MOCAD's all-nighter
Uh oh....looks like there is some last minute scrambling tonight at mocad. I went downtown for motor city art night and somehow my car took me on a secret assignment. They appeared to just have finished the exterior graffiti because I caught them bringing in the hoist. Inside still looked in disarray...but maybe my eyes were just a little fuzzy. I could see crews of people moving about but one thing that I didn't spot was any art. The inside has definitely transformed but I can't honestly believe that from what I saw tonight, that tomorrow is the big grand opening.
Looks like Hilberry and clan have a lot of directing to do tonight.
I look forward to the opening tomorrow night...I hope to see everyone there wearing their "I heart mocad" t's!
posted by art blogs are fun at 11:18 PM
19 Comments:
That graffiti sucks. It's a shame that there is better graffiti on the ex-laundromat on second and prentis.
I have to somewhat agree with Anonymous. While it definetly draws the eye towards a very non descript building it isn't exactly the most exciting work.
Did Barry McGee do that?
If so, its kind of dissappointing.
Maybe he showed up too late to do something more comprehensive?
I'm a little slow to read graffiti. Anyone have any idea what it says if anything at all?
It's amazing how much can come together in the final moments. Here's hoping they pull it off.
Still wishing it wasn't so much of a "they"...and was more of a "we"...
I think the anonymous comment above is a perfect summary of what most of the community (outside of the hilberry clan) feels. "Best of luck, MOCAD - wish you were more open, inviting, approachable and inclusive, 'cause we would have helped you out - a lot. but anyway, best wishes."
they need to lose the tagger dummy hanging from the roof. thats just stupid and makes the graffiti apear to be a silly joke.
other than that, i'm happy its going to happen
there's only about 6 pieces of art (large installation style), hence the emptiness.
i agree however that something of this scale, and importance to the detroit arts community deserves something better to adorn the exterior
don't you need a signage permit to paint something on a building -- art or not? i just remember the guy that went to jail for painting part of the sistine chapel on his building.
when you have that kind of money backing you, you don't need no stinkin' signage permit!
It's kinda funny, tho, that Ann caught MOCAD w/ their pants down around their ankles the night before their big opening... Will MOCAD be footing the drycleaning bill when/if someone leans against the wall and gets smeared w/ wet paint?
I'm releived to hear someone else say the graffiti sucks, I thought I was just being overly critical.... and, that's a dummy hanging off the roof? The picture is so little, I thought it was a person, but I agree w/ the Assclown, it comes across as incredibly silly: like your parents when they tried to be hip to impress your friends when you were in middleschool....
Really, tho, this is the T-shirt you should be wearing: "Best of luck, MOCAD - wish you were more open, inviting, approachable and inclusive, 'cause we would have helped you out - a lot. but anyway, best wishes." Perfectly worded, underground.
I love what Ann does with this blog and I feel that her reporting on MOCAD has been fair. I do, however feel that it is somewhat shady to report on the state of an artshow the night before its opening. If anybody reading this has ever had an artshow, helped hang an artshow, worked at a gallery, etc, I'm sure that they are all very well aware of the night-before scramble that almost always happens.
As for the anonymous poster complaining about MOCAD being a "they" and not a "we": I'm volunteering tonite and so are about 50 other people that I saw at the meeting Tuesday nite. You could be helping too. Were you waiting for them to look up "anonymous" in the phone book and call you?
Hey Dabbin'
I'm glad to hear you're volunteering. I really wish I could be there tonight to help and to be a part of what I see as a big step forward for the Detroit art community...I hope it can live up to it's potential. i look forward to reading the play by play later on tonight.
Ann, are you going to be at the preview?
i know galleries sometimes operate this way. but does it really happen with museums, as well?
doe doe --- not usually. Museums usually have highly paid staff proficient in time management. Unless they're a hack museum. Those who are defending the allnighter-night before don't seem to be setting the barr very high, or at the right caliber. Still, I'm fascinated to hear how it goes.
a small thing in the scheme of things - but the gallery/museum often is hanging the last wall label as the first visitor is walking in the door.
i won't be going, but wonder how the many video projections will work with the booming reggae - overlapping sound and all. another small worry.
it's opening, and that's been the biggest worry. ready or not. they've accomplished that.
in the future, i only hope they include the community in ways beyond volunteering behind the scene - and let it join and take part with the scene in a real way.
ok its open..now what where is the detroit art relationship???moca "no D" yeah its in detroit does that make it ours..lol
Loved the pic thru the window of Hillberry directing everyone.
If it can hold on for five years MOCAD might well be a real museum. Mostly because the principals in today's cast will have moved on, been fired, or died of old age.
I'm not trying to be a smart ass. I really believe this can happen but only if the original cast drops away quickly and truly smart art people replace them. People whose real motives are the art and who aren't afraid of being "dangerous".
hahhahhhahhahhahahahhahahahhah!
hahhahhhahhahhahahahhahahahhah!.....nice...i'm not touching that one...
there was little to any rushing...the pieces had been installed and it was only a matter of cleaning and doing final touches. all the "work" you see going on through the window was Paxahau working to set up their lights for the over the top set up they wanted. I worked all week as a volunteer and it was not a closed volunteer request. mass emails were sent to friends of friends of friends of friends and a post was posted on CCS' website. There were SO MANY volunteers! Everyone worked together and there was no BOSSING around. "Hilberry clan" was the most inviting, appreciative, helpful people. No one was sitting around with dumb looks on their faces. Everyone worked together and had fun together. The work was amazing and almost every piece deals with some aspect of problems detroit is having to face...racism, decay, and our economical downfall. Every artist there was a pleasure to work for and assist! I'm completely proud to wear a i heart MOCAD t-shirt if they had one...Instead of casting stones at someone who took a chance in detroit why not try supporting them!!! This is one of the pinnacle changes detroit needed!
I think those of you who talk about the hilberry clan being clicky and unapproachable are just jealous. They are really great people, and gave their all to help with the museum. You just dont know them.
And all of this back and forth about not being included, mocad not showing detroit artists, and criticizing the pace of the installation process...it just shows that you are all mis-informed and egotistical. When did having an art museum in a particular city mean that it had to show it's local artists? ugh... thats even more egotistical.
You should have been there with a broom in your hand helping out, sharing the blood sweat and tears that went into making it happen. Those who did volunteer have a much better understanding of the museum and those who are running it.
If you are curious and want to help out, the museum is still in need of volunteer help. Call them up and sign up for a shift. Go see for yourself.
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