"Nice Outfit," the summer art installation in downtown's Paradise Valley Harmonie Park, made its debut late last week. An 18-foot sculpture in nine sections, "Nice Outfit" complements the Summer in the Park concert series, providing a dynamic setting for the music and dance events that take place throughout the summer. The art was commissioned by the Carr Center, a neighboring arts and cultural center which handles programming in the park.
Nice Outfit is a collaboration between Detroit-based artist Olayami Dabls and the Anya Sirota + Akoaki design studio. Dabls is perhaps most notable for his work at the African Bead Museum, of which he is the founder. The museum, which is located on Detroit's west side, is covered in colorful art and shards of mirrors, among other things. The museum is an unmistakable landmark when traveling along Interstate 96 or Grand River Avenue. Anya Sirota + Akoaki recently completed the Mothership, a portable, P-Funk-inspired DJ booth in the city's North End neighborhood as part of the
O.N.E. Mile project.
The artists' collaboration resulted in the "Nice Outift" sculptures, nine distinct figures that are viewed as one collective group. The artists utilized wood, painted layered surfaces, and reflective mirrors as they incorporated themes of the African diaspora. The Carr Center considers Nice Outfit to be its most ambitious installation yet.
"The sculptures form a collective and are dressed for the occasion. We invite visitors to join the park’s festivities and to see themselves as part of an emergent group," says Oliver Ragsdale, Jr., president of the Carr Center.
The project received support from the University of Michigan's Taubman College of Architecture + Urban Planning and a Quicken Loans grant.
Events at the park are free, open to everyone, and include a concert series occurring every Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday at 6 p.m. and a "Dancing Under the Stars" dance party every third Saturday of the month.
Writer: MJ Galbraith
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