JOSEPH EZE’S HAIR SALON 3 ACQUIRED BY THE DETROIT INSTITUTE OF ARTS
The Detroit Institute of Arts (DIA) has officially acquired Hair Salon 3 by Nigerian artist Joseph Eze, marking a significant milestone for both the artist and his representative, Vincent Ugokwe, of Dozie Arts, The connection with the DIA began in 2023 when board member Rod Hardamon visited Ugokwe’s booth at Prizm Miami. Impressed by Eze’s work, Hardamon suggested that the artist’s pieces would be an excellent fit for the museum’s collection. Nii Quarcoopome, DIA’s co-chief curator, was also present at the fair, and this initial encounter laid the foundation for what would become a year-long relationship.
By the 2024 Prizm Show, the entire DIA board attended and responded enthusiastically to Eze’s works. Curator Quarcoopome selected a piece for the museum, Board Chairman Lane Coleman purchased two works, and Hardamon acquired one for his personal collection. From there, the acquisition process formally began. After a rigorous review and a board vote, the museum finalized the acquisition in May 2025.
Quarcoopome played a key role throughout the process, even assisting when the original painting was damaged during transit. Ugokwe personally delivered the replacement piece to Detroit, where Quarcoopome praised both Eze’s talent and Ugokwe’s perseverance, noting that Eze is “on the path to great success.”
Hair Salon 3 will be featured in the DIA’s upcoming African Art exhibition next year.
This experience highlights the complexity of museum acquisitions, which often involve lengthy timelines, board approvals, and careful inspections. Ugokwe emphasizes the importance of exceptional artistry, relationship-building with curators, and professional shipping to avoid setbacks.
Beyond the DIA, Ugokwe has also placed works in the Museum of Peace and Justice in Alabama. Looking ahead, his team is preparing for Affordable Art NYC in September, The Pigmented Fine Art Faire in Chicago in October, Prizm Miami in December, and a potential solo show for Joseph Eze this fall.
Tips for Artists Seeking Museum Placement
- Let the artwork speak first — A unique and compelling style naturally sparks curator interest.
- Cultivate genuine relationships — Attend art fairs, connect with curators, and follow up consistently.
- Understand the process — Museum acquisitions take time, often requiring months of board discussions and reviews.
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MECCA IN MEMORY
Mecca in Memory: Public Premiere, a multimedia ceremony debuting the newest Floating Monument for Mecca will be held Saturday, August 9, at Illinois Tech College of Architecture’s Crown Hall and Siegel Field (3360 S. State Street, Chicago) — the very site where the historic Mecca Flats once stood. The event is free to the public.
Once a vibrant center of Black life in Chicago’s Bronzeville neighborhood, Mecca Flats was erased from the city’s landscape. Mecca in Memory reclaims this space through an afternoon of performance, conversation, and shared ritual.
The ceremony begins at 1:30 PM with INFLATE for Mecca, a symbolic activation followed by a live musical procession led by Corey Wilkes, drawing on the tradition of blues processionals to honor memory, resilience, and community.
At 3:00 PM, a critical conversation, But They’re Still Here in the Archival Evidence, will take place in Crown Hall’s Lower Core. Moderated by Lead Archivist Skyla Hearn, the discussion features archival fellows Tiffany Johnson and Christian Reeder, alongside Sherry Williams, Founder of the Bronzeville Historical Society, and Dr. Marcia Walker-McWilliams, Executive Director of the Tulane University History Project. This kitchen-table style panel will explore the person-centered, historically rich research process behind for Mecca.
The day closes with a Benediction / Right Hand of Fellowship at 4:30 PM, followed by a 5:00 PM reception at Siegel Field featuring BBQ and refreshments from Bronzeville Winery.
All ages are welcome. Free and open to the public, with RSVPs encouraged via Eventbrite.
Join us for this act of public memory — a call to remember, reclaim, and reimagine.
Click here to attend
FLOURISH HOSTS CURATOR CONFIDENTIAL AT HYDE PARK ART CENTER
By Olivia Flutz
On Saturday the Hyde Park Art Center hosted Flourish’s “Curated Confidential” panel discussion. Flourish is an organization dedicated to uplifting artists of color, by offering fellowship opportunities and other essential resources that empower creatives to express their talent to their greatest extent and ensure that the artistic traditions of BIPOC remain alive.
Led by Flourish co-founder Oscar Bedolla, the panel brought together five distinguished voices in curation and art advocacy: Danny Dunson, Veronica Ocasio, Mariela Ocuna, Monique Brinkman-Hill and Dr. Myrtis Bedolla. Each panelist shared their expertise and personal experiences as BIPOC curators working to protect artists of color in an increasingly challenging political climate.
The discussion revealed the importance of curators and their roles in ensuring that BIPOC artists receive the representation and respect that their work deserves. A sobering moment in the conversation addressed the recent decision of the African-American artist Amy Sherald, who decided to cancel her Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery exhibition, which featured a painting of a Black trans woman reimagined as the Statue of Liberty. This cancellation, made in response to potential retaliation in line with the rise of right-winged censorship in the U.S., underscores issues faced by BIPOC artists and curators today.
The panelists drew from their own backgrounds as BIPOC individuals, sharing how their identities inform their curatorial practice and their drive to amplify marginalized voices. For the audience of mostly emerging creatives, they offered critical advice on getting their work discovered and displayed with the help of curators, emphasizing the importance of engaging with art spaces within our communities, having a clear and distinguishable mission as a creative that can be conveyed to curators, and finding allies within the BIPOC art sphere.
Read the newsletter in its entirety here.
