Detroit — or Michigan, for that matter — may not be known as the creative capital of the nation, but that doesn’t mean we don’t have loads of talented young people in our midst.
Case in point: Melissa and Jennifer Hui, WSU students and sisters from Bloomfield Hills, who recently partook in and brought home a first place win in the digital arts category of the Microsoft Imagine Cup U.S. finals in Los Angeles. [ Read more ]
You’ve seen the Detroit Public Schools Book Depository on MiLife MiTimes and have perhaps made your way through “the fabulous ruins.” But an Ohio resident from the SkyscraperPage Forum says, “the rumors of Detroit’s demise have been greatly exaggerated.” While urban decay becomes fashionable, he continues, “I am more interested in historical geography and the vernacular urban fabric, in what survives from the old city.”
The Fabulous Restorations of Detroit travels from St. Aubin to Brush Park, Corktown to Mexicantown. Take a look at the photos, then visit the downtown village of Dexter, Palmer Park and Detroit from the other side.
An inviting resource for young people in Metro Detroit, Council C is an online community for art, design and creativity. To help its readers “develop as artists, designers and creative thinkers,” Council C hopes to provide an outlet for shared work and ideas. In addition to its quarterly webzine, there’s an active blog where users are encouraged to add their insight. The site also features a member gallery connected to a Flickr group and a forum to toss around ideas.
From the same person who went inside the Detroit Public Schools Book Depository, Sweet Juniper presents 179 photos in his “Detroit is beautiful” series. Updated frequently, the images live as opposition to the often too-quick-perceptions about the city. Take a look, and you’ll agree that “it’s a beautiful city to photograph, and it’s a beautiful city to live in.”
“Where was your family in 1908?” Creative Gene answers this question in its century-ago snapshot of Detroit.
“I could have told you my family’s physical whereabouts off the top of my head. But I wanted to put their place in the world in context.”
What follows is an exploration of history, a beginning lineage in southeast Michigan. Presented with historical photographs from the Library of Congress, Creative Gene displays the Detroit riverfront, City Hall and an early Model T. Read on for a great story, and learn about the early foundation of American culture.
In the spirit of our recent story on the Detroit Public Schools Book Depository, you may also be interested in Forgotten Michigan. Displaying intricate architecture from around the state, its photographer walks through such impressive locations as Michigan Central Station and the Traverse City State Psychiatric Hospital. Despite his subjects’ lack of daily activity, Forgotten Michigan provides a continued appreciation of Michigan’s history.
The St. Louis Gateway Arch. The TWA Terminal at JFK Airport. The “Tulip chair.” Each of these was designed by unconventional master of design — and one-time Michigan resident — Eero Saarinen.
Through March 30, Cranbrook Art Museum displays “Eero Saarinen: Shaping the Future,” a comprehensive retrospective on the Finnish-born architect. And beginning Saturday, January 26, a supplemental exhibition, “Richard Knight: Photographing Saarinen,” offers a rare look into the office of Saarinen’s celebrated firm. Visit the Cranbrook website for more information about the exhibits.
If you missed it on Boing Boing and Digg, take a look at this fascinating set of images shot at the former Detroit Public Schools Book Depository.
Although your first emotion mad be one of sadness, I encourage you to read the accompanying essay written by the gallery’s photographer. He asks: “Can decay be something more than sentimental? Can it ever be beautiful?” Is it possible to “stumble upon a warehouse full of abandoned hope”?
Earlier this afternoon, I visited Hamtramck City Hall to participate in the Michigan Presidential Primary. I took some photos along the way. Here’s what happened: [ Read more ]
From the Kalamazoo Gazette: “Wind, water and freezing temperatures combined Tuesday and Wednesday to turn the South Pier lighthouse in South Haven into a dramatic ice sculpture.”
Continue reading to see the amazing photo. [ Read more ]
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