Detroit Institute of Arts 
Detroit Collects: Selections of African American Art from Private Collections
November 12, 2019 - March 1, 2020

The Balogh House sits in a wooded setting in Plymouth, Michigan. It is a custon-built home from the Mid-Century Modern era designed by architect ​Tivadar Balogh.

Built from 1958-1959, this Modernist home was placed on the National Registry of Historic Places in 2013.

The home received numerous accolades for its distinctive style. The  renderings won a Progressive Architecture Award Citation in 1957.

The home just went on the market and is listed for 750k.

I was invited to a  press conference by the DIA announcing the winning entries of an International Design Competition. The media event was held in the Burton Historical Collection room at the Detroit Public Library's Main Branch 

The competition brought together designers from around the globe and down the street, who worked to create a cohesive outdoor space that brings together Detroit's cultural institutions. The event was a partnership among the institutions in the cultural center and was held at the Detroit Public Library's Main Branch. 

The winning concept "Detroit Square" brings placemaking to the significant cultural institutions in the Detroit Cultural Center. It will serve to unify the often unused outdoor spaces and create a more streamlined experience for visitors. The winning designs were selected from 44 entries. 

The selected design teams include the following: Paris-based firm Agence Ter, a Detroit architecture + design company akoaki, Ann-Arbor design firm rootoftwo + a landscape designer/city planner Harley Etienne. 

As Maurice Cox-- Detroit's Director of Planning & Development, said in his opening remarks, “Detroit is daring to dream big again.“ ​

He noted that Detroit has never been afraid to take on challenges, and continued by praising the efforts of the entrants, saying the winning design will take the city to another level. He said the winning entry exhibited a “World class, international reach, steeped in local knowledge, which distinguished this winning team." The design allows all of the cultural institutions to come together, marrying their 12 distinct identities into one. 

Neil Barclay, President + CEO of the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History was impressed that all institutions collaborated to create a unified initiative, and that each institution weighed in and listened together for the greater good of all. Observed early on in the process that “All cultural leaders met together at the table to enhance the cultural life of the city.“ Coming to Detroit from LA, he stated that it’s extremely unusual for cultural centers to meet and collaborate.

​JoAnne Mondowney, the Executive Director of the Detroit Public Library aptly described the initiative as “a front row seat to history.” She said the  project will shape the lives of many, while being  a wonderful opportunity to be creative + inventive. She told the audience about the historical nature of the library-- including the significance of Ford and the automotive industry carving out its beginnings in the city, and of Thomas Edison using the Detroit Public  Library as a boy. 

There are so many stories intwined within the walls of our cultural institutions— and now they are given ‘permission’ to carry beyond the structures. This initiative seems to address the disconnected outdoor spaces of the museum district. It serves to create a continuity and encourage a flow that will extend the reach of each separate institution and crate a seamless/cohesive outdoor environment that instead encourages discovery and exploration.

Newly-released renderings from the Cultural Center Planning Initiative Press Conference. The press event was held at the Detroit Public Library-- Main Branch. 
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Images + my rundown of the event will follow. Until then, check out some key information pulled from he official press release: ​↓↓↓

​I recently attended a presentation at Mutual Adoration in Detroit. The theme was "Preserve," and the featured speaker was Amy Haimerl, a professor of Journalism and author of the book "Detroit Hustle." Below is an adaptation from Amy's talk-- basically a love story about a city. Detroit City.

We fell in love with Detroit. 

​Amy and her husband Karl had visited the city over many years-- and something kept calling them, nudging them to return. The people they met-- in the neighborhoods, at the coffee shop, at the dive bars around town, kept drawing them back.

At the time, they were living in Brooklyn, but just couldn't get Detroit out of their minds. They imagined the city and what it would be like to create a life there. As many of us that live here have experienced-- people thought they were crazy. What were they thinking! said everyone (probably).    

Click to Read More                                                   ↓↓↓

This weekend, we had the opportunity to check out Patti Smith’s House. Smith lived in the home with her husband, MC5 guitarist Fred "Sonic" Smith and their children. The couple wrote their “Dream of Life" album here. 

The Smiths’ purchased the charming waterfront  home in 1980, and raised their family there—  on the outskirts of Detroit, for years. Smith eventually sold it in 2017, after leaving the Midwest for NYC years earlier. 

The “storybook” Tudor in Saint Clair Shores, Michigan is unbelievable in every way. Built in 1918, the home is a showstopper, yet at the same time, charming. The exterior is reminiscent of a castle, while the interior has unparalleled architectural detail. Every room has something special. There’s even a secret passageway (a revolving bookshelf) to a hidden wine cellar— especially popular during prohibition. (wink, wink) The property features lake views and it’s backyard is a canal. 

IIt's basically a gorgeous beyond-belief home with amazing attention to detail, impeccably decorated, (the furnishings are negotiable I believe) with stunning canal views. 

My absolute favorite things about this house are: the outdoor entertaining areas off the canal-- the rooftop terrace, the wooded hamlet for casual gatherings + the boat access. The staircase was beautiful, with cathedral ceilings to match. I also loved the former boathouse, transformed into a Game Room, and the garden room-- filled with diffused sunlight, right off the main living space. The floors were awesome, aaand have my dream come true-  radiant heat flooring! And for some reason, I can't stop thinking about the dining room, but honestly-- I think it was just the decor, hahaha, b/c it's basically a pass-through. 

As if this home didn’t have enough history + stories tied to it, there’s another twist! The listing agent, who is well-versed [understatement] about this property and knows pretty much everything about this home—  once lived here. 

So if you're in the market for an early 20th century charmer- I guess that this might be the place. 

Related:
​Guess Who's Coming to Dinner 
Who Shot Ya? 
Women Who Rock 
Edison Boat Club | Adaptive Reuse 
Fisher Mansion: Architectural Photography 
First Cut is the Deepest

M I R A G E Detroit is a temporary art installation by artist Doug Aiken, featuring a mirrored structure that resembles a home. 

Housed in the former State Savings Bank in Detroit, M I R A G E Detroit changes by the minute, as the lights fade in & out, varying in their intensity. As the lighting shifts, so does your perception-- altering the entire structure and the building it's encased in. 

And that's just the exterior. Walk inside the house and it's a never-ending barrage of mirrored images. It's like a Fun House-- but better. Total optical illusions throughout the house-- inside + out! 

M I R A G E  Detroit
State Savings Bank
151 West Fort Street
​Detroit, MI 48226 

Opening Sunday, December 16, 2018 in the Special Exhibition Galleries at the Detroit Institute of Arts is Ruben + Isabel Toledo's, "Labor of Love."

The Detroit Institute of the Arts invited the creative team of Isabel and Ruben Toledo to create artistic works derived from the exhibits found throughout the DIA. The result is impressive, enigmatic and bursting at the seams with creative energy. 

The exhibition is a three part interpretive journey based on the Diego Murals, spontaneous exhibits, or "interventions," created as a visual response to pieces found throughout the museum, and a collaboration with Detroit-based non-profit Sew Great Detroit. 

These works came together to formulate an unprecedented view into the artists creative and collaborative process, resulting in the finished pieces-- their Labor of Love.

​This exhibition presents itself as a visual commentary of works from the past, bringing them into view in a modern context. The work highlights the broad range of influences and creates a impactful view of two artists that are not limited by convention. Each piece speaks volumes, and it is up to the viewer to interpret the message.

The artists creative response allows visitors to engage with the museum in new ways and make connections between old and new interpretations of art resulting in an unprecedented dialogue between art and observer. 

Labor of Love will be open to the public on Sunday, December 16, 2018 and will be on view in the Special Exhibition Gallery until July 7, 2019.

Exhibition Information:
​Ruben + Isabel Toledo | Labor of Love 
Detroit Institute of the Arts 
December 16, July 7, 2019 
Special Exhibition Galleries 

We had the awesome opportunity to be involved with The Henry Ford Museum's latest ad campaign. We were so excited and it was an unbelievable experience. Here's a Behind-the -Scenes look:
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We started out bright and early and headed out to at Greenfield Village for our call time. Everyone we worked with made everything so easy and fun. We had a great time rolling through the village while the agency tried to capture that winning shot.

We were interviewed for some spots. I spoke about my love for the Eames Garbage Chair-- the prototype for the infamous Eames Molded Chair, Buckminster Fuller's Dymaxion House and the Exploded Eames Chair the museum has on display.

Related:
How to Grow a Chair 
A Day at Herman Miller Design Yard 
Art in Detroit | A Sculptural Adventure 
Herman Miller | Threads