In contrast to Las Vegas, Detroit offers plenty of reasons for art-lovers to visit. The Detroit Institute of Arts itself is worth the trip. I recently had a whirlwind two-hour-plus tour, and barely got a chance to look at its wonders. I spent only a few minutes, sometimes a few seconds, with paintings like Bruegel’s Wedding Dance, Fra Angelico’s Annunciatory Angel, Bronzino’s Eleonora of Toledo with Her Son and van Gogh’s Portrait of Postman Roulin before having to move on to more goodies of extremely high quality. Even then, I was unable to see the whole museum in the allotted time.
I didn’t make it at all to Detroit’s other museums, or galleries, and now there is a new one to put on the list. Tomorrow, the Kunsthalle Detroit opens on Grand River Avenue in a building that once was occupied by Comerica Bank. Its focus is different: it claims to be the first U.S. museum to showcase exclusively multi-media and light-based arts from around the world. It also plans to provide support for U.S. artists of light-based mediums, according to a press release.
KD’s first exhibition, Time and Place, includes work by 12 artists that ” reveal grand narratives of life and death, and time and place and suggest that art is essential for keeping memories alive and for encouraging the future.” Among them are Bill Viola. William Kentridge and Diana Thater. A look at Tim White-Sobieski’s Deconstructed Reality is above.
Founding director Tate Osten believes in the power of the arts and what they can do for Detroit. Says she:
With the population of the city at its lowest point in 20 years, the city can only be saved by welcoming artists into the city and establishment of arts communities and culture. This Museum brings the best in contemporary multimedia art as catered to the local population. It is ultimately a revolutionary action, bringing international art forces to Detroit. In the near future we envision multimedia and light projects splashing from within the museum onto the streets of Detroit, making life and art inseparable.
Now that would be fun.
Photo Credit: Courtesy of the Kunsthalle Detroit