Exhibition: October 21 - November 19, 2026

Public Reception: Friday, November 13 from 4:30-6pm

Small Works was a print shop ran by Li Chen & Gerald Schulze, in Detroit, MI, from 2020–2026. Mariana Matos joined as the studio assistant, and later studio manager, in 2024. Over those six years, the business grew from an extension of their design practice to a community space that hosts more than 70 classes a year, open studio for the public, and year long funded fellowships that investigate practice in art and design related to the Book Arts. In 2026, they decided to expand community programming, and to accommodate this expansion closed Small Works, and formed Center for the Book Arts Detroit (BAD) which operates in the same space.

This exhibition is a eulogy for the former Small Works shop, and a celebration of all the people who made work here. It also serves to show what is possible as a community, when they share space and create work together. The work featured is a collection of things printed by Small Works, by their studiomates Diskette Press, the publisher Maamoul Press, and by the community that uses the space.

Gallery Hours: The RC Art Gallery is open Monday-Friday from 9:00 am - 4:30 pm during the academic year.

Visitor Access: Access the gallery from the door located near the northwest corner of East Quadrangle on East University just across from Weiser Plaza. The door is open to patrons, students and faculty during the gallery open hours.

Contact the Gallery: Email us at [email protected]