Arts&Life

continued from page 41

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: At the MOCAD Gala: Elysia Borowy-Reeder (executive
director) and Julie Reyes Taubman; Roz Jacobson, Elyse Foltyn (campaign
chair), Elle Elder and Kelle Ilitch; and Marsha Miro, a MOCAD founder.

42 | NOVEMBER 28 • 2019

and was a close friend of
Reyes Taubman.
“I had been working on
MOCAD for 10 years, and
I brought Julie to the build-
ing to find out what she
thought of it because Richard
Manoogian said he would buy
it for MOCAD,” Miro recalls.
“She was a nonstop thinker,
and she said she loved it and
wanted to be involved. She
did our first benefit at her
house before we even opened,
and raised enough money,
with some grants, to start. She
became critical to everything
we did.”
Among the diversity of
programming over the years
has been a representation of
artists with Jewish ties, includ-
ing painter Nancy Mitchnick,
filmmaker Dara Friedman,
installation artist Dor Guez
and poet Matvei Yankelevich.
A current installation,
“Robolights Detroit,” is based
on a Palm Springs project

showcased in book form with
photos by Reyes Taubman.
“I feel people should see
MOCAD as a place where
creativity is hallowed and
nurtured,” Miro says. “
Artists
are so good at interpreting the
world and making sense of it.
“With Julie, those of us
active with MOCAD felt
strongly about building an
endowment in order to make
sure MOCAD is around as an
institution for a long time.”
Elysia Borowy-Reeder,
MOCAD executive director,
has been with the museum for
six years and worked closely
with Reyes Taubman.
“Julie was a visionary,”
Borowy-Reeder says. “She
wanted MOCAD to be ambi-
tious and at the edge of con-
temporary art while creating
dialogue. She loved to talk
about art; and when MOCAD
does exhibitions and public
programming, we think about
the dialogue of art.”

COURTESY MOCAD

2 0 1 9 H O L I D A Y S H O W

FRIDAY, DEC. 6, 4-8 PM | SAT-SUN, DEC. 7-8, 12-6 PM

One-of-a-Kind

Sculptures

and Gifts

Free, public event with
live glassblowing
demonstrations

Portion of the proceeds
donated to the Michigan
Humane Society

Call 248.745.3786 | epiphanyglass.com | 770 Orchard Lake Rd, Pontiac, MI 48341

Dine at
Steve and Rocky’s
for the holidays.

STEVE & ROCKY’
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43150 Grand River Avenue
Novi, MI 48375
248.374.0688
steveandrockys.com

GIFT CARDS
AVAILABLE