Lincoln Park Artist Illuminates Detroit's Emerge Art Festival

Marta Carvajal, a Lincoln Park artist, is captivating audiences at Detroit's Emerge Art Festival with her evocative mixed-media portraits.

 

Her work seamlessly blends painting and collage, creating a dialogue between past and present.

 

“Art is my way of storytelling and healing,” Carvajal shares.

 

“It bridges generations and cultures, connecting my Spanish heritage with Detroit’s creative soul.”

 

The Emerge Art Festival, hosted by the Hannan Center, celebrates artists aged 55 and older.

 

Running from October 18, 2025, through January 14, 2026, the exhibition showcases over 170 works that embody a lifetime of experience and resilience.

 

Carvajal's journey from Spain to metro Detroit has profoundly influenced her artistic evolution.

 

Initially trained in fine arts in Madrid, she transitioned from classical portraiture to a distinctive “documentary portrait” style upon immersing herself in Detroit's vibrant art scene.

 

“Instead of simply painting a likeness,” she explains, “I incorporate letters, photographs, and fragments from a person’s life.

 

The piece becomes a conversation, not just with the subject, but with time itself.”

 

Her connection to the Hannan Center began through fellow artist and curator Richard Reeves, director of Hannan’s Kayrod Gallery.

 

“The Breakfast Club is this incredible community,” Carvajal notes.

 

“Artists of every background, all ages, all styles, come together.

 

When I met Richard there, I also learned about the Hannan Center’s mission.”

 

Now 57, Carvajal embraces the opportunity to participate in the festival.

 

“This makes me happy to be older.

 

There’s beauty in celebrating age, in seeing that creativity never stops growing.”

 

Reeves emphasizes that artists like Carvajal embody the festival's spirit.

 

“The idea was to create a space where mature artists could share the stories of their lives through art.”

 

This year’s Emerge Festival coincides with the 100th anniversary of the Hannan Center, an institution founded to preserve the dignity and enhance the quality of life for older adults throughout metropolitan Detroit.

 

Vincent Tilford, president and CEO of the Hannan Center, reflects, “The Hannans built this place with the belief that every person deserves dignity, care, and opportunity.”

 

Carvajal’s contributions to the exhibition draw directly from that legacy.

 

One of her pieces features a “house of light” — a symbolic structure through which sunlight filters, illuminating silhouettes of Luella and William Hannan.

 

Within the collage, she embedded blueprints of Detroit from 1925 to the present, visually tracing the continuum between past and present.

 

“It’s my way of showing how their light still shines,” she says.

 

“The documents represent the foundation — both literal and spiritual — of the city.

 

The portraits honor the couple’s compassion and enduring vision.”

 

Her second piece expands on her documentary portrait approach, combining archival images, fragments of handwritten letters, and mixed-media textures that evoke time, transformation, and memory.

 

“When people stand before it, I want them to feel the pulse of a century; to see how art connects us to those who came before.”

 

For Carvajal, the festival is about more than visual beauty; it’s a statement on aging as vitality.

 

“When you go to Hannan, you see people who are radiant,” she observes.

 

“They dress up, they laugh, they create.

 

The atmosphere is full of life.

 

It reminds you that art and age have no limits.”

 

Reeves agrees.

 

“Emerge challenges the idea that art is a young person’s game.

 

These artists have lived full lives — their art reflects joy, loss, history, humor, and endurance.

 

It’s an exhibition about what it means to be fully human.”

 

Tilford adds that showcasing older artists helps expand Detroit’s cultural dialogue.

 

“The Emerge Festival isn’t just about celebrating seniors.

 

It’s about elevating stories we don’t hear often enough — the wisdom, the courage, and the innovation that continue to shape Detroit through its creative elders.”

 

Though Carvajal’s studio is in Detroit, she finds peace and reflection in her Lincoln Park home.

 

“It’s where I slow down, where I think and write,” she says.

 

“The community here has this quiet charm, but I’m always close enough to feel the heartbeat of Detroit’s art scene.”

 

In Carvajal’s eyes, the Hannan Center’s centennial is not a conclusion but a continuation.

 

“Luella Hannan believed in building bridges — between generations, between people,” she reflects.

 

“That’s exactly what art does.

 

It’s a bridge of empathy.”

 

For visitors, Carvajal hopes her work offers both reflection and renewal.

 

“I want people to leave feeling connected — to their own memories, to their communities, to the idea that creativity doesn’t fade with age,” she says.

 

“It grows richer, like a story retold through generations.”

 

EMERGE ART FESTIVAL AT THE HANNAN CENTER

 

Kayrod Gallery, Hannan Center

 

4750 Woodward Avenue, Detroit

 

Now open through January 14, 2026, the Emerge Art Festival celebrates the creativity of artists aged 55 and older, featuring painting, photography, sculpture, fiber art, and mixed media that explore the themes of aging, identity, and transformation.

 

The exhibit is part of the Hannan Center’s 100th anniversary celebration and is free to the public.

 

Visitors can explore the Kayrod Gallery Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., or by appointment.

 

For more information, call (313) 833-1300.