By Shelby Clark Petkus
As temperatures cool at a steady rate, Michiganders move from kayaking and picnicking to museums, bars and other indoor activities. And this fall, the DIA has something for everyone.
Run to the museum to catch the "Detroit-Bruce Weber" exhibit, running through Sept. 7. The special exhibition features noted photographer Bruce Weber's images of Detroit culture, tradition and urban style. The photos, taken between 2006 and 2013, explore landmarks old and new: Kronk Gym, Belle Isle and more. "The art there (in Detroit) just doesn't happen in a museum. It happens out on the street, and I'm not talking about graffiti," says Weber.
Two newly acquired lithographs from famed French Artists Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec and Pierre Bonnard will soon be on exhibit. According to the DIA, "Lithographs were very popular and widely collected. They are very fragile and overexposure to light will rapidly fade the colors and damage the paper on which they are printed. For these reasons, individual prints are not constantly on view." Guests at the museum will be lucky enough to see multiple lithographs at once.
Toulouse-Lautrec's "Miss Loie Fuller" depicts an American dancer who made waves in Paris, while Bonnard's "Child with Lamp" features the painter's 12th attempt at working with multiple colors. The former artist is known for being one of the most brilliant avant-garde artists of the 1890s, while Bonnard's renown came from his work on posters.
Both lithographs, in addition to other images from the period, will be exhibited in "Ordinary People by Extraordinary Artists: Works on Paper by Degas, Renoir, and Friends" opening Sept. 19.
If the trek to Detroit is a bit too difficult, the DIA is continuing its Inside/Out project. The roving exhibit installs high-quality reproductions of artwork featured in the museum throughout the metro Detroit area, inside or outside of various businesses, parks and more. Eight new locations have recently been chosen, with masterpieces now feature in Brownstown Township, Dearborn, Detroit, the Detroit Riverwalk, Mt. Clemens, Oak Park, Royal Oak, St. Clair Shores and Wixom. All copies will be on display through Oct. 31.
Later this autumn, the DIA will open a special exhibition of Dutch-born Corine Vermeulen's photography. The artist was commissioned by the DIA to photograph Detroiters to share their stories of the diverse city and its multiple venues of support and engagement. Some featured subjects of her work include individuals from Detroit Focus Hope, D-Town Farms, Recycle Here and the East Side Riders. The exhibition, "Photographs from the Detroit Wak-In Portrait Studio by Corine Vermeulen," will open Nov. 14 and run until the spring. A preview of the show will be held the night before opening.
Beyond art, the DIA will continue to host its "Friday Night Live!" performances every Friday at 7 and 8:30 p.m. Each Friday, different performers showcases their talent. Check with BTL's calendar and the DIA for more details.
The DIA is located at 5200 Woodward Ave., Detroit. Hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Tuesday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Friday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. The museum is closed on Monday. For more information, visit http://www.dia.org or call 313-833-7900.
