Troy

Art turns Inside|Out

By Terry Oparka
C & G Staff Writer

What’s your favorite work at the Detroit Institute of Arts: Diego Rivera’s “Detroit Industry,” “The Visitation” by Rembrandt or “Self Portrait” by Van Gogh?

Reproductions of the DIA works will take to the streets, parks and other locales throughout Troy and neighboring communities this summer as part of the DIA’s Inside|Out program.

This is the first year that Troy will participate. The program started three years ago, when one reproduction was placed in 40 different cities and municipalities throughout metro Detroit.

“We realized that it would be more impactful to group them,” said Michelle Hauske, Inside/Out event coordinator for the DIA.

“The National Gallery in London did a version of this in 2007,” Hauske said. “One of the board members saw it, and we looked for ways to fund it.”

She explained that when a DIA board member offered a waterproofing product and a high-resolution printer, Inside|Out was developed as a way to celebrate the DIA’s 125th anniversary in 2011 and going forward.

DIA staff members meet with officials from each participating city to pick places for the works to be displayed — “public places meaningful to the community,” Hauske said.

The exact location of each work is still being determined, although Troy Community Affairs Director Cindy Stewart said that one of the paintings that will be displayed in Troy, which features water, might be displayed near water.

“The pieces go well with the surroundings,” Stewart said. She said the locations will be kept secret until the event begins next month.

The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation will sponsor the program for 2012 and 2013 at no cost to the communities.

A number of surrounding communities are also participating, including Clawson, Royal Oak and Ferndale. Each will have five to 12 reproductions clustered within walking or bike-riding distance. Stewart said Troy is slated to have between five and seven paintings, which will be reproductions to the exact scale as the authentic versions. One painting in the Troy collection measures 66 by 53 inches.

“The pieces in Troy will be within easy walking distance of each other,” Stewart said.

Stewart said Clawson, Ferndale, Royal Oak and Troy planned to offer joint special events throughout the duration of the exhibit. The DIA hopes to provide docents at each exhibit during the special events.

Maps of where the paintings are located will be available at the Troy Public Library and Troy City Hall in coming weeks. Later this summer, the DIA will also offer an online photo contest and geocaching series, in which players try to locate hidden containers, called geocaches, placed near the reproductions with GPS devices. Also, locations of the reproductions in all the participating communities will be available on an interactive map on the DIA’s website, www.dia.org.

The DIA will offer free museum days to residents of participating communities and up to three guests. Troy’s free day will be July 22. A driver’s license or other valid ID is required. Maps showing where the authentic paintings featured in each city are located in the museum will be available.

Inside|Out will be displayed in Troy July 3-Sept. 30.
 

You can reach C & G Staff Writer Terry Oparka at toparka@candgnews.com or at (586)498-1054.