Microchimeric Bodies foregrounds moments of passage; thresholds where meaning shifts, boundaries blur, and new forms of relation come into being. This exhibition invites all who enter to consider how we are constituted through others, how traces of connection persist within us, and how meaning emerges not from singular authorship, but from the shared, transformative processes we inhabit.

Microchimeric Bodies is a group exhibition curated by Olivia Guterson and Amy Feigley-Lee, grounded in the scientific and biological phenomenon of microchimeris, the presence of cells from another individual within one’s body. These imperceptible cells unsettle the boundaries between self and other, with the most common natural occurrence taking place during pregnancy.

Never fixed but always in process, the artist caregivers featured in this exhibition practice through an ongoing circulation of call and response. Their works emerge in the margins of making: in moments found, borrowed, or reclaimed amidst the rhythms and responsibilities of caregiving. Created within the interstices of daily life, these works are shaped by proximity, not only to one another, but also to the children, families, and communities that surround them. Through this shared condition, the works absorb, reflect, and transform as they encounter new gestures, materials, and ideas.

The exhibit is open daily 9am-5pm

Join us for a reception on Saturday, September 26th

Microchimeric Bodies is a dynamic group exhibition grounded in the scientific and biological phenomenon of microchimerism, the presence of cells from another individual within one’s body. These imperceptible cells unsettle the boundaries between self and other which has the most common natural occurrence in pregnancy. Never fixed but always in process, the artist mothers featured in this exhibition practice through an ongoing circulation of call and response, where the works emerge in proximity to one another. The works absorb, reflect, and transform as they encounter new gestures, materials, and ideas. Each artist becomes both source and response, and in this ecology, influence is not linear, mirroring the microchimeric condition.

Microchimeric Bodies foregrounds these moments of passage; thresholds where meaning shifts, where boundaries blur, and where new forms of relation come into being. It invites all who enter to consider how we are constituted through others, and how meaning emerges not from singular authorship, but from the shared, transformative processes we inhabit.

The exhibition, Microchimeric Bodies, centers on mother artists and designers, meaningfully engaging several UN Sustainable Development Goals. The exhibition raises awareness of maternal health, postpartum experiences, and motherhood, encouraging more holistic healthcare perspectives. By centering Detroit's mother artists, often underrepresented in the art world, we challenge structural biases, validate caregiving as a creative force, and advocate for equity in cultural production. The theme of interconnection reflects on how human life is entangled with broader biological systems and environments. Our exhibition requires collaboration across disciplines and practices, modeling partnerships and thinking needed to address complex global issues. Overall, Microchimeric Bodies reframes motherhood as both a biological and cultural site of connection, care, and innovation.