Small guerrilla art project on Chene near Ferry.

**Django** · June-03-10, 09:12 PM

I made some new friends this past weekend on my old block on Farnsworth. I heard about the concrete wedding cakes that were displayed in different abandoned storefronts over the past year and met one of the creators. I remember seeing some pics of that project here on Dyes. They went through a lot of trouble to get that project going, and while I dont think it ended up exactly the way they visioned it I really liked what they did and the effort they put into trying Chene St on as a big canvas. Chene St oozes with ghosts of past business, most people I know who first see Chene near Ferry wonder out loud what it was like there 35 years ago, and what year did it really start to crumble. The strip was no doubt a major hub for the East side, now its just ghosts for the most part. All the abandoned storefronts on Chene south of 94 are just aching for color, some new form. The new friends I made started a small art project recently. He brings a bunch of kids down and lets them dictate what they want painted on the pre painted white boards covering the broken windows. After he has drawn out what they want in a thick paint marker the color comes in.

I took a few pics today but couldnt stick around, maybe Ill post some more after its finished.

I have my own ideas on how to liven up the abandoned storefronts and it does not involve fire, a lot of paint would be needed and a paint sprayer. Anyone want to get involved drop me a line. I would like to put together a group of folks interested in doing something with Chene St. I suggested it would be the perfect place for a Red Light District but I want to take things slow and put that off for a couple of years

Stosh · June-03-10, 09:30 PM

Hmm. He certainly doesn't look like a gorilla. He's not monkeying around either....

Actually, the term is guerrilla , DJ. But it's good that someone is doing something to enliven that area, one way or the other.

I actually know what the area was like back in the day, and to suggest that it should be a red light district is probably best described as an abomination.

I wonder what the parents of those children watching the artist think of your idea?

**Django** · June-03-10, 10:23 PM

The project going down in the pics isnt mine, and about half of the parents are there with them in the pics.

Gorilla
Guerrilla
Had no idea, thanks.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guerrilla_warfare
Learn something new everyday, gorilla just looked and sounded right all these years.

**Alley** · June-03-10, 10:29 PM

I think he meant 'what would the parents thinks about the Red Light District idea'

**professorscott** · June-03-10, 10:40 PM

I like the art idea. Do some damn thing with a place like that!

Not so sure about the red light district. Detroit has those already, if you establish a red light district down there you're just taking those businesspeople out of other areas. Kind of a zero-sum game there if you get my drift.

**Django** · June-04-10, 02:16 AM

Gotcha Alley, I think your right.

Ive never been to Amsterdam, I wonder what the surrounding area of their red light district is like. Cant imagine its worse than around Chene.

Only reason I brought up the RLD is there was a thread on it some months back and the Chene strip seemed to be the most logical place to put it in that imaginary world. Im still all for it. Drugs and prostitution should be a health issue not a legal one. A RLD could be Detroits only salvation, a Vegas of the mid west. Lord I could go on and on but,

Im jackin my own thread.

Ravine · June-04-10, 03:07 AM

Good luck on the idea that it's gonna be OK to just walk up and decorate those buildings in whatever fashion strikes the lot of you as being "art."
The fact that the buildings are just sitting there, burnt-out and rotting, does not equate to "available for public use."

**Django** · June-04-10, 03:14 AM

No probs so far Ravine, not one complaint but hey, who knows.

God forbid someone try and brighten up a burned out hulk of a building.

**Gannon** · June-04-10, 07:40 AM

My friend had to walk through the Red Light District when we went to Amsterdam back in '98.

It bumped up against other neighborhoods just fine...their urban experience is way more dense than anything we've got here...if I remember correctly is was separated by commercial district.

It reminded me of what old-time NYC must've been like, but with canals. Come to think of it...NYC had canals.

Since it was legalized and regulated, it seemed like a tourist destination. You could find anything you could possibly want behind one of their large front glass windows.

I preferred the coffeehouses. If Detroit goes Redlight, I want THOSE, too.

Mine would be one of the best ones around...

These folks are doing their best to halt blight...anyone opposed to this is a curmudgeon. But we may already know that...heh.

Cheers, damnit.

**Sstashmoo** · June-04-10, 07:46 AM

People with that much time and energy could mow a vacant lot or something?? If that was my building, and I seen that I wouldn't be happy, could forget selling it to someone who might actually transform it into a place of employment. I know I'm a D.

**majohnson** · June-04-10, 07:59 AM

Hey, we should get together and show kids how to further destroy thier neighborhood.

"This" is art, don't worry about it.
Why is it art? Because "we" did it.

**NorthofNormal** · June-04-10, 08:14 AM

This doesn't appear to be people defacing a clean, well-maintained space that is in use. It's someone looking at something that is already partially destroyed, abandoned, bleak, and ugly, and trying to make it colorful, creative, and lively. I agree that, say, scrawling your name on brand-new public bridge is unacceptable, but I don't think what's happening here is the same thing at all. There are so many of these buildings that are in such bad shape, but for whatever reason, aren't coming down. Even beyond issues of safety, just having burned out rotting hulks all over is depressing. Why not reclaim them as public art spaces?

**jcole** · June-04-10, 08:29 AM

It doesn't matter is it's a new building, an old building or an overpass on a freeway, it's still graffiti and it's still defacing something. Unless they have permission from the owner, and I don't see anything about that above

**Eastside** · June-04-10, 08:42 AM

These may be the cake photos you referred to. Enjoy!

**Sstashmoo** · June-04-10, 09:06 AM

Quote: "There are so many of these buildings that are in such bad shape,"

And this graffiti somehow improves them? Defacing these buildings pretty much seals their fate as well as the area around it. Enjoy.

**NorthofNormal** · June-04-10, 11:16 AM

And this graffiti somehow improves them? Defacing these buildings pretty much seals their fate as well as the area around it. Enjoy.

"Seals their fate"? Really? Look at the buildings in that picture and tell me that the drawings on plywood put over the openings is what "sealed their fate." Broken windows, collapsed walls/roof, fire damage...that was all no big deal, really, but OMG! Funny pictures on a removable plywood sheet! Yeah, that's what "defaced" and "sealed the fate" of these buildings.

Look at that picture again--what ruins the area more, do you think, the paintings that cover over blight...or that burned out hulk on the next corner?

Sure, it's not ideal. I'd rather see thriving businesses that look good and provide some kind of product or service to the community than a bunch of colorfully painted community art projects papering over abandoned, crumbling ruins. But that's not the option right now. Right now, it's a choice between something colorful and lively and burned-out, scrapped-out, falling-down wreck. I guess you'd prefer the latter.

**filup** · June-04-10, 11:26 AM

django, do you mind if i post some of your photos on the DETROIT LIVES! blog in a post about guerrilla art? if so, how do you want to be credited for the photos? thanks.

Bearinabox · June-04-10, 11:32 AM

Originally Posted by jcole

It doesn't matter is it's a new building, an old building or an overpass on a freeway, it's still graffiti and it's still defacing something. Unless they have permission from the owner, and I don't see anything about that above

I have a hard time feeling sympathy for the plight of an owner who is sitting on a falling-down ruin in a neighborhood where people live, with no apparent concern for the problems such a building can cause for the people that have to live near it. The people drawing things on the buildings, whatever you think of them, are not what's wrong with that part of the city, and I think there are more productive targets for your outrage if you sincerely care about the future of that community. Of course, if you're more interested in hard-line "the law is the law is the law" posturing than in making the neighborhood better, I guess that's up to you.

**jcole** · June-04-10, 11:48 AM

Originally Posted by Bearinabox

I have a hard time feeling sympathy for the plight of an owner who is sitting on a falling-down ruin in a neighborhood where people live, with no apparent concern for the problems such a building can cause for the people that have to live near it. The people drawing things on the buildings, whatever you think of them, are not what's wrong with that part of the city, and I think there are more productive targets for your outrage if you sincerely care about the future of that community. Of course, if you're more interested in hard-line "the law is the law is the law" posturing than in making the neighborhood better, I guess that's up to you.

What, about drawing on a piece of plywood hung on a building, makes that neighborhood any better? Wouldn't the energy spent on that be better spent picking up trash, cutting lawns, teaching the kids to respect other people's property, as well as there own, and themselves?
Teaching them that it's OK to go and color on things that don't belong to them isn't going to help in the long run. If it's okay to do that, then is it okay to key someones car because it's old and sitting in a bad area? Or because you see a wallet on the ground, it's okay to take the money and credit cards because no one is around? Must not belong to anyone, right?

bartock · June-04-10, 12:36 PM

Originally Posted by Sstashmoo

Quote: "There are so many of these buildings that are in such bad shape,"

And this graffiti somehow improves them? Defacing these buildings pretty much seals their fate as well as the area around it. Enjoy.

The fate of these buildings and the area around it was sealed long ago. The reckoning has already taken place...this type of thing is not so bad, given the circumstances of that stretch....when I first saw it 15 years ago, I didn't think it could get worse. It did. Now, if someone wants to treat parts of that street as a canvas, I say do it. Maybe it will generate something...at least good will with what is left of the neighborhood. It used to be somewhat busy and dangerous. Now, it is desolate [[and I guess dangerous), not unlike Heidelberg [[and not far from it).

Bearinabox · June-04-10, 12:37 PM

Originally Posted by jcole

What, about drawing on a piece of plywood hung on a building, makes that neighborhood any better? Wouldn't the energy spent on that be better spent picking up trash, cutting lawns, teaching the kids to respect other people's property, as well as there own, and themselves?

I'm not talking about the energy expended by people drawing on buildings; I've expressed no opinion on that one way or the other. I'm talking about the energy being expended by you and others in this thread scolding people for drawing on buildings, and the energy you seem to be implying the city should expend to prevent this sort of thing.

Teaching them that it's OK to go and color on things that don't belong to them isn't going to help in the long run. If it's okay to do that, then is it okay to key someones car because it's old and sitting in a bad area? Or because you see a wallet on the ground, it's okay to take the money and credit cards because no one is around? Must not belong to anyone, right?

I think the implication that the property owner is the victim here, despite his/her flagrant disregard for the interests of the people in the neighborhood, is more harmful than the implication that drawing on things is okay.

What is your opinion on people who mow and plant gardens on vacant, uncared-for lots in their neighborhoods without permission from the property owners? Are they not also vandalizing property that doesn't belong to them? If not, what's the difference?

**jcole** · June-04-10, 01:11 PM

If someone is farming on land that doesn't belong to them, they run the risk of having it all mowed down or plowed under by the owner and then I don't feel sorry for them
Also, I don't really see it as vandalism, but I do see it as an invasion of someone else's property.
My point in the above post is that you aren't teaching these kids the difference between what is theirs and what belongs to someone else. If they can just walk up to any building and start painting or drawing why can't they just walk into any store and take what they want?

Stosh · June-04-10, 01:13 PM

Originally Posted by Bearinabox

I'm not talking about the energy expended by people drawing on buildings; I've expressed no opinion on that one way or the other. I'm talking about the energy being expended by you and others in this thread scolding people for drawing on buildings, and the energy you seem to be implying the city should expend to prevent this sort of thing.
I think the implication that the property owner is the victim here, despite his/her flagrant disregard for the interests of the people in the neighborhood, is more harmful than the implication that drawing on things is okay.

I for one, have no problem with people drawing murals. Where the problem lies is the permissions are absent in this whole art "project" If someone came to the house next door and defaced it with graffiti without permission, or even your own, how would you feel? Even if it was attractive?

Take this one step further. Any time that you permit a unlawful act, it just reinforces the unlawfulness of the area. Whether it's scrapping, grafitti, drugs, car theft, B&E, whatever, it's all the same, whether you like it or not. Let the city council legalize grafitti, if that's the case. Scrapping too.

What is your opinion on people who mow and plant gardens on vacant, uncared-for lots in their neighborhoods without permission from the property owners? Are they not also vandalizing property that doesn't belong to them? If not, what's the difference?

You have an awful funny definition of vandalism.
I would probably say no, but that is only because it is a rather productive thing, and less than a destructive act. But, if they cme by and mowed, their loss.

**Django** · June-04-10, 01:14 PM

Originally Posted by filup

django, do you mind if i post some of your photos on the DETROIT LIVES! blog in a post about guerrilla art? if so, how do you want to be credited for the photos? thanks.

Go for it,

Django

**Detroitnerd** · June-04-10, 01:15 PM

If you don't like this "vandalism," don't worry. The firebugs who have been burning every building along Chene, McDougall and Mount Elliott will clear away all that "vandalism" within the next year or two.

I'm sorry, but calling these guys' work vandalism strikes me as disproportionate. You know: How dare the people who live in the neighborhood appropriate empty buildings slated for arson!