On Sunday, October 5, the Cranbrook Art Museum hosted a lively day filled with art, crafts, music, and food trucks for people of all ages. The event marked the opening of the museum’s newest exhibition, Seen/Scene: Artwork from the Jennifer Gilbert Collection, showcased in the Shepherd’s art gallery space.

Festivities began at 11 a.m. with a curator discussion featuring Laura Mott, Chief Curator at Cranbrook Art Museum, and Nick Cave, the seminal artist known for his dynamic sculptural works.

Jennifer Gilbert, a philanthropist who, along with her husband Dan Gilbert—founder of the Rock family of companies and owner of the Cleveland Cavaliers—has donated $30 million to the Cranbrook Academy of Art, debuted 36 selected pieces from her personal collection. Seen/Scene was generously underwritten by Gilbert herself, and the Shepherd proved to be the perfect backdrop for the exhibition.

The kickoff also included a screening of Nick Cave’s documentary “Here Hear,” which follows his 2015 seven-month project across Detroit and its surrounding areas. The film captures public exhibitions of his signature Soundsuits, vibrant wearable sculptures that blend performance, fashion, and social commentary. Following the screening, Laura Mott, Nick Cave, and designer Bob Faust engaged in an in-depth discussion about the collaborative nature and community impact of the project.

As both an artist and dancer, Cave’s work in “Here Hear” highlighted countless rehearsals and fittings of dancers in the Soundsuits, along with the many Detroit locations where the performances took place—such as the Dequindre Cut, Brightmoor, Mexicantown, Eastern Market, and other bustling neighborhoods. A 1989 graduate of the Cranbrook Academy of Art, Cave emphasized the importance of collaboration with educational programs in the city, including the Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit (MOCAD), the Ruth Ellis Center in Highland Park, and students from the Detroit School of Arts. These partnerships brought local talent to life through the Soundsuit performances featured in the film.

After the film and discussion, guests were invited to explore the exhibit throughout the Shepherd’s indoor galleries and participate in the outdoor festivities. Each registered attendee received two food vouchers redeemable at food trucks such as Delectabowl and Waka by Baobab Fare, as well as sweet treats from Detroit Mini Donuts or Warda Pâtisserie. The grounds also featured retail pop-ups from Pewabic Pottery, Cranbrook Art Museum, and others, along with pumpkin painting, coloring stations, live music, letterpress printing by Signal-Return, and skate demos hosted by A Positive Seed.