Good God we were busy yesterday. We spent the day posting images from the Detroit Institute of Arts’ collection as part of “A Day for Detroit”, a co-ordinated blog effort designed to raise awareness about what could be lost were the collection to be sold. This effort was spearheaded by Modern Art Notes’ Tyler Green and was done in collaboration with approximately 20 other art blogs, who did the same on their sites, as well as some of Detroit’s professional art community. We asked artists, curators and dealers who either once lived in Detroit or live there now to name their favorite works from the DIA and to share their stories.
Later in the day, we’ll round up some of the best coverage on the blogs but for now, we round up our own. It was substantial. Below is the list of arts professionals who participated in the event with us, and their selected images.
- Artist Matthew Luther picked a Frederic Edwin Church landscape for its color.
- Artist Megan Heeres chose a small Sarah Sze construction.
- Artist Crystal Palmer found Glenn Ligon’s piece “To Disembark” to be her favorite for the mixed reactions it garners.
- Artist Ian Swanson defended Richard Artschwager as a unique minimalist.
- Artist Miriam Ezzat went for a classic with “The Wedding Dance” by Pieter Brueghel the Elder.
- Curator Devon Parrot selected an Eva Hesse work for its tactility.
- Ellen Hartwell Alderman, also a curator, reflected on how her mother would motivate her and her brother to return to the DIA by only taking them there for half hour long stretches.
- Isaac Richard Pool chose a painting of Judith by Artemisia Gentileschi for his pick.
- Robin Dluzen found another work from the DIA’s General Motors Center for African American Art collection, this time by Hughie Lee-Smith.
- Gallerist Alivia Zivich, artist Carrie Moyer, and Jennifer Catron all talked about the iconic Diego Rivera frescoes, which, while not at risk of being sold off, are one of the central works in the museum.
- Wayne State faculty member Sandra Schemske chose an incredible portrait and piece of institutional critique by Peter Williams from the DIA’ 1995 “Interventions” exhibition.
- Gallery Director Daniel Sperry reminisced on the influence of a Haim Steinbach work on his relationship with art.
- Artist David Park (A late addition to our posting yesterday) picked a short-lived earthwork from Michael Heizer and a Matthew Barney piece from years later.
- Finally, Artist and Teacher Cristobal Mendoza wrapped everything up by reminding us all that the people of Wayne, Oakland, and Macomb counties voted to tax themselves so the DIA could be free for everyone.
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