Museum for New Art (MONA)
1249 Washington Boulevard

Second Floor, Suite 200
Detroit, MI 48226

313-961-2845
www.detroitmona.com

Fri through Sun 1pm - 6pm
Nov 9-Dec 20.


Detroit’s museum devoted to the art of the new plays host to a group of architects and other creative people who call themselves [FLAK] intent upon creating dialogue to rejuvenate culture. It’s a wonderfully diverse show filled with architectural drawings, interactive video pieces, sculptures, designs, and related artwork strewn throughout. MONA truly lives up to its name as a museum in being able to effectively house such a show. The central theme holding the outpouring of work together is the future of the city of Detroit.





Visitors enjoy the sights at MONA


There are far too many works to attempt to go into significant detail here. It is really a show that needs to be experienced, and probably several times to really do it justice. The architectural and design presentations on hand, envision a city plan not just with the construction of buildings in mind, but a deep concern and understandings of the social concerns that creating a city entails. Architectural firm McIntosh Poris Assoc. quote sculptor Richard Serra to describe their own works, “How the work alters the site is the issue. … It’s not simply the thing, it’s the thing in context.” The minds behind this show understand deeply, that what they are designing is not just about buildings, but how the building becomes a part of the community.


Along with architectural plans, models and designs, which fill most of the walls and floor space of the museum, a diverse range of other concepts await the eyes and minds of visitors. An interactive video feedback display mixes images of the city and viewers who venture out onto the white floor panel. There are sculptures to walk through and over and even glimpse a view of the people mover in action as you do so.


The exhibition focuses not only on the potential future but the city’s present and past. Art works like Susan Goethel Campbell drawings of various smoke stacks dotting Detroit show the effects of industrialization on our living space. An installation of video from the riots chillingly documents how far things can go wrong in a city. In order to understand where we are going it is necessary to understand how we got where we are today.


The power of architecture as politics is championed by an installation all the way from Israel. The piece involves the censored work of two prize-winning architects, whose commentary on the architecture of occupation brought out the displeasure of the Israeli government.





Tracy Heneberger “Palm”


Nestled in the middle of the works about a city, are the intimate metal sculptures of Tracy Heneberger. In a museum filled with plans for living spaces, this provides a nice breather to interact with an object. Heneberger has breathed life into decidedly non-organic metal pieces to create intriguing organic forms. Her sculptures rise off the floor and grow out of the corners. As if in the industrial environment that is the city, life continues to find a way to thrive. It is a lively and spirited showing not to be overlooked while checking out the rest MONA has to offer.


The entire show is something to behold. If enough people can begin to think like the people involved here, Critical Mass can be achieved and Detroit’s future has never been brighter. (For more on [FLAK] check out: www.flakdetroit.com)