Chelsea NY Docks in Two Hours during Solstice

American Axle Workers Almost Busted

The American Axle Strike has waged on for over three months now here in Hamtramck, Michigan, as well as at other locations across the country including New York. The strike represents the tight fisted American politics of our time which leave little room for change or resistance on the receiving end. Rather we find ourselves with prescription lives that are difficult for the average person to detach from.

This strike is particularly nasty as just three years ago American Axle was ranked as one of the top five companies to work for in USA and abroad. Yet American Axle's CEO Fred Dauch has held just as stern as any other imperial dictator of our time and refuses to bargain with the Teamsters for anything but job losses and a slice in wages by fifty percent. Meanwhile the company aggressively expands beyond in Mexico, China and elsewhere. Many of these workers whom have been with the company since its birth in the mid nineties have found themselves shafted to say the least.

Living in Hamtramck, I have made a point to circle the plant everyday sometimes making several loops and honking for the union. Through snow, rain and heat these workers and their fellow union friends from across the spectrum have sent a message of solidarity. Now three months later it looks like the Axle workers will have to take a cut despite grand profits on the executive side.

Senator Hillary Clinton has written to CEO Dauch and shamed him for the companies actions.

I shame the executives for their actions and the greater picture of elite executives in the world whom seem to have been set off on a rampage since President Bush's conservative ku and imperial presidency has taken place.

Perhaps soon we will wake from this nightmare and find the voice demonstrated by these union workers to stand fast. Their victory is in that feat. Though they have not received fair treatment it is time to reorganize and patiently await the next fight. You are my heroes!

STILL PULLING: Prints at Elaine Jacobs

Cultural edifice Wayne State University has one of the most impressive gallery spaces in Detroit. The Elaine Jacobs Gallery is currently exhibiting STILL PULLING which is an elaborate look at the more traditional aspects of printmaking that are almost extinct in the digital age.

"The artists chosen for this exhibition create prints as a mainstream activity. They utilize traditional print processes and shared aesthetic of abstraction that references nature. Artists represented in Still Pulling include: Sarah Amos, Sean Caulfield, Charles Cohan, Gail Deery, Denes Galfi, Anna Hepler, Eunice Kim, Amanda Knowles, Karen Kunc, Kimiko Miyoshi, Tomomi Ono, Chris Papa, Ellen Price, Roselyn Richards, Barbara Robertson, Elizabeth Sadoff, Roxanne Sexauer, Tanja Softic, Seiko Tachibana, and Akiko Taniguchi."

Today most artists are struggling more than ever to keep the work coming. Digital prints have been seen as a cheap and effective means to get work out, retain an original and make a little bit of money. The classic time consuming and toxic methods of printmaking still hold a quality that these digital methods have not yet attained. We will see what happens ten years from now as technologies improve and digitization becomes even less expensive.

Still the process of physically manipulating a surface, planning, articulating and the inherent layering involved in this creative form is by itself an exercise that is profitable and difficult to put a price tag on.

The Exhibitionist Series at the Belmont

The Belmont in Hamtramck is truely one of the great hives of Detroit culture that never ceases to have a pulse. Every night of the week one can be sure to find the unique quality that keeps you feeling good about being "caught in a trap" that you can't walk out of.

Every month the Belmont hosts the EXHIBITIONIST showcase opening on the last Wednesday night. April finds Nina Friday, a somewhat regular contributor to the series, up with a new grouping of works. These paintings on various board evoke the finest traditions of Eastern Eroupean icon painting twisted through the early 1900's and warped into contemporary vision.

Several of these could have made their way to my home gallery but the Detroit economy is currently so bad that i must just sit back and enjoy the moment and be glad I own atleast one original of her works.

Stop by the Belmont for a good time.

Make an opening and partake of art food and the always generous and tasteful opening reception spread they supply straight from the unbeatable Hamtramck cuisine.

Metro Detroit Wishes

Wishes for;

Mass Transportation
Greater Protection of the Great Lakes Eco-Systems
Better Awareness and Involvement of All People in Local Governing Issues
New Approaches to the Promotion and Nurturing of the Michigan Creative Class
Loss of "D" Ego to be Replaced by "D" Actions and "D" Truth Builders
The Dissolve of any Arts Organization Boundaries and Hierarchy
The Promotion of Thorough and Transparent Democracy
A Loss of Interest in Gang Ideology
Affordable Arts Education
Hard Work
And More..

Rosa Parks Blues

The Detroit Institute of Arts Alive and Well!

The Detroit Institute of Arts has reopened its doors with great success.

Our beloved museum which has continuously kept a whopping two thirds of its collection in storage now has finally been able to make spare room for its hidden jewels. The museum has expanded with lucious updated and expanded gallery spaces, pristine sklylight staircases and artworks galore that are now out in the light. Opening day the museum accepted visitors for free during twenty four continuous hours of operation. My alltime dream of having a slumber party at the museum pretty much happened as visitors were allowed to roam at all hours!

Opening reception night was a blast with DJ Holly from 89x spinning and a dance floor packed and museum packed and surrounding streets of Detroit packed! Truely a success for the DIA and Detroit. A clear sign that the privatization effort that took so long to come to realization during the 90's was the best solution for our museum.

Here are a few images from opening day fall 2007.
Blessings Detroit.