Painting Detroit

**johnkuhnphoto** · February-13-11, 09:23 PM

Here is a link to Painting Detroit. Art project based in the city. Enjoy!

Painting Detroit

**johnkuhnphoto** · February-13-11, 09:42 PM

hey, im new to this site. above is the project that i am currently working on.

gdogslim · February-13-11, 10:53 PM

i once painted dumpsters
not good money in it though

**johnkuhnphoto** · February-13-11, 11:18 PM

haha no

**eno** · February-14-11, 01:00 AM

you're not a painter, you're not a painter.

spilling and throwing paint around is not painting, it's creating an eyesore.

**johnkuhnphoto** · February-14-11, 02:43 AM

Originally Posted by eno

you're not a painter, you're not a painter.

spilling and throwing paint around is not painting, it's creating an eyesore.

NO, i am not a painter, I am a photographer.

its not exactly about the painting... read the home page

**detroitbob66** · February-14-11, 02:38 AM

Haha....I can remember seeing some of that in the Packard Plant. I wondered who would do such a thing....kinda interesting if u ask me!

**johnkuhnphoto** · February-14-11, 05:03 AM

The Painting Detroit series will be shown at the location and time below. The show is called Focally Grown. It is a show for us seniors at the College for Creative Studies [[CCS)!

Time
Friday, February 25 · 6:00pm - 9:00pm

Location
Valade Family Gallery, Taubman Center
485 W. Milwaukee
Detroit, MI

**Kathleen** · February-14-11, 06:22 AM

I'm mot sure how I feel about your project. From a visual perspective, I find it interesting and appealing. However, I'm not happy about the use of the abandoned and tagged sites.

It might be OK on the interior of abandoned buildings, but when it goes outdoors on public property, then it bothers me.

For example, the doorway of the abandoned building....I hate to see further destruction of the property, not to mention that there is now paint on the sidewalk. Although you might see it as artistic expression, I think it invites more tagging and destruction by others.

**Lowell** · February-14-11, 10:30 PM

Originally Posted by Kathleen

I'm mot sure how I feel about your project. From a visual perspective, I find it interesting and appealing. However, I'm not happy about the use of the abandoned and tagged sites.

It might be OK on the interior of abandoned buildings, but when it goes outdoors on public property, then it bothers me.

For example, the doorway of the abandoned building....I hate to see further destruction of the property, not to mention that there is now paint on the sidewalk. Although you might see it as artistic expression, I think it invites more tagging and destruction by others.

I share this critique, particularly with exposed public and private property.

My personal ethic is the that nothing gets broken into, nothing gets altered, nothing gets removed. Think of it like entering the Parthenon or the Coliseum. Would you splash paint on them, if you could? I know some may argue that there is a big difference in historical significance between them and the Packard Plant or MCD but is there, really?

There is plenty of magic to be found if you look in the right direction at the right time and leave things undisturbed.

**johnkuhnphoto** · February-15-11, 07:30 PM

Originally Posted by Lowell

I share this critique, particularly with exposed public and private property.

My personal ethic is the that nothing gets broken into, nothing gets altered, nothing gets removed. Think of it like entering the Parthenon or the Coliseum. Would you splash paint on them, if you could? I know some may argue that there is a big difference in historical significance between them and the Packard Plant or MCD but is there, really?

There is plenty of magic to be found if you look in the right direction at the right time and leave things undisturbed.

For the most part, nothing is broken into. The buildings are just sitting there. Open. Everything in every building that I have personally been into is altered, with just about everything removed. Its just the way it is.

The Parthenon and Coliseum are landmarks of the area. So, whats Detroit's landmark? I would probably not be stepping too far out of line by saying the Train Station? Because the Train Station is almost highly regarded as a landmark of the city, I didn't paint it. There are hundreds of people that have seen this work at its first showing. Not one negative comment. Maybe they were just afraid to say something negative about me or my work. And thats their choice. But I felt that if I did paint the Train Station, it would probably turn most the people that love the work away. They would hate it because of that one image.
I believe that when we have something in abundance, such as these buildings, people should use them for something. I don't agree with people that go in there to destroy the building by breaking things or setting fires.
I know a lot of people will not like what I do. I cannot change that. I love the buildings. I really think putting paint on something is on a completely different page from the ones who try and break things in the buildings and set fires and so on. I figure I would use the buildings for something. So I used them as a canvas for my work

**Gistok** · February-16-11, 07:48 PM

Originally Posted by Kathleen

I'm mot sure how I feel about your project. From a visual perspective, I find it interesting and appealing. However, I'm not happy about the use of the abandoned and tagged sites.

It might be OK on the interior of abandoned buildings, but when it goes outdoors on public property, then it bothers me.

For example, the doorway of the abandoned building....I hate to see further destruction of the property, not to mention that there is now paint on the sidewalk. Although you might see it as artistic expression, I think it invites more tagging and destruction by others.

I guess my feelings exactly mirror Kathleen's... there is much visual interest in the painted car, the boat, the vehicle... and perhaps even the painted human figure [[or whatever it is). But just splashed about randomly it adds to the destruction, and detracts from the merit of the work.

I too was upset to see all the paint splattered on a public sidewalk in front of the corner doorway. And I hope that wasn't a Cass Tech High School room all splattered with paint. That one was disturbing.

I'm sure the OP now wishes he hadn't posted this thread...

At least the OP has stated that he is now focusing on painting objects in their environment [[like the the cart, boat, car, and hopefully mannequin). But even there try not to further muck up the area around your "object" with splattered paint... and do leave the buildings alone!

**detroiturbex** · February-16-11, 09:54 PM

Originally Posted by Gistok

I too was upset to see all the paint splattered on a public sidewalk in front of the corner doorway. And I hope that wasn't a Cass Tech High School room all splattered with paint. That one was disturbing.

It was. I was walking around that floor with a Cass Alum who was explaining the difficulties in rehabbing a building like Cass. We came to that room, and he didn't understand why paint had been thrown everywhere. When I told him it was probably someone's idea of "art," he had a lot to say about how this sort of thing negatively impacts the rehabilitation prospects of a building.

Not like it was going to be a deal-breaker with Cass, but you get the idea.

**johnkuhnphoto** · February-17-11, 03:02 AM

Originally Posted by Gistok

I guess my feelings exactly mirror Kathleen's... there is much visual interest in the painted car, the boat, the vehicle... and perhaps even the painted human figure [[or whatever it is). But just splashed about randomly it adds to the destruction, and detracts from the merit of the work.

I too was upset to see all the paint splattered on a public sidewalk in front of the corner doorway. And I hope that wasn't a Cass Tech High School room all splattered with paint. That one was disturbing.

I'm sure the OP now wishes he hadn't posted this thread...

At least the OP has stated that he is now focusing on painting objects in their environment [[like the the cart, boat, car, and hopefully mannequin). But even there try not to further muck up the area around your "object" with splattered paint... and do leave the buildings alone!

The point of posting this was to see how OTHER people in the city feel about it. not just ones that come to art shows and so on . I am painting mainly objects now. And yes, it was a real person. BTW isnt cass tech being torn down this year?

**Det_ard** · February-18-11, 11:20 AM

Originally Posted by johnkuhnphoto

The Painting Detroit series will be shown at the location and time below. The show is called Focally Grown. It is a show for us seniors at the College for Creative Studies [[CCS)!

Time
Friday, February 25 · 6:00pm - 9:00pm

Location
Valade Family Gallery, Taubman Center
485 W. Milwaukee
Detroit, MI

It's not just John Kuhn that's stepped over the line. CCS is literally promoting this. Surely someone at CCS has prior knowledge of his activities. Apparently the leadership of CCS is OK with what he's doing. That's disturbing. CCS is on balance a positive force in the city [[despite the segment of their students who are knuckleheads) but condoning this kind of art project is not something CCS ought to be doing.

**johnkuhnphoto** · February-19-11, 12:39 AM

Originally Posted by Det_ard

It's not just John Kuhn that's stepped over the line. CCS is literally promoting this. Surely someone at CCS has prior knowledge of his activities. Apparently the leadership of CCS is OK with what he's doing. That's disturbing. CCS is on balance a positive force in the city [[despite the segment of their students who are knuckleheads) but condoning this kind of art project is not something CCS ought to be doing.

ccs has nothing to do with the project.

**johnkuhnphoto** · February-14-11, 08:42 PM

i can agree with you on the fact that the exteriors brings more "taggers" to paint on what i have done because it "makes a nice background for their work." The exteriors were more done in the beginning of the series. Now I am focusing on doing things like the cart on the homepage. Painting objects in their environment.

**canuck** · February-14-11, 09:55 PM

It is kind of ordinary in a big way John. It doesnt stand out from the rest of the graffitti on the streets of Detroit or anywhere else. Maybe painting dumpsters for a couple of years and reflecting on that and other things would bring a better Focal Distance to all of this. If this is what results from 2 or 3 years of study at an art school, it is better to not study in an art school. Reflect on what you have done so far, and try to think of how much work and finesse went into designing that little cart, and the classroom setting you vandalized in your eagerness to shock. Try to differentiate between the forgettable and the memorable and unique. Read as much as you can to help yourself find the words and put them in the right sequence because what you wrote is clearly unclear. Painting and making art is a painful thing, it is difficult, and vandalism is a cop-out and really shocking for all the wrong reasons.

**johnkuhnphoto** · February-15-11, 07:18 PM

Originally Posted by canuck

It is kind of ordinary in a big way John. It doesnt stand out from the rest of the graffitti on the streets of Detroit or anywhere else. Maybe painting dumpsters for a couple of years and reflecting on that and other things would bring a better Focal Distance to all of this. If this is what results from 2 or 3 years of study at an art school, it is better to not study in an art school. Reflect on what you have done so far, and try to think of how much work and finesse went into designing that little cart, and the classroom setting you vandalized in your eagerness to shock. Try to differentiate between the forgettable and the memorable and unique. Read as much as you can to help yourself find the words and put them in the right sequence because what you wrote is clearly unclear. Painting and making art is a painful thing, it is difficult, and vandalism is a cop-out and really shocking for all the wrong reasons.

I dont see it as vandalism, I see it as creating what I want. With this I do understand that there are going to be plenty of people on both sides of the fence. People will either love it or hate it. It is out of my hand now.
On another note... Doesn't this project say something about the city. Not because of the paint, but because of the number of buildings that are apart of the project. I think it says something about the city its self.

Through the use of art, or graffiti [[as stated) people can speak about social/political issues even if its not directly spell out for the viewer.

**canuck** · February-15-11, 09:08 PM

Originally Posted by johnkuhnphoto

I dont see it as vandalism, I see it as creating what I want. With this I do understand that there are going to be plenty of people on both sides of the fence. People will either love it or hate it. It is out of my hand now.
On another note... Doesn't this project say something about the city. Not because of the paint, but because of the number of buildings that are apart of the project. I think it says something about the city its self.

Through the use of art, or graffiti [[as stated) people can speak about social/political issues even if its not directly spell out for the viewer.

What does it say about the city? What does it matter if you paint inside or out of one or many buildings?

I am maybe not awake enough to see the social or political comment. The fact that you are painting objects and parts of derelict buildings doesnt make a potent statement. I see too much of the same stuff that merely says wannabe. If you went out and painted objects and walls on a daily basis, you might find this stuff not so hot, whether you photographed them or not.

As for the people hanging form meat hooks, well I've heard the same garnbage about tattoos and scarification being a form of passage rite long ago and across civilization. Frankly, it is just sad that these guys need to wannabe somebody by crucifying themselves, I cant fathom this.

**Downtown Lady** · February-16-11, 01:51 PM

Originally Posted by johnkuhnphoto

I dont see it as vandalism, I see it as creating what I want.

...on property that is not yours to alter.

Originally Posted by johnkuhnphoto

For the most part, nothing is broken into.

Which means that, sometimes, buildings are broken into.

Originally Posted by the Paint Detroit website

I paint abandoned property without anyone saying it is wanted there; no vote will be taken because art in society is what I make it.

Dear John Kuhn:

I hope you get arrested. Other than that, I am amazed that you would go on a public forum and admit to these crimes and use your real name.

**johnkuhnphoto** · February-17-11, 02:52 AM

Originally Posted by Downtown Lady

...on property that is not yours to alter.

Which means that, sometimes, buildings are broken into.

Dear John Kuhn:

I hope you get arrested. Other than that, I am amazed that you would go on a public forum and admit to these crimes and use your real name.

im not admitting anything. i just showing

**Downtown Lady** · February-17-11, 09:35 AM

Originally Posted by johnkuhnphoto

im not admitting anything. i just showing

What? Your posts here and your website are one giant admission -- too late to backtrack now. Maybe you should have contemplated the legal consequences before you began your vandalism.

**detroiturbex** · February-16-11, 05:13 PM

Originally Posted by johnkuhnphoto

I dont see it as vandalism, I see it as creating what I want.

It is this exact mentality that caused those buildings to fall into the state they are in now.

**canuck** · February-14-11, 10:17 PM

Huh John... I just found some pretty distressing pictures of some tortured souls on your personal website. Please tell me these arent for real. Is there any way of erasing the hooks in them? Either you are a Photoshop wiz, which I suspect you aint, or they are the product of a mind that equates art with dumping tires on a vacant lot.