DIA Highlights!

I’m constantly amazed at the quality and sheer volume of work in the Detroit Institute of Art. The highlight of my day was definitely the iPad interactive guide to the Diego Rivera Detroit Industry mural. I’d learned some about the meaning and symbolism in the mural in the past, but the effort and detail that went into this new guide gave me chills. That alone was more than worth the price of admission.

Here are some of my other favorites. I’ve included myself or other visitors to show you the scale of the art, not just because we’re so beautiful.

I’ve had Audubon on the brain because of his connections to Gary Schmidt’s brilliant Okay for Now. **SPOILER** I asked a docent if this print was a plate that was removed from a folio or a book, and he said that’d be something I needed to ask the curator. I don’t know how to contact a curator, but you can bet I’ll find out!

We studied Andy Warhol briefly in class both last year and the year before. This self-portrait is on loan. As you can see, it’s worth pondering deeply.

RIght across from Mr. Warhol was this lovely Claes Oldenburg sculpture. I love that it’s made of wood.

We talked last year both in art and just during literacy about how artists make objects larger to show that they’re supposed to be closer to the viewer. I think this piece makes that point really well, and I love how huge it is.

Another Claes Oldenburg creation, this one featuring a drawing of a car that then has a plastic model laid on top of it.

In one of the hallways of glass cases, they had a bunch of marionettes displayed. These were used in a production of 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. They have to switch out the marionettes every six months because they’re fragile and sensitive to light.

Fox! They had a special exhibit of animal prints and drawings, including some of the original illustrations to Edgar Allen Poe’s “The Raven.”

Embroidery on comic book covers!

Close-up of the embroidery.

I couldn’t find any Chihuly glass on display, but I did see this amazing contemporary glass sculpture.

That’s about all I have energy to share with you right now! I hope you enjoyed this little peek into some of the amazing items at the DIA. I miss you, ladies and gentlemen, and I’m so excited to start learning with you again in less than a month!

###