Ortonville- You gotta have art.
The Detroit Institute of Art’s motto applies everywhere and this spring, the world-class museum from the big city will bring their Inside|Out program to the village, transforming a rural town into an art showcase.
‘We scored this program because we are a charming town and have a beautiful background for art,? said Downtown Development Authority Executive Director Molly LaLone.
LaLone applied for the program in October, and recently learned the village had been accepted as one of 10 communities in which reproductions from the DIA’s art collection will be featured from April 15-July 15. Another 10 communities will feature art pieces from August to October.
‘Molly told me she didn’t think Inside|Out could come to Ortonville, she thought it was reserved for places closer to the museum, but then she heard we are willing to go whereever in the tri-county area,? said Jillian Reese, community relations specialist for the DIA. ‘We tried to keep a good mix of communities. We choose based on geography, small and large communities, we pay attention to communities the DIA doesn’t have a strong presence? it’s a great way to develop relationships. Our goal for this year was to focus on communities north of M-59, we want to increase outreach. We’re really excited to be in Ortonville and it’s a great opportunity to make connections, to better know our constituents, who we are serving and what kind of programming they are interested in.?
This will be the sixth year for the Inside|Out program, begun by DIA COO Annmarie Erickson after a trip to London in which she saw a reproduction from the Tate Modern collection while out to dinner, with no label or explanation. Back in Detroit the following summer, she and DIA officials picked 40 of the most famous pieces from their collection to be reproduced, including ones by Vincent van Gogh and Monet, and placed the reproductions outdoors in various Michigan communities.
‘We didn’t really know how people would react, but they loved it,? said Reese. ‘The following year, we added labels and more pieces to the collection. Every time we think we’ve hit every community we can, places like Ortonville request it and we realize how many places we have yet to venture to.?
The program has been in over 100 communities, with 900 individual installations. Each community that is chosen receives between 7-12 pieces to display, depending on size, locations within the community for display and programming planned to coincide with the program. There are more than 90 pieces of art, all different, that the DIA uses in the program. The majority are reproductions of major paintings, although there are also images of textiles and tapestries in the collection. High quality images are taken of the art and a fabricator reproduces the work in Southfield. Images are printed on vinyl, which is adhered to an aluminum substrate which is set into a real wood art frame that is treated with a polyurethane coating to make it weather-resistant. The reproductions are kept as close to the authentic piece as possible. In the future, the museum would like to include sculptures, but are currently stumped on how to do it.
Reproduced art in the program includes: A Day in June by George Wesley Bellows; Animals in a Landscape by Franz Marc; Dancers in the Green Room by Edgar Degas; Gladioli by Claude Monet; In the Garden by Mary Cassatt; Martha and Mary Magdalene by Caravaggio; Nocturne in Black and Gold by James Abbott McNeill Whistler; Savoy Ballroom by Reginald Marsh; The Nut Gatherers by Adolphe Bouguereau; Self Portrait by Vincent Willem van Gogh; and Watson and the Shark by John Singleton Copley.
‘It’s a juggling act deciding the pieces for each community, but it’s definitely a long process,? said Reese. ‘We do 10 communities at a time, so we really have to be thoughtful about what we put where. Another decision is what sites are available. Larger pieces can’t be freestanding.?
Reese adds that the DIA likes to place art where there is a lot of foot traffic. While some communities request art to be placed in an area where it can be seen while driving by, the DIA looks for locations where people will stop and look.
‘Maybe you happened upon the art and weren’t expecting it,? she said. ‘We want people to pause and take note of the piece. We are a culture inundated with imagery and we don’t want the pieces to just get lost in the different forms of media around us. We look for the places people will take notice, but can also put art in more secluded areas.?
Reese has already toured the village with LaLone in a consultation on where art may potentially be placed.
‘We talked about what will look good, what is appropriate, exciting and enticing for downtown Ortonville,? said LaLone. ‘We can incorporate the art with events including Creekfest and Beets, Beats & Eats, such as a contest with people in similar poses to the art… I’m hoping the program will inspire a local movement to have an exhibit with local artists.?
Decisions on which art pieces and how many will be disclosed in January. Maps will be printed and designed indicating what pieces are where in the community and given to LaLone to distribute. Reese said it will be like a scavenger/treasure hunt.
‘One of the unintended outcomes of this project? even more than gaining more support and visits to the DIA, is the way the project aids in placemaking and unearths the arts and culture community that is in every place. It spurs development in arts and culture after Inside|Out leaves. It’s a way to bring the community together and out and about and really exploring their own backyard. If they then come to visit us and see the authentic pieces, it’s a bonus for us.?