Techno: The Rise of Detroit’s Machine Music

Afrofuturism, a movement that combines African diaspora culture with black speculative futuristic elements, has always had a strong connection to sound. Sound serves as a powerful tool for Afrofuturists, allowing them to reshape the universe and create new possibilities. It acts as a technology that captures the Black experience, opening the door to the recovery of lost stories and sparking the imagination for new black futures. 

Detroit holds a prominent place as the birthplace of Techno music, a defining Afrofuturist sound. Examining Techno uncovers layers of identity, place, and community within the history of Afrofuturism. The city has nurtured globally famous innovators and unsung pioneers, documenting the shifting urban-industrial landscape of the 20th century. The rise and transformation of techno in Detroit was a platform for Black voices to reflect on cultural change, offer creative intervention, and foster visions of new futures. Beyond the beats, Techno captures how specific moment in Detroit served as a communal archive of Black life and contributing to the foundation of black speculation about the future.   

“Techno: The Rise of Detroit’s Machine Music” features a 45-minute sound installation by the iconic Detroit techno collective Underground Resistance, accompanied by a video installation from Detroit artist Andrew Charles Edman (ACE). This immersive experience is inspired by the origins of techno in Detroit and its evolution into a global phenomenon. The exhibition will also showcase objects that symbolize this rich yet often overlooked history.