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Detroit

SustainACity: An Environmental Art Exhibition by and for Detroiters

Exhibition highlights the intersection of environmental justice and art.

Midbrow Editor
· 2 min read
A painting of a young Black boy with a raised fist on his shirt, one eye glowing orange, stands before a fiery sunrise with the word "RISE" in the sky, displayed in a gallery.
“Son Rise Up,” was created by local artist Qiana Davis.

By Caria Taylor

SustainACity: A Vision for a Thriving, Resilient Detroit transformed the Robert C. Valade Park into an open-air gallery. Curated by Asia Hamilton, founder and director of Norwest Gallery of Art, this exhibition focused on sustainability awareness while also bringing people together through art. 

The exhibition was part of the 2025 Detroit Month of Design, celebrating Detroit as the nation's only UNESCO city. This year’s theme challenged artists and audiences to consider how design can drive solutions for sustainability.

A woman dressed in a white outfit stands smiling behind her, a banner reads “Sustain A City” alongside framed artworks.
Asia Hamilton curated SustainACity with the intention of featuring local artists expressing themselves through themes of environmental justice and climate change. Photo credit: Caria Taylor

“I felt like it was an opportunity to use my platform to talk about climate change, to talk about the changing weather conditions in our community…and what better way to do it than with art, ” Hamilton said.

A group of four people, look at a large colorful painting displayed on an easel inside an art gallery.
SustainACity transformed Robert C. Valade into an open air exhibition embracing artwork from local artists around Detroit. Photo credit: Caria Taylor
An abstract painting with layered colors and shapes displayed on an easel inside a modern gallery space.
“Son Rise Up” was created by local artist Qiana M Davis.
An animated artwork displayed on an easel, surrounded by other artworks and people walking around in a gallery space.
 “In My Backyard” is a vibrant digital illustration by artist Daizydoodles. Photo credit: Caria Taylor
A woman stands outdoors holding up a picture featuring animated artwork.
Megan Rizzo, also known as Daizydoodles, works to promote a more sustainable future for Detroit. Photo credit: Caria Taylor
Scared Conversations by Dajaniere Rice.
A woman wearing a baseball cap and all black stand in front of an abstracted painting of a young boy.
Qiana M Davis is a mixed media artist whose work is deeply inspired by the community around her. Photo credit: Caria Taylor
A woman looks at artwork on an easel surrounded by other artworks in an exhibition space.
Artists were asked to consider themes of sustainability and environmental justice when submitting art for the SustainACity exhibition. Photo credit: Caria Taylor
A man in a black cowboy hat stands by an artwork on an easel surrounded by others in a gallery space.
Delon Robinson uses his artwork to spread awareness on the history of redlining and its relationship to environmental justice. Photo credit: Caria Taylor

This article was published in conjunction with Outlier Media.

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