Ijania Cortez

Whether on canvas or a towering wall, Detroit artist Ijania Cortez creates portraits that reflect the city’s people and places. She uses vibrant color, often with neon tones, to capture the spirit of everyday Detroiters and the icons who shape the city.

Cortez’s murals appear throughout Detroit, including Cutter’s in Eastern Market and the Ruth Ellis Center’s Clairmont building. Her work celebrates community and the stories that define it.

In 2021, Cortez received the Kresge Gilda Snowden Emerging Artist Award and collaborated with Hubert Massey and the Detroit Institute of Arts Partners in Public Art Mural Program. She has also taken part in the BLKOUT Walls street art festival.

In 2025, she was recognized as a Ruth Ellis Center honoree and featured artist in Murals in the Market, hosted by 1xRUN.

First episode of season 2 drops July 6, 2026

In partnership with the Gilbert Family Foundation, WDET 101.9 FM and The LOVE Building, CONTAINER On The Metro is a new WDET-produced storytelling series that brings Detroit’s creative heartbeat to the airwaves.

CONTAINER is a 20-foot mobile artist residency and cultural platform that travels the city, featuring mid-career Detroit creatives in fashion, food, art and music.

We are opening the doors and walls of CONTAINER to share the stories, hustle and vision of the artists shaping the city. Together, we share a mission to fuel visibility, access and lasting momentum for Detroit’s creative community. Learn more at whatscontainer.com.