Detroit Dream Project, a collaboration between Society to Promote Art & Recreation in the Community (SPARC), Black Rock Arts Foundation and
Motor City Blight Busters, is a planned public art park and temple pavilion in Old Redford. SPARC is working with artist
David Best to design a basic concept and structure for the temple pavilion, which will then be assembled and decorated by community members that have been trained in welding techniques.
SPARC's Kurt Martin first became engaged with the Blight Busters as a Ford Motor Company volunteer. He says the project, which is to be located on Lahser next to the Blight Buster headquarters, is intended to engage and educate the community. "It is empowering people and training people to take matters into their own hands."
The groups began planning in earnest in December 2006 after engaging Best with the concept when he spoke at University of Michigan two years ago. The internationally-renowned sculptor, who is well known for his work at the
Burning Man festivals, signed onto the concept of the American Dream immediately. Martin says, "It was a meeting of the minds—the right people and the right time."
Best has designed a frame pavilion that will be assembled into a base structure and then affixed with scrap metal collected from automobiles and waste from assembly stamping. The concept depicted here does not reflect the actual final appearance, which will be dictated by available metal and the ideas of the community participants.
At the project's nearby shop, welding tools and supplies are at the ready; Martin says classes will begin this month. In the meantime, scrap metal is being collected and delivered to the shop. "We're stockpiling parts," he says.
While the temple is being assembled, other community members will be landscaping the park area. The work will culminate with an October celebration at which the temple will be erected in the park.
Source: Kurt Martin, SPARC
Writer: Kelli B. Kavanaugh