WSU Art Galleries stem to educate the next generation of visual artists, designers, and art historians, and housed under WSU’s College of Fine, Performing and Communication Arts. The college programs two galleries for the benefit of our university and surrounding communities. The Art Department Gallery (ADG) was established in 1956 and focuses on student, faculty, and alumni exhibitions, as well as the work of community artists. The Elaine L. Jacob Gallery (ELJG), 1997, presents exhibitions of national and international significance.
The ELJG and ADG are part of a visual arts network located in Detroit Cultural Center Area, along with the Detroit Institute of Arts, Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit, College for Creative Studies, Detroit Artists Market, Scarab Club and N’namdi Gallery; the galleries significantly contribute to the vitality of Detroit as a destination for visual arts.
MISSION STATEMENTS
Art Department Gallery
The Art Department Gallery (ADG) serves as an exhibition venue to extend the mission of the Department of Art and Art History in support of faculty, students, alumni and community-based groups.
Since 1956 the Art Department Gallery has presented a diverse range of exhibitions for the Detroit Metropolitan area. The ADG hosts approximately 6-10 exhibitions each year that feature works by artists associated with WSU and Detroit. The annual exhibition schedule at the ADG have been strategically revised to accommodate both traditional undergraduate, graduate, faculty, and alumni exhibitions. The following exhibitions and programs have recently been added: Annual Mobile Arts Workshop Exhibition following our summer community workshop programs (2015-present) and Annual Tri-County High School Exhibition with scholarship awards (2012-present).
Elaine L. Jacob Gallery
The Elaine L. Jacob Gallery (ELJG) serves as a forum for the display of nationally and internationally significant contemporary art.
The ELJG features 3-5 exhibitions each year that include works created by emerging and established contemporary artists. Special programming coinciding with the exhibitions includes visiting artists and curators who provide studio visits, gallery talks, lectures, panels, and performances for students, faculty, staff, and the Detroit community at large. A majority of the exhibitions and special programs are coordinated in collaboration with prominent regional, national, and international gallery and museum partners and their curators, directors, and registrars for consultancy during the planning and installation stages.
** Please note the Elaine L. Jacob Gallery and the Art Department Gallery does not accept unsolicited submissions or proposals for exhibitions at this time **
Gallery Staff
Thomas Pyrzewski
Director of Galleries and Special Programming email: tpyrzewski@wayne.edu
Thomas Pyrzewski was born in Detroit and received a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the College for Creative Studies (CCS), Detroit; and a Master of Fine Arts degree from Wayne State University (WSU), Detroit. He is a sculptor and performance artist, and the Director of Galleries and Special Programming at WSU.
Laura Makar
Gallery Manager (Preparator / Registrar) email: laura.makar@wayne.edu
Laura Makar was born in Buffalo, NY and grew up in Toledo, OH. She received her BFA, Bowling Green State University, OH, and her MFA at Wayne State University. Since 2015, Laura has served as the Gallery Manager for the Elaine L. Jacob Gallery and Art Department Gallery and currently teaches at Oakland University.
Jakira Ahmed
Curatorial Assistant / Social Media Manager
Jakira Ahmed undergraduate student studying Art History and English at Wayne State University. In addition to working at WSU Galleries, she is an assistant for the WSU Art Collection and the Peer Mentor for the Gallery Learning Community. Both her academic and professional experiences intersect in a way that reveals a broad passion for researching and interacting with art as a lifelong pursuit.
Student Gallery Assistants
Angela Athnasios, MA Candidate in Art History
Jaylen Calloway, BFA candidate in Industrial Design, minor in Fashion
Gina Hepp, BFA candidate in Drawing, minor in Illustration
Jackson Gifford, BA candidate in Art History and Music
DaJanae Grayer, BA candidate in Art History, minor in studio art