is already attracting creatives across disciplines. I’m excited to see that continue to grow, and for Lumana to become an integral part of it.”
Ahead of Lumana’s opening, Gilbert is putting her own collection of art to work. Last winter, works from her collection were featured at the Shepherd, a cultural arts center in the Little Village. The exhibition was made up of 36 works by contemporary artists including: Amoako Boafo, Conrad Egyir, Olafur Eliasson, Helen Frankenthaler, Jeffrey Gibson, Barkley L. Hendricks, Rashid Johnson, and more. It was curated by Laura Mott, Chief Curator at Cranbrook Art Museum, and the seminal artist Nick Cave.
This spring, Gilbert is offering pieces from her collection at auction at Sotheby’s New York, proceeds of which will benefit Lumana. Highlights in the Contemporary Evening sale include: Joan Mitchell’s Loom II (1976) from the artist’s exuberant period of the mid-1970s, when she incorporated sweeping strokes of colors inspired by the surrounding French countryside, and Kenneth Noland’s Circle (1958), a rare example of Noland’s early Concentric Circles, and among the best and largest examples from the series.
Other pieces will be offered in the day sale and future design sales including George Rickey’s Orenary (Space Churn Theme) (1955) and Harry Bertoia’s Untitled (c. 1950). “It felt fitting that the work of the great Modernist artists I deeply admire could continue to uplift those following in their footsteps,” said Gilbert.
The sale of this collection is set to mark yet another moment of renaissance for Detroit, bolstering a cultural project on which we will look back in 20 years and understand as a seminal turning point for the once again vibrant city.
