Detroit Institute of Arts' Friends of African and African American Art kicks off year-long celebration of 50th anniversary with "The Summer of '62"
Friends of African and African American Art (FAAAA), an auxiliary group of the Detroit Institute of Arts (DIA), kicks off a year-long celebration of its 50th anniversary with "The Summer of '62" on Saturday, Sept. 15, at 7 p.m. at the DIA.
The groovy party is a tribute to the year FAAAA was established as The African Art Gallery Committee. Guests are encouraged to dress in 1962 "cocktail glamour" and will enjoy a Detroit-style strolling supper. For dancing, the DIA's Prentis Court will be "transformed" into the Latin Quarter, one of Detroit's oldest and hippest nightclubs in the 1960s. Partygoers can pose for photos with three choice 1962 cars that will be parked at the DIA.
The mouth-watering menu includes chicken satay with a peanut-ginger drizzle, grilled shrimp in a maple glaze, and mini corn dogs as the appetizers. Food stations take on a Detroit flavor with Detroit's own Maurice salad, mac & cheese with toppings, short ribs with risotto and fried green beans, whole roasted swordfish with a broccoli, cranberry and walnut slaw, and fried chicken lollipops with fried green tomatoes and potato salad. Sweet endings include bananas foster, grilled fruit with ice cream, mini pastries, and sweet shots.
Tickets are $150 each, with Patron tickets at $500 for two people. Tickets can be purchased by calling 313-833-4005 or at www.tickets.dia.org. Proceeds support FAAAA's efforts on behalf of the DIA.
Sponsors of "The Summer of '62" are Ford Motor Company Fund, General Motors, DTE Energy Foundation, St. John Providence Health System, Blue Care Network and Health Alliance Plan. Media sponsor is WJBK FOX2.
About Friends of African and African American Art
Originally named the African Art Gallery Committee, FAAAA was founded in 1962 as an auxiliary of the Founders Society of the DIA and is today one of the museum's oldest and most highly regarded organizations of its kind. FAAAA's mission is to raise funds to purchase significant works of art created by African, African American and other artists of the Diaspora. Additionally, FAAAA plays a vital role in introducing young people to art and educating them through the many programs, tours, lectures and special exhibitions offered throughout the year.
Ed. Note: In attached photo, L-R: Rodney Howell, Sharon Madison (event chair), Laydell Wood Wyatt (driver), Paralee Day (front seat.pssgr.), Gail Ross (back seat, driver's side), Honorable Charles W. Anderson III (back seat, pssgr. side), Dr. Robert E. L. Perkins.
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The Detroit Institute of Arts (DIA), one of the premier art museums in the United States, is home to more than 60,000 works that comprise a multicultural survey of human creativity from ancient times through the 21st century. From the first Van Gogh painting to enter a U.S. museum (Self-Portrait, 1887), to Diego Rivera's world-renowned Detroit Industry murals (1932–33), the DIA's collection is known for its quality, range, and depth. The DIA's mission is to create opportunities for all visitors to find personal meaning in art.
Programs are made possible with support from the City of Detroit and residents of Wayne, Oakland and Macomb counties.