By Darren Cunningham and Chad Britton Wednesday afternoon, a federal judge blocked the Detroit Institute of Arts from moving or hiding a Van Gogh painting at the center of a lawsuit filed Tuesday. The order states the DIA is prohibited "from damaging, destroying, concealing, disposing, moving, or using as to substantially impair its value." A hearing is set for Jan. 19 at 10 a.m. The piece, "Liseuse de Romans" or "The Novel Reader," is at the center of a newly filed lawsuit against the DIA. A Brazilian art collector, Gustavo Soter, claims he bought the piece six years ago for $3.7 million. At that time, he said he gave possession of the painting to a third party but not the title. He said that a third party took off with the painting immediately. After six years of searching for it, the Brazilian art collector saw a photo of it on social media and learned the piece is on display at the DIA. Now, the art collector is suing the DIA. Wayne State University Fine Arts professor emeritus Jeffrey Abt told 7 Action News this type of ordeal isn't unheard of. "These things happen, and they've been happening more frequently in recent years as people who are disputing works of art discover that they are in a museum sometimes temporarily, sometimes as part of a loan exhibition as is the case here... discover that they are in a museum," Abt explained.

Detroit's Jazz community is mourning the death of Gretchen Valade, who passed away last week at the age of 97. The Carhartt heiress was a prominent arts supporter and philanthropist who founded Mack Avenue Records and kept the Detroit Jazz Festival alive. "I came to call her the 'Angel of Jazz' many years ago because she has this purity of vision, purity of dream," Chris Collins,  Professor and Director of Jazz Studies and Valade Endowed Chair in Jazz at Wayne State University, said. In doing so, Valade turned the dreams of countless artists into reality.  Sharing her success to ensure there was a thriving Jazz community in metro Detroit.  "What she's about is breaking down barriers so that people can participate in these things. Everyone is invited to the party," Collins said. One of those parties, the Detroit Jazz Festival, that Valade rescued more than a decade ago. She established a foundation with a $10 million endowment to keep the largest free Jazz festival in North America alive. In recent years Valade donated $9.5 million to Wayne State University for a new Jazz center that will bear her name. "It will put a footprint of Jazz right on Cass Avenue in a facility that is more than a club, but not quite as huge as the festival where we have 1000s of people just in that right spot," Collins said.

By Duante Beddingfield Wayne State University will bid farewell to its Hilberry Theatre on Nov. 20, after the venue hosts its final performance. Over the past 58 years, more than 600 productions have been mounted in the space. Following its closing, it will be transformed into the Gretchen C. Valade Jazz Center. “There is a great sense of readiness, joy and anticipation that everyone is feeling,” said Mary Anderson, chair of Wayne State’s Maggie Allesee Department of Theatre and Dance. “We do not feel like we are saying goodbye to the former Hilberry space, so much as we are making way for the incredible opportunity to build the Valade, a world-class jazz center that will feature our extraordinary educational music programming and also welcome guests from all over the world.”

Midtown Detroit, Inc. is excited to announce the return of the 48th Annual Noel Night, one of the most magical nights in the city and a longstanding holiday tradition from 5 to 9 p.m. on Saturday, December 3 in the Cultural Center and 5 to 10 p.m. in Midtown. 2022 Noel Night participating venues include the Detroit Symphony Orchestra’s “The Cube,” College for Creative Studies, Wayne State University, Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History, MOCAD, Michigan Science Center, along with the area’s historic churches, galleries, small businesses, nonprofit organizations, other arts, cultural and educational institutions, restaurants, bars and breweries.  

The Maggie Allesee Department of Theatre and Dance in the College of Fine, Performing and Communication Arts at Wayne State University is proud to present Rent, which is directed by Michael Barnes and runs through October 2. Rent is about falling in love, finding your voice, and survival in the precarious climate of the East Village in 1980s New York City. During the run of Rent, the Hilberry Theatre will host a block of the 54-ton AIDS Memorial Quilt, which is the premiere symbol and living memorial of a generation lost to AIDS as well as an important HIV prevention education tool. A past member of the Hilberry Graduate Company, Alan Harvey, died due to pneumonia caused by AIDS shortly after receiving his M.F.A. diploma. Theatre and Dance at Wayne will be dedicating the run of Rent to Alan, and the quilt will serve as a demonstration that the themes covered in Rent are not only relevant to the present, but are close to home as well.  

By Sue Suchyta Theatre and Dance at Wayne launches its 2022-2023 theatre season with the Tony and Pulitzer Prize-winning Jonathan Larson rock musical “Rent,” which runs Sept. 23 to Oct. 2 at the Hilberry Theater. Set in 1989 in New York City’s East Village during the first wave of the AIDS crisis, “Rent” is about falling in love, finding one’s voice and living for today, as a group of diverse artists and friends struggle to follow their dreams. Director Michael Barnes said “Rent” has developed a large following. “In many ways, it was the first rock opera that was written about Generation X but it has continued to reverberate with young people because all the characters are 20-somethings,” he said. “The music would not sound out-of-place on popular radio today.” X. Alexander Durden, who plays Roger, said the show still resonates with audiences more than three decades after it debuted. “This show still rings true in its themes of wealth disparity, classism and following one’s passions,” he said. “I hope it inspires everyone to be the change they want to see and fight for the things all people should be granted as a right.” Jessica Annuziata, who plays Joanne, said the show’s music is filled with energy and passion. “’Rent’ is a story about really living live, striving to make the best out of bad news and being there for our fellow human beings,” she said.

Do you have grandparents or parents who swear not to wear white after Labor Day weekend until Memorial Day weekend? The fashion rule seems to be fading, but holds some history. Local 4's style editor Jon Jordan and Wayne State University's lecturer of fashion design and merchandising Monika Sinclair weighed in on the history of the fashion rule. The rule is connected to social class in New York City and started in the 19th century. Those who were white and linen in the summer wore them for many reasons, but of a higher class, especially in New York City, could afford to wear white since they were not doing labor that would get their clothes dirty. Sinclair said the rule was started by wealthy women who came from old money who wanted to separate themselves from society. "They were the ones that could afford to leave the city and go on vacation and put away their dusty clothes from the city while wearing lightweight, white clothing. White was seen like a leisurely type of apparel back then. It would be considered formal wear because they were used to being dressed in these corsets and big gowns, but essentially, they were white," Sinclair said. "So if you had white clothing, you had money. You could afford to go on summer vacations and wear white and stay cool."