@streetartfromtheroad and @finearttourist traveled to Detroit (DTW) in early December to see the Van Gogh in America Exhibition at the Detroit Institute of Arts (DIA). This exhibition was originally scheduled for the summer of 2020 but was canceled due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Fortunately, the DIA was able to gain access to the majority of paintings scheduled to be part of the original exhibition. An upcoming post by @finearttourist will showcase this spectacular exhibition.
Of course, while in DTW we took full advantage of the good weather to explore the outdoor museum of street murals scattered throughout the Eastern Market District. In this post we will share some of the fantastic street art on display in the Eastern Market. Disclosure: some of the mural photographs have been edited to eliminate peeling paint and graffiti.
The Eastern Market has been in existence for over 150 years. After World War 2, the market became a major hub for food processing and wholesale food distribution. The market covers approximately 43 acres just north of downtown DTW. There are still 80 standing structures ranging from fully occupied to abandoned and decaying.
Today, the Eastern Market is the largest open-air flower bed market in the United States. Additionally, there are over 150 firms selling meat, spices, vegetables, jams and poultry. There are also a number of restaurants, bars and non-food retailers located within the market district. Lastly, if you are hankering for a corned beef sandwich, a pastrami sandwich or Detroit’s (in)famous “coney” this is the place to go.
The Murals in the Market (MM) organization has been actively supporting the transformation of the Eastern Market from a wasteland to a cultural destination within Detroit. The organization sponsors an annual mural festival in the Market District. To date, the organization has supported the production of 100 murals in the District and 200 murals across the city. Additionally, MM supports a number of other arts events (including live music) throughout the year. We hope that this organization continues to receive support from the DTW community as part of the revitalization of DTW.
Of course, a day of mural hunting requires sustenance. Fortunately, we were able to start and end our pic shooting at Anthology Coffee, which is located conveniently in the market. Anthology roasts their own coffee on the premises. Anthology Coffee.com | Always Tasty
In keeping with the meat packing history of the Market, our mid-day replenishment was taken at Franks’s Deli and Grill. We feasted on a Detroit staple – Wigley’s Famous Corned Beef! https://www.facebook.com/FranksDeliandGrill/menu/
We hope you enjoyed this post. Be seeing you!
ON THE ROAD with Maria + Stephen 