Detroit Institute of Arts-Impressions from my recent visit

The DIA caught in a cultural crossfire of politics and budget deficits? Possibly. The future of her artwork remains to be seen as Detroit enters emergency management as years of chronic corruption, spending, and mismanagement has finally caught up. Reading all the articles recently about selling off artwork of the DIA has given me pause to reflect on my most recent visit in March.

I wanted to spend the day with my little sister and expose her to the world beyond the mall and movies. Our day started at the DIA, walking and talking amongst some of the masters, exposing her beyond the perfunctory group school field trip.
 

We walked the museum, pausing to reflect on certain paintings or sculptures that caught our eye for whatever reason.  Explaining to her the difference between certain periods of artwork, showing her how art evolved over the centuries. Walking through modern art and the dogged question of "Is that really art?" when looking at simplistic solid  lines of color drawn across a canvas.

One that both struck us was by Jean Dubuffet, "Shot in the Wing". It appears to be a brick in the foundation of modern street graffiti. Edgy and colorful, evoking you to stand and be entranced by the seemingly organized chaos of the haphazard shapes.


A more traditional and famous portrait is Henri Matisse's "The Window." 
Matisse blurs the lines, mixing abstraction and depth. It shows the tree and reflection of the light through the window yet you can't discern where the floor ends and the wall begins. It's minimalist with richness of color. Stunning.


I left the DIA that day, with the feeling that the DIA is like "The Little Engine that Could." Yes, it may not be The Louvre or the Met or Musee d'Orsay but dammit, it's not bad at all. Quite respectable if you ask me.
Selling off her treasures won't solve Detroit's fiscal woes. It would be like putting a bandaid on a broken arm. Let's hope a bankruptcy court addresses the real issues.

In the esteemed words of George Washington, “The Arts and Sciences, essential to the prosperity of the State and to the ornament of human life, have a primary claim to the encouragement of every lover of his country and mankind." 

Long live the DIA!