It was the first time standing in the middle of an art exhibit that all the eyes were on me.  And I was forced to look back into them.   Four walls of unfamiliar faces staring at you.    At Patrick Pantano’s latest art exhibition, you are forced to look into the eyes of all sorts of unfamiliar characters.  In his artistic statement he notes:

“To relax the subjects and try to bring them to a place where their expression did little to inform the tone of the image; to shoot them all with the same minimal lighting and the same film, camera, and processing to hopefully create some sense of similarity. That said they are all so different!” 

           It’s true. No matter how we try to compartimentalize people and things, what is it that makes every stare so unique?  At first, the room is quite abrasive.  How often are we so at ease to stare, this closely,  into someone’s eyes?  For most this experience is to be avoided.  Presentations, family parties, bitter exes and prick bosses.   But here, your purpose is to stare. By the end, you are among friends.  After all that ogling, the stares seem so familiar, they haunt you and you swear, I’ve seen that person somewhere before.  A party or something.

Pantano’s Exhibition, “Heads Shot”, is running from May 8-July 3, 2009 @ the CAID.

Mosey yourself down to the FILLMORE theater (which some of us still want to call State) on Woodward, tomorrow from 10:00 am to 7:00 pm.  I’ve gone to this banquet of crafts for 3 years in a row and always find something great for friends.  And if I don’t find what I want, I leave with a bagful of inspiration – like last year when I melted a record album into a sweet fruit bowl. Because frankly, these products are brainchild’s of a Martha Stewart with a full sleeve, after 3 screwdrivers. They are ultra unique and one of kind – and not busting the bank!  YAY for people who are crafty that I can buy from and make my own taste look far better than it actually is!

A rail line skirts the east edge of downtown Detroit. This rail line, long abandoned by humans to the vagaries of urban tolerant wildlife, cuts a deep swath. Nestled in its embrace is an urban canvas. Hobos, debris and the occasional dog walker all gathered on this pathway that ran from the Eastern Market to the Detroit river. That was until the MDOT, encouraged by the noble rails-to-trails, came up with something a wee bit more family friendly.

With a surprising quickness the construction crews toppled the foliage and replaced it with sterile woodchips and manicured rows of flowers. The artists stubbornly persevered. Each night every newly erected surface received a complementary coating of paint. Every day towering construction vehicles craft new surfaces and the spiraling dance goes on today. For a glimpse into the past of the cut, stand at the mouth of the Gratiot bridge and stare north.

Do you have a passion for your work or hobby?  Well, Pecha Kucha Night just may be the perfect forum for you to share it with the others.  The format is pretty simple – you will have 20 seconds for each of 20 slides to give your presentation.  That is 6 minutes and 40 seconds of fame for you!  The first Pecha Kucha Night Detroit was held in August at Atwater Block Brewery and it was a packed house.  This is a call for designers, artists, and other creative types to entertain, inform, and delight the Detroit community.  You’d better hurry though, the deadline to submit your entry is October 24, 2008.

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This past weekend I had the pleasure of attending a friend’s wedding in Maine.  The bride is the reason this site exists and the reason I write for this site as well.  She was the one who opened my eyes to this city, for which I will be forever grateful.  The bride is originally from Maine and the couple lives in the Detroit area.  Even out in Maine, her home-state, my girl made sure to represent.  The groomsmen were wearing ties by local Detroit artist Bethany Shorb who silk-screens ties through the Cyberoptix TieLab.  All the wedding party was wearing one colour of tie while the groom had a distinct colour of his own.  It is going to be tough choosing which ties to give to the men in my life.  I might have to ruin the surprise and have them choose themselves.   

They’ve amended the outgoing message at the Mocad.

Check out Buildings of Detroit’s Youtube page to see video of the demolition and find images here, and then browse the site itself to check out their great information on the many architectural jewels of Detroit. The site offers great photos and histories of our shared architectural wonders and ruins.

Why?

Boxers and Mexican masked wrestlers fight live at an art museum.

Not convinced yet? Well, then you’re crazy. Then maybe two more words to help: The Bang.

Anyone else think they’ll be calling in “sick” on Friday morning?

I can’t believe this is actually happening.

MOCAD is offering two final events to celebrate the exhibitions: Sarah Lewis, Art Historian at Yale, will talk about the Holy Hip-Hop paintings, and several experts will hold a discussion titled The Relevance of Fashion. In addition, the Black History 101 Mobile Museum will be parked outside (or maybe inside?) the museum on Sunday, April 20.

All this is free: the exhibitions, the discussions, the vagabonding black history museum. All free. The MOCAD is a great place for Detroit, doing great things. Feel free to donate a few dollars while you’re there and let’s keep enjoying and supporting this institution.

Here’s the line-up:

9:30 – Rabid Eye (ex-Lee Marvin & Genders)
9:45 – Dark Red (ex-Paik, current Chris Turner)
10pm – Esquire
10:15 – Bad Party (ex-White Devil & Tamion 12 Inch)
10:30 – the Silent Years
10:45 – Deastro
11pm – Tyvek
11:15 – the Sisters Lucas
11:30 – the Go
11:45 – T-3 presents

all night – Dee Jay Frankie Banks

MOCAD Gold will include the current Holy Hip-Hop and Re-Fusing Fashion Exhibits. See my review of these exhibits here.

Tickets are $15 for the music part of the evening, with a ritzier early program for $75.