Paris – Detroit: connections revealed.
As part of the Detroit Design Festival 2012, Detroit Artist Greg Fadell ties two historic cities together in his four-story work of art “Paris of the West” at Willys Overland Lofts in the city’s Midtown district.
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Greg begins painting the third floor windows that will make up one third of his artwork.
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Stepping back to look over the window space.
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Greg steps back to check on his progress on the windows. This is one of four large loft spaces he is using in the Willys Overland Lofts in Midtown Detroit for the exhibition. The historic building was constructed in 1917 as a sales and service facility for the Willys Overland Motor Company and is now transforming into living, retail and office spaces.
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As he paints, the Detroit skyline slowly disappears behind the artist's canvas.
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With the Detroit skyline in the background, Greg finishes up one of the lower window panels on the fourth floor set of windows.
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The fourth floor of the lofts provides a striking view of the Detroit skyline as Greg paints the windows.
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Greg mixes his own paint to apply to the windows.
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Almost as if it is being slowly erased, the last bit of Detroit's signature building, the GM Renaissance Center disappears behind Greg's painting.
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Lights are aimed and adjusted on the painted windows from inside to illuminate them outside after dark.
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The second floor set of windows are finished as a performance piece during the artist's opening at the Re:View Gallery located on the ground floor of the lofts. All four floors were illuminated from inside at dusk then, in a 16 minute performance with music, Greg painted the windows, completing his four-story artwork that visually dissects the building in half.
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People attending the Paris of the West opening and performance come inside to see how Fadell created his work on the gallery windows.
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Fadell (left) with WDET reporter Rob St. Mary (center) and Re:View Gallery owner Simone DeSousa get their photo taken together at the end of opening night.
Fadell describes his concept for Paris of the West:
Detroit’s connection with France is historic; I am using this connection both practically and artistically to speak subliminally to anyone who is interested in the reconstruction of the city. “Paris of the West” appropriates the nickname given to Detroit because of its architecture and most notably the Paris like “spoke and wheel” grid that was used in planning the layout of downtown. The whitewashed windows reference Paris as well; the French use this same treatment on the windows of buildings in “transition” or under renovation. By bisecting the buildings facade along its center axis of windows with whitewash, I am symbolically echoing Midtown as the arts center of Detroit and also representing a “midpoint” of Detroit’s journey to revitalization.
During the day time hours, the white column of windows will appear to be indicative of units that are under construction. At night, the windows will be illuminated from the inside with raw light, which will form a shaft of glowing white going straight through the middle of the building.
More Links to Fadell’s work: Detroit Design Festival 2012 entry | Artist’s website
Re:Veiw Gallery link: Visit the gallery here
This entry was posted on Tuesday, March 26th, 2013 at 8:06 pm. It is filed under Detroit Stories, News.
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