Detroit Part 2: Exploring and restoring

I admit it, I had no idea what to call this post. There is so much variety to the things and so much going on in my head it's hard to think of a theme.

Friday night we visited Corktown and saw a bit more of the worn down side of Detroit the media likes to focus on.

In particular we got an opportunity to get some photos of the Michigan Central Train Station, one of the places most used in showing the urban decay that has happened here. 

It is worth noting that this building's condition really has little to do with the 2008 financial meltdown -- it was actually abandoned in 1988 after having been underused and troubled basically since it's construction in the early 20th century. 

Nearby we also found the other side of the coin - amazing graffiti. There's a lot of it! 

Today we spent a lot of our day at the Eastern Market, a giant market on the East side of Detroit. The outdoor part runs Tuesdays and Saturdays, it is pretty fantastic. And vibrant! 

A lot of life and a lot of lives going on at the market, leading to a really awesome atmosphere. 

In the afternoon we got a wonderful your of Midtown, the part of Detroit we are in, by a very passionate resident who I won't name but who was involved in our DIA stuff yesterday. We stopped at some galleries but the larger focus of the tour was the revitalization. This part of Detroit is under great motion and is highly desirable to many people. It was neat to hear the stories of what things had been and what they are becoming or already are. 

This evening we saw some more of this as we had dinner right in Campus Martius, a park and public space in downtown. Much of this space had been repaired and reinvigorated by a single (very wealthy) developer/investor. It is pretty incredible. A little bit of sketchiness (especially after dark) but more just a well utilized and highly enjoyable public space. This is what cities need more of! 

There is no doubt this city has faced tough times and has more ahead, but there are also passionate people who love this city and are doing a lot to make it a place with community, energy, and purpose. We can learn from that. 

The Gentle Side of Detroit

I am writing this from my bed in a Victorian mansion. My day has involved art, jazz, and amazing food. This is not the image most of us have of Detroit in 2014. Which is a shame. 

I am here on an art-based tour. Something many people don't realize is that the Detroit Institute of Art is the sixth largest encyclopedic collection of art in the US.

Yesterday we came in through Windsor, catching some cabs to Detroit. We came straight to our hotel in the arts part of Midtown Detroit. Now I don't deny that there are tough areas in this city - the news stories exist for a reason. We saw glimpses of this on our cab ride. But what they don't mention nearly enough (if ever) is how gorgeous and vibrant large parts of Midtown are.

For example the hotel we are staying at. It is a series of converted mansions and I am completely smitten with it. 

 

Another remarkable spot is the Scarab Club. This is an artist club tucked in behind the DIA which was founded in 1907 and built themselves an amazing building in 1928. We missed the concert that was happening there but were able to go check out the Art Deco style lounge/gallery space on the second floor.

The main point of our visit is the Detroit Institute of Art. With a long history and a convoluted relationship with the city the reason most people know of the DIA is because part of the collection is owned by the city and is being debated as a possible asset to sell in the bankruptcy. I'm not going to try to explain all the politics, but this trip was planned to see the collection just in case.

And it is a remarkable collection. I could spend days looking through it. I explored the more museum-like parts this morning (with pieces like part of the Ishtar Gate, African nail art, and some pretty amazing mummy cases). After a delicious lunch at the fancier restaurant inside we went on a Dosun's Tour which took us on a whirlwind trip through art from Byzantine pre-Renaissance to modern Impressionism. Quite probably my favourite painting is the Nocturne in Black and Gold by Whistler. I didn't know anything about it but it is absolutely stunning and has a fascinating history. There are many other stunning pieces by stunning artists. Too many for me to discuss.

What I will discuss instead is the Diego Rivera court. These murals were done in 1932. I took a couple pictures but I don't think there's any way to show this amazing piece. It needs to be appreciate in person. It covers all four walls of the room with many themed panels. It was created as a celebration of industry and shows the positives and negatives in contrast. Everywhere you look is an amazing new message and an amazing image. It is stunning. 

I came to this city with images from documentaries and books which paint it as a post-apocalyptic waste-land. And those parts exist (and I'm hoping to see some of them in a twisted way). But this city has not lost it's art or art scene (quite the opposite!) and still has it's beautiful spots. 

That's the image the world needs to see more of. 

In the next few days I will be checking out more parts of the city and will share some more!