The DIA: Letting Yourself Go

In a metropolis that has been on the downturn since the late 1960’s — losing more than half its population since its zenith and many buildings falling into disrepair — there is certainly a bright spot livening up this city that has been the victim of unfortunate decay: the Detroit Institute of Arts. Its vast collection of art from various painters, sculptors and the like rivals those of larger and more recognizable galleries. Although even the DIA isn’t safe from the effects of Detroit’s $500 million debt — it was almost shut down as a result — it still serves as a gateway into so many different eras and cultures and the art that defined them.

Among some of the DIA’s many featured works include masterpieces from such prolific and distinguished artists that have certainly made their names known in the art world and beyond — Caravaggio, Titian, Monet, Rembrandt, Van Gogh, Picasso, Matisse, Warhol, and many more. Collections in the museums range from ancient Greek and Roman artifacts all the way to today’s modern and contemporary art — and everything in between. The life-size sculptures made of stone or ivory; the towering murals depicting Biblical scenes more often than not; the serene still-lifes of fields, forests, and even fruit baskets and flowers in a vase; the straightforward portraits of the painter himself or his acquaintances; artifacts from the daily lives of ancient and modern cultures; and some as simple as a thin white line running through a red background.

 

Soft Construction with Boiled Beans (Premonition of Civil War), Salvador Dalí. Philadelphia Museum of Art: The Louise and Walter Arensberg Collection, 1950. © Salvador Dalí, Fundació Gala-Salvador Dalí, Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York 2012

I decided to visit during a time in which several temporary traveling exhibits were being featured: the Five Spanish Masterpieces (from Dali, Velazquez, El Greco, Goya, and Picasso), the Vermeer painting Woman Holding a Balance, and a collection of prints from Picasso and Matisse. Each of these works of art, coming from different periods and styles, are breathtaking in their own way: Dali and his grotesque depiction of “the giant” Spain eating away at itself, Picasso’s Blue Period portrayal of an imprisoned woman, Matisse’s simplistic and ambiguous cut-out prints, Vermeer’s image of a woman finding a life of balance… There was so much to absorb in the mere 45 minutes I spent in the temporary exhibits, and even though I only focused on each work for a few minutes, if not a few seconds, I could appreciate the thought and the execution behind them.

 

But even when these exhibits are long gone, there’s still a treasure trove of art in the regular galleries to appreciate. Among my favorites were Henri Matisse’s The Window, a revolutionary work designed to challenge basic laws of perspective; Vincent van Gogh’s Self-Portrait with Straw Hat, an ordinary but effective contrast against his unstable mental health; John Singleton Copley’s Watson and the Shark, depicting a story of Brook Watson falling overboard and saved from a nearby shark by his crew-mates; Claes Oldenburg’s Giant Three-Way Plug, a wooden sculpture the size of a nightstand depicting an electrical plug with two sockets on its sides.

 

Johannes Vermeer, Woman Holding a Balance, c. 1664, National Gallery of Art, Widener Collection

It was certainly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to view these masterpieces, some of which were loaned to the DIA from various museums across the U.S. and Europe, including the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. and the Prado in Madrid. I feel quite fortunate to be able to view incredible works just a fifteen minute drive away from home that I would have to travel hundreds and even thousands of miles to see otherwise. And although only time can tell what the future brings for the DIA, I hope that that privilege of being able to view classic and modern artworks from your doorstep will survive for years to come.

Arc of Justice

I have recently finished yet another great book, this time for U.S. History class instead of English. It is called "Arc of Justice" and is about the troubles of a 1920's family in the city of Detroit, Michigan, which was heavily segregated at the time. It depicts the outrageous level of segregation and the anti-black movement in the United States in the so-called "Roaring Twenties." Also, it is supposed to be a college-level book, yet in my school, we are assigned the book, but it is really worth the time to read.

This book, based on a true story, revolves around the life of Dr. Ossian Sweet, a man whose education level was well above that of the average African-American, and was even higher than many white Americans. He even won a scholarship to one of the only two prestigious African-American medical schools in the country, Howard University in Washington, D.C. However, all his life the terror of the white man loomed over him, ready to strike his community, like white mobs did in various cities in both the South and the North. The whites were also willing to deride him from his promising career path in the medical field. When he moved into a home at the edge of a traditionally white neigborhood, he was confronted by a mob. He had to protect his home from them, even resorting to firing a bullet into the crowd, killing a man in the process. All of the people in the home were held on trial, and they had to face the long and topsy-turvy struggle for freedom.

This story was well written and I would recommend this book to anyone who can appreciate a good book at times. Although the plot was a bit shaky, the transitions between the current state of the story and the flashbacks and bits of history were present. The examples given about segregation in the story help the reader picture what it was like to be an African-American in the early 1900's. Life for them was obviously tough during this period, and "Arc of Justice" paints a picture of this well. Also, readers can gain background information on aspects of history that play a pivotal role in this story, from the various lynchings and race riots sweeping urban areas, such as Chicago and Tulsa, to the NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People) and their history and how they contributed to the main court case in the story.

This book paints the picture of the life of an African-American just wanting to be successful after all his hardships, including his early years in a very anti-black town, his grueling years at Howard University, and the turbulent course of the court case that changed his life for the better. It also shows the various sides that the residents of the 1920's USA have taken on the problem of racial segregation, most significantly the pro-white, pro-Protestant Ku Klux Klan and the colored-supporters in the NAACP. Overall, it is a great read and is sure to leave you satisfied in the end.

Who's Your Tiger?

You remember the Detroit Tigers defeating the New York Yankees in four games. Now they swept the Oakland Athletics to win the American League Championship Series.

In the first game of the series at Oakland, the Tigers managed to score big and win the first game.

The second game was even more exciting. Once again, the Tigers managed to pound the scoreboard. Tigers designated hitter (DH) Alexis Gomez got a 2 RBI infield hit off the glove of Athletics third baseman Eric Chavez and later hit a 2-run home run off Athletics pitcher Esteban Loaiza. Athletics right field Milton Bradley hit 2 home runs from opposite sides of home plate, being the first player in a League Championship Series to do so.

The third game was homecoming day for the Tigers. Detroit’s left fielder Craig Monroe hit a solo home run in the game. The Tigers won, 3-0, which was also their series lead.

In the fourth game, the Tigers started slowly, giving the A’s a 2-0 lead. Then later, Athletics left field Jay Payton hit a solo home run to increase the A’s lead to 3-0.

But in the 5^th inning, the Tigers managed to score 2 runs. In the 6^th inning, Tigers right fielder Magglio Ordoñez hit a solo shot that tied things up at 3.

In the bottom of the 7^th, the Tigers managed to load the bases, but Tigers first baseman Carlos Guillen turned up a double play ball to Eric Chavez, who threw to Athletics first baseman Nick Swisher to end the inning.

The A’s managed to do the same thing the Tigers did. It was all because of Tigers relief pitcher Jason Grilli, who pitched back-to-back-to-back walks to Nick Swisher, Athletics DH Frank Thomas, and Milton Bradley, but Tigers relief pitcher Wilfredo Ledezma got Athletics shortstop Marco Scutaro to pop up, and the ball was caught by Tigers catcher Ivan Rodriguez.

In the bottom of the 9^th inning, Magglio Ordoñez hit a walk-off 3-run home run off Athletics closer Huston Street to achieve what the Tigers have never did since 1984: another trip to the World Series. This is another time that the Tigers were the pitching staff extraordinaire.