GIRLHOOD invites us to reflect on youth with a sense of distance and clarity. Girlhood is often viewed through an innocent lens, reminiscing on the bows in our hair and ballet flats covering painted toes. However, these depictions frequently overlook the diversity of experiences shaped by race, ethnicity, identity, etc.
“These artists’ works are steeped in the sentimentality of their formative years. Watching these pieces come to life and engaging in meaningful conversations with the artists has been a profoundly connective experience that I am excited to share with the community.,” Hayla Hay, Curator.
Through this exhibition, GIRLHOOD seeks to expand the narrative, inviting an inclusive dialogue about what growing up means across different lived experiences.
Participating Artists: Kaleigh Blevins, Judy Bowman, Sue Carman-Vian, Bella Kiser, Mars McCuiston, Emilia Nawrocki, Sabrina Nelson, Julianna Sanroman, Maddie Shubeck
Location: Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit
Meet the Curator
Hayla Hay is an artist, writer, and arts administrator based in Detroit, Michigan. She currently serves as the Gallery Manager at the Detroit Artists Market (DAM), where she has supported artists through exhibitions, artist development, and programming.
Hayla earned her BFA in Painting and Photography, with a minor in Art History, from Wayne State University. Primarily working in painting, her artistic practice draws from mythological iconography and folklore to create new rituals of seeing, feeling, and believing.
In addition to her creative and administrative work, she made her curatorial debut in 2024 with GIRLHOOD at the Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit—a group exhibition inviting inclusive dialogue around the complexities of coming of age across diverse lived experiences—and Nest: Reflections of Safe Spaces at CCS Center Galleries, which delves into the profound human need for sanctuary—places where one feels nurtured, loved, accepted, and shielded from harm.