‘Long Days No Dreams’ opens this week

Emma Klug -February 16, 2022

Marlo Broughton, a contemporary Detroit-based artist who also goes by “MARLOBRO,” is debuting a new solo exhibition at Playground Detroit. The show — named Long Days No Dreams in homage to Martin Luther King Jr.’s famous “I Have a Dream” speech — will be on display from Feb. 19 to March 26.

The exhibition is made up of a series of graphic portraits that feature Black community leaders, anonymous figures, and historical events, including moments from the Civil Rights Movement. Through the works, Broughton portrays the continued fight for freedom and equal rights for people of color and connects history with the present day.

“My latest series explores the concept of waking up from ‘The Dream,’” says Broughton in a press release. “My focus is to bring the plight of being a person of color in the U.S. to the forefront delivered from a unique perspective. I paint the imagery in black and white, layered with historical references utilizing pops of color to grab the attention of the viewer. We tend to look into the future and not back in time, often without realizing that it may cause us to unintentionally repeat the past due to the systems and power that be. By carrying on without recognizing our power to change the future we could get stuck in the marathon of life…”

Broughton, whose background is in graffiti and traditional art, studied industrial design at Wayne State University and began his career alongside his cousin, Detroit vs Everybody founder Tommey Walker. He now focuses on acrylic paintings and large-scale murals. Broughton has created mixtape artwork for Big Sean and has exhibited his work with 1XRun, Murals in the Market, Scope Miami Beach, Saatchi Art, and Singular Art.

A public opening reception for Long Days No Dreams takes place from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturday at Playground Detroit, located at 2845 Gratiot Ave. Those interested in attending can register for free via Eventbrite.

Following the opening, guests can visit the Playground Detroit website to reserve a time to view the exhibition. Appointments are available between noon to 5 p.m., Thursday through Saturday.

For more information, visit playgrounddetroit.com.

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