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 

       
       How to Grow a Chair | Studio 7.5's Design Process 


       "We learned so much by assembling everything wrong" 

"A lot of things went wrong." Carola Zwick confessed lightheartedly, during the initial development stages of the Cosm chair.

She said that a team of eight basically had 120 seconds to act fast before the polyurethane dried as they were working through prototypes, making it impossible to modify after that blink-of-an-eye  timeframe. 

Ms Zwick said another challenge surrounding the "Cosm" came from the intricate design of the teeth- a major component of the chair's unparalleled suspension. "We had to count line by line. One line resulted in entirely different sitting experience. "

The designers worked to create a piece of furniture that would seamlessly translate funtion and comfort into a single chair.



               "It’s not an armrest- it’s an elbow cradle." 

"Our first iteration scared our client," joked Burkhard Schmitz, noting that the "elephant ears" were an unconventional, yet important aspect of the design.

He went on to mention the "leaf arms" that are integral to the overall design and functionality of this chair-- the potentially overlooked elbow support.

But don't call them arm rests! Mr. Schmitz refers to them as "elbow cradles," highlighting the importance of getting this particular part right. 
  

         "A chair should be designed like a bicycle- not a car."

An interesting declaration from Burkhard Schmitz was that approach to designing a chair should be akin to designing a bike-- not a vehicle. 
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The designers made a concerted effort to follow in the footsteps of Charles & Ray Eames:  with the intent to design with great attention to every detail. ​

"We were able to think about entire family of chairs. All provide diff sitting experience but able to use same design." 

The studio was able to illustrate the manufacturing process first-hand to the fabricators at Herman Miller. The designers travelled to the Zeeland, Michigan facility and taught their design methods for the  chair at the Herman Miller Design Yard. And although it was a challenge to replicate exactly, they were able to find a solution and produce a high-quality, specialized chair, uniformly. 

Related: 
A Day at Herman Miller Design Yard
Herman Miller | Threads 
Detroit Designs the World 
Art in Detroit | A Sculptural Adventure 

If there’s one thing that’s true about Detroit, it’s that there is Always Something Going On. ALWAYS. The best thing is, there are a Ton of things to do that don't cost anything. We've got everyone from the nature lover to the cultural maven covered with a list of adventures that won’t break the bank---  because they’re all free!

For the Creative 
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Ever look up at the technicolor ceiling at the Guardian Building? Remember riding the People Mover and seeing that tile mural that looks like it came straight outta The Wiz? These tiles were created at Pewabic Pottery- a unique school and studio combo.

Pewabic is known for producing this style of ceramic art which adorns countless buildings throughout Detroit and beyond. Lucky for us, it is located within city limits and welcomes visitors daily.

Learn about the process during a free guided studio tour or browse through the collection in the retail space. Don’t forget to check out the adjacent showroom and take a peek at the gallery upstairs.

Pewabic Pottery & Ceramics 
10125 E Jefferson Ave, Detroit, MI 48214
(313) 626-2000

Psst:
-This place is best for: When Parent Visits/After Weekend Brunch
-Take the Guided Tour! 
-To see the tiles in action, sign up for Pure Detroit's free guided tours
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This is Part I of the Series, "See Detroit Without Spending a Dime."  Stay tuned for more places to check out in the city. 

Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park

Just outside of the Grand Rapids city limits lies Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park.

This destination features a tropical conservatory and sculpture park in an indoor/outdoor setting. This is one of most comprehensive collections of sculptures around. The botanical gardens are housed in a conservatory, while the outdoor sculpture park is 139 acres built for exploration--- definitely enough to keep visitors occupied for an entire day.

There’s actually so much to see that the museum has created a tool that highlights various aspects of the gardens during different seasons! Guests can figure out their perfect day, based on what they’re into. Choose from a self-guided tour that highlights art, plants--- or an adventure perfect for the family. There's even a list of hot spots for those who want to hit all the important sights.

Work from renown artists is located in different areas on the premises. Six sculptures created by Marshall Fredericks are on display. Many of his commissioned pieces can be found throughout the Detroit area including Belle Isle, the Henry Ford Estate and the Detroit Zoo.

​Other features include a labyrinth, children’s garden, treehouse and butterfly maze. There’s also a zen garden, teahouse and even a series of waterfalls. Like I said, you’ll definitely find enough to keep you busy. 

​Artist Robert Sestok knows how to throw a party. He invited the public to view his finished work at the 2nd Annual ‘Party in the Park.’  Last night’s main event featured a one-two punch of art and music, held in the glorious little enclave known as “City Sculpture.’

City Sculpture is a park teeming with artwork and trees, both of which tower over attendees. The sculpture park opened in the summer of 2015, spearheaded by Sestok himself. He purchased the land with the intent of finding homes for pieces that he has been fabricating for decades. Sestok himself has been an integral part of the Detroit art scene since the sixties.

The stars of the show- the sculptures, are welded together in the artist’s studio down the street in Cass Corridor. The finished pieces end up in the park on Alexandrine, on view for everyone to enjoy.

Back to the party: The soundtrack for the evening shifted as different groups of musicians played their instruments and sang their songs. There was a little bit of country, and a whole lotta rock & roll, with some EDM thrown in.

​As the crescent moon rose over the park, people danced under the canopy of trees, swinging and swaying to the music that filled the night air. It was a magical evening filled with sparkling conversation and community and art that told stories without even saying a word.

City Sculpture 
955 W. Alexandrine 
Detroit, MI 48201

The city is filled with sculptures and unique architecture at every turn, and the time is right to check it out. 

Spend a morning or an afternoon walking around, soaking in all the inspiration the city has to offer. To start you off, here's a little stroll around Midtown. 

Korean artist Seungmo Park’s Meticulously Snipped & Wrapped, is being showcased at the Marshall M. Fredericks Sculpture Museum at Saginaw Valley State University. His pieces are exhibited at shows throughout the world. Park’s work is compelling in craft and concept. 

[ Click "Read More" to discover more about the exhibition]

The Shinola Factory is the kind of place where the winner emerges with a Golden Bike after the tour, instead of the Golden Ticket.

The Detroit headquarters are located within the Argonaut building, another Albert Kahn design. Just an escorted elevator ride up to the fifth floor and you’re there! 

The tour began...  

[ Click "Read More" to continue the journey into Shinola]

Women Who Rock: Vision, Passion, Power is an exhaustive exhibition at the Henry Ford Museum that contains  over 250 artifacts from 70 female artists. This stellar exhibit was curated by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum in Cleveland, Ohio.

​Get up close and personal to things you would never otherwise have the chance to see. It’ll give you goosebumps.™

The selected pieces range from the extraordinary to the “ordinary.” Highlights include everything from handwritten notes and lyrics to recognizable ensembles from stage performances and album covers. Every musician I've ever dressed up as for Halloween [so far] is represented here! Every. Single. One!
Check out a handwritten to-do list written by Madonna, who reminds herself to buy a birthday gift and call Mike Myers about an SNL appearance. Then there’s Aretha Franklin’s note that was once posted on her dressing room door- telling visitors to slide a record under the door if they need to get her attention.

Notice the intricate detail of a stunning black and white beaded dress, as it hangs in perfect condition behind the glass case. The dress was worn by the Supremes.’  Another notable ensemble is also on view: Cher’s* infamous tribal outfit designed by Bob Mackie, complete with an original sketch and head-to-toe feather headdress. 

One-of-a-kind costumes include Detroit’s own Meg White; see the over-the-top creation from the Icky Thump album cover. The head-to-toe garb is covered with swirls of buttons.

There is a hardcore outfit that allows visitors to witness Rihanna’s spikes up close and personal. And what exhibit would be complete without the well-preserved awards show ensemble Lady Gaga once wore- the infamous meat dress. Now you can see how tiny she is.

The artists are spilling their secrets for everyone to see. Seeing the handwritten words of Stevie Nicks' song “Stand Back” will give you chills. The demo was recorded in a hotel room while she was on her honeymoon, and Prince stood in as a session musician when the time came to record the actual track. 

Then there’s the set list written by Linda Ronstadt* for a 70s tv show and scribbled lyrics from Janelle Monae’s song “57821.”

These pieces and more represent a wide spectrum of musicians that each contributed a piece of history to our culture.

The Women Who Rock exhibit will be on display until August 17, 2014 at the Henry Ford Museum.

*indicates Halloween costume.

                                   Photos ©Nicole Wrona|MLS