Detroit Institute of Arts

Yesterday we went to the Detroit Institute of Arts. The DIA has spent a lot of money over the last several years. There is new space, there is newly rearranged space, and a lot of effort was put into helping people think about the things that curators and art historians find important about different work.

There was a huge line to get in. Not for members, though, and half of the cost of membership is deductible (from tax, not from income!) on your Michigan tax form. I joined, and we skipped out of line.....

We entered by way of "the sparkly room" (as I heard someone describe it). This is mylar circles suspended on fishing line. Lots and LOTS of mylar circles. They flashed, twisting in the air, and the effect was really cool.....

I like the juxtaposition of modern sparkle and fancy old ceiling.....





Decoration over a doorway out of the sparkly room.





Diego Rivera came to Detroit in the early 1930s. His frescoes depicting the industrial life of Detroit are (in my opinion) the museum's signature works. I've never been fond of the "heroic industrial" esthetic -- it always makes me think of the Soviet Union.





I'll show you more of the things we saw, over the next few days.