Making Our Way To Midnight

Local artist Olivia Eshe Holt presents "Making Our Way To Midnight," a compelling, three part ceramic tile installation that maps the rich history and ongoing transcendence of Black life in Detroit. Displayed at the Main Detroit Public Library, this public showcase invites viewers to reflect on the foundational stories that shape our present day city.

“Making Our Way To Midnight” is a three-part ceramic tile installation that reflects the ongoing transcendence of Black life in the city of Detroit. Through handbuilt tiles, this work maps together a historical visual narrative spanning decades: from Detroit's role as a sanctuary for freedom seekers escaping enslavement to the city’s later status as a destination for opportunity during the Great Migration to the peaks of Black Bottom and Paradise Valley. This installation explores themes of celestial guidance, memory, and Black ingenuity, tracing back to the legacies of enslaved labor. Each piece retells Black American…