Artists Reinventing Detroit

I recently read an article the linked two of my interests, urban issues and art. The article titled "Art Motors On" is about the rich breeding ground that Detroit has provided for the new generation of artists. The painter Herman Bas moved from Miami to Detroit five years ago because he said "Detroit is the city of tomorrow." The artistic movement that is moving into Detroit is using the old resources that the city provides from the palatial mansions to the regal Art Deco skyscrapers. The city's storied past and almost grotesque beauty gives the artists that live and work in Detroit deep reserves of both subject and material. To quote the article "It [Detroit] is not an easy place to reckon with - the scale of decay is astounding. Yet Detroit is attracting artists in numbers large enough to earn it a designation as another Berlin." As an art minor, I can understand the desire to use art as a reinvention tool and to receive comparison to Berlin is remarkable. Reading this article was very enjoyable because it gave hope for a city that I know most of us in this class connect with in some way.