The Ruins of Detroit
I’m very excited to be visiting Detroit for the first time, so I went back to look at the incredible photos taken by Yves Marchand and Romain Meffre for their book The Ruins of Detroit. It’s hard to believe that they could exist in 21st century America, although if you’ve seen The Omega Man, with Charlton Heston cruising a trash-strewn deserted downtown Los Angeles in a convertible, it doesn’t seem so farfetched. Along with Soylent Green and Planet of the Apes, a great triple-bill of Heston starring late sixties/early seventies cheesy (in a good way) post-apocalyptic sci-fi.
On a more positive note, there is a lot of exciting urban renewal and creative activity going on in Detroit that I’m looking forward to checking out, such as the Russell Industrial Center, a massive former factory complex that has been converted into a hub for artists, craftsmen, designers and small manufacturers.
Berlin (not Cleveland)
What a beautiful office in the Berlin home of film director and producer Jan Schmidt-Garre. Chief Wahoo approves.
More at Freunde von Freunden
Doors of Perception
At the Frieze New York Art Fair, doors made of statuary marble by Chinese artist Ai Weiwei (according to Art Review magazine, the most powerful figure in the art world). I’ve no doubt there’s a deeper cultural and artistic significance, but in purely aesthetic terms, those are some awesome doors.
On the right is an inverted fiberglass sun by Anish Kapoor. Don’t stare at it too long, I hear it can fry your retinas.
Abstract Art Chart
I’m not sure of the origin of this chart, but I love the look of it. Although I must say, as an instructive tool I find it more confusing than clarifying. Perhaps that was the intention?
