When you think of Detroit, MI, it wouldn’t be a stretch for Motown or the automobile
industry to be the first things that come up. However, one of my favorite museums and as far as I’m concerned one of the best in the country is in Detroit. It’s the Detroit Institute of Arts. Even in the tough times the city has faced in recent years, the community knew and valued its art and worked hard to keep the great collection intact and to keep the facility open.
Without a doubt, one of the most famous parts of the DIA are the murals created by
Diego Rivera around the time of the depression. He received the commission from Edsel Ford
(son of Henry Ford and in charge of the museum at the time), and the murals brilliantly display
the history (some good…some not so good) of culture, nature, and technology in the Detroit
area at the time. Both he and his wife, Frida Kahlo, spent many months in Detroit during the
project. I always get a little teary-eyed in that space and know the spirit of the two of them are
still there.
Beyond the murals, the DIA has wonderful sculptures on the grounds and great works
that inspire all from ancient collections to medieval to Monet and VanGogh to Rothko and
deKooning. They also have a whimsical side with a statue of a goat on fake grass at one of their entryways that was masked when the DIA was still asking people to mask up when they visited during the worst of the pandemic!
Great exhibits are also constantly in rotation at the DIA ranging anywhere from the
Impressionists to automobile design. The exhibit currently there now through mid-January 2023 THAT I WILL GET TO is VanGogh in America. I can’t wait to see it!
So, while you’re checking out Motown history and the history of the automobile industry
in Detroit, MI, don’t forget to give some love to and visit the Detroit Institute of Arts! The
wonderful grounds and their collection will fill your spirit.
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