Diamonds in the Desert -- Part 5 -- Diego Rivera Murals

I said I'd return to the Detroit Industry murals by Diego Rivera in the Detroit Institute of Arts because really, they are so remarkable and in a way, wrap up our Detroit visit, reflecting back to "diamonds" and "desert."

As you enter the DIA and take a few steps up, you'll find straight ahead of you an enormous, beautifully sunlit atrium. On all four walls of the atrium are spectacular murals by Rivera depicting Detroit's city's manufacturing base and labor force of the 1930s.

The murals are frescoes, a technique in which paint is applied to wet plaster. One must work very quickly while the plaster is wet, and it is a laborious process. The project was done over an eleven-month period. (When you look at the wide shots, you get the sense of scale and what a grand and large project this was!)

The 27 panels depict the Ford Motor Company and reflect elements of the earth and life. They were painted in 1932-33 and Rivera himself ranked them among his best works.

As you enter, the wall facing is the east wall. At the top, you'll see this image of a baby growing in the bulb of a plant. His symbolism?

All humankind is rooted in the earth. On either side, woman representing fertility figures are painted with Michigan-grown fruits and vegetables.

The west wall behind you pictures the two essential characters of industry -- worker and manager.

They are given equal stature.

The two longest walls depict factory life at the famed River Rouge plant and there are some interesting tidbits that the excellent iPad tour provided.

For example, the conveyer belt was used to "convey" the motion and energy of the production process. As you can see, it goes through many "areas" and one gets the feeling of physical labor.

As one might expect with a Rivera project, there was plenty of controversy involved. Certainly, his Marxist philosophy was considered to have been included, with his empathy for the common worker. This small panel shows people walking over a bridge to get to (or from) the plant. It was at this site some years before there had been considerable action with strikes.

Although you can't see them well in these photos, both of the wide walls reflect not only the auto industry, but the positive and negative results of technology and industry in general, including the manufacture of poison gases and how it plays into war. This, of course, was controversial.

Clergy were upset as well, considering the murals blasphemous and vulgar.

According to wikipedia, during the McCarthy era, the DIA posted a sign in Rivera Court that acknowledged his politics were detestable.

"But let's get the record straight on what he did here. He came from Mexico to Detroit, thought our mass production industries and our technology wonderful and very exciting, painted them as one of the great achievements of the twentieth century. This came after the debunking twenties when our artists and writers found nothing worthwhile in America and worst of all in America was the Middle West. Rivera saw and painted the significance of Detroit as a world city. If we are proud of this city's achievements, we should be proud of these paintings and not lose our heads over what Rivera is doing in Mexico today."

This panel is a direct throwback to the Renaissance era of including patrons in an artistic work. Pictured are Edsel Ford, who funded much of the work and was commissioner of the arts commission and William R. Valentin, director of the DIA and the one who commissioned the work.

A flipped photo makes the dedication easier to read.

Both stood firm in the controversy. As Ford said, simply -- and as the last word -- "I like it."

I liked it, too.

I end with revisiting a photo from the first post in this series, and again, my apologies to the photographer. This is the Detroit plant -- perhaps River Rouge -- over the past decade -- vacant, silent.

It says it all.

If you are interested in learning more about the murals, click HERE to see a series of tours from the DIA's website that show Diego Rivera making the murals as well as explanations from curators about the significance and symbolism of various elements.

Meanwhile, over at CHOPSTICKS AND STRING I'm reviewing my latest read, "Madresfield," which is about the English Manor House that inspired "Brideshead Revisited."

Diamonds in the Desert -- Part 4 -- The Whitney

Let me tell you about hotel websites that advertise "continental breakfast" -- don't believe them! Do not think they will have scrumptious pastries that will look like these sweet confections!

It was Sunday, on our Detroit trip, and at the St. Regis, we went downstairs, hungry for breakfast -- only to find cold, tiny bagels-from-a-bag (with no toaster), one muffin, a few faux-Danish pastries from a box (and cold), little boxes of cereal and only one carton of milk, watered down OJ and no tea.

We made the best of it, headed to the DIA for more art and then had brunch at the Whitney.

Going to the Whitney is a big deal. It's a converted historical mansion on Woodward Ave. in Detroit. It was the home of lumber baron David Whitney, built 1890-94. Construction of the 32-room home (with 218 windows, 20 fireplaces, a secret vault in the dining room and an elevator) was $400,000. Built with South Dakota Jasper (a pink granite), it has a soft, rosy hue.

We walked in on a cold, sunny morning, finding warmth in the "walk-in" fireplace in the great hall.

Having come off a recent Downton Abbey binge, I felt as close to Abbey-like here as I ever have!

The Tiffany windows made for a glorious photo backdrop!

From the minute you enter, you feel special. The fireplace in the hall had a roaring fire; a massive staircase went up two flights.

There were places to pause or wait for your table -- comfy furniture in the upper hall and tiny drawing rooms.

And, there were numerous private dining areas as well.

The chandeliers were beautiful -- David Whitney's buddy did the original "electrification." His name was Thomas Edison.

I was impressed with the woodwork and elegant art nouveau ironwork -- it was spectacular.

And when you came down the central staircase, you felt as though you had "arrived."It was my "Lady Grantham" moment.

We were on the main floor in a cozy corner. The never-ending mimosas began as soon as we were seated!

Our room was bright, facing the street. This photo was taken as we were about the last to leave; it was full when we arrived.

There were lovely touches -- a beautiful fireplace with a golden clock.

Rick and I couldn't resist!

This adjacent dining room was lovely too, with a cozier feel.

The Whitney isn't like going to Denny's! The brunch was delicious -- perfectly prepared food with some interesting things that I love -- salmon, shrimp and grits, and crepes, along with the usual breakfast fare.

And of course, the dessert and pastry table was to die for!

Of course, before I left, I had to hit the bathroom. And of course, I was impressed! Definitely not your put-it-together-yourself bathroom etagiere from Target!

After the Whitney family sold the house in the 1920s, it became the Wayne County Medical Society, then the Visiting Nurses Association. (Imagine going to work here!). The property was purchased privately in 1980 by David Kughn, who converted it into "An American Restaurant in an American Palace." It is currently owned by Bud Liebler, a man with a mission to refresh and revitalize the property and keep it functioning as a Detroit icon for generations to come.

Ah, farewell, Whitney. We won't be able to afford you for a long while, but it was fabulous while it lasted, and a wonderful way to end our Detroit weekend!

One more post on Detroit -- coming soon -- about the Diego Rivera mural! And for some eye candy illustrations related to a good fairy tale (or twenty!) AND for a look at Madresfield, a book about the manor house that inspired "Brideshead Revisited," check out Chopsticks and String.

Diamonds in the Desert, 3 -- Rembrandt, Orchestra Hall

How do you get to Carnegie Hall? Practice, practice, practice!

The same could be said for the musician wanting to get to Detroit's Max Fisher Hall (aka Orchestra Hall), home of the Detroit Symphony.

We didn't get back to the hotel from the DIA till after 5:30, because our tickets to the Rembrandt exhibit weren't until late in the day. There was plenty to see and savor in this exhibit showing how Rembrandt changed in his interpretation of painting Jesus.

Photos weren't allowed in the exhibit. Most of these are from an excellent Time slideshow; one is from the DIA website.

The idea of the exhibit was to show how Rembrandt was one of the first European artists to focus on Jesus as a compassionate, good, young and kind person -- to find his humanity.

To do so, he chose models who were Jewish and who lived in the same Jewish quarter of Amsterdam as he did.

Interestingly enough, Rembrandt's religious art may have been as much a commercial as spiritual endeavor. During that period in the Netherlands, the Calvinist religion promoted a great desire to have images of Jesus in the home. Rembrandt whipped out his pieces for quick sale to his fellow Amsterdam citizens. It was the copious records from his later bankruptcy that provided the provenance for many of his works.

(I have to admit, it sort of freaked me out that he was the equivalent of the Thomas Kincade of the day.)

The exhibit also had wonderful models of Amsterdam during that time and excellent multimedia features. If it is headed to a city near you, I recommend it.

And, for a short and very interesting review of the exhibition catalogue by Lloyd DeWitt, reviewed by WKAR's Lev Raphael, please listen to THIS LINK. Raphael makes excellent points about the impact of seeing the illustrations in the catalogue and savoring each image and accessible sections of text over time, versus the still-thrilling, but sometimes frustrating, of experiencing such a powerful exhibition in a crowd. Makes me wish I'd bought the catalogue!

But all that art viewing set us off course for dinner! And remember a few posts ago, I mentioned the restaurant at the hotel? Not an option for dinner! So, we found a Japanese restaurant near the DIA, wolfed down some noodles and rice and were off to the symphony.

To walk into Orchestra Hall is truly a grand experience. Our seats were on the first floor, under the balcony. Perfect for seeing every bit of the concert, titled "Ravishing Rachmaninoff."

Leonard Slatkin conducts the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, and he is one of the most renowned conductors in the world. The first piece was an interesting new piece by a woman named Cynthia McTee called "Einstein's Dream" -- not quite my cup of "tea." But the second was the Shoshtokovich Violin Concerto No. 1 in A Minor, Op. 99, with a violinist named Julian Rachlin. There were plenty of tricky and intricate passages in the four movements and he was masterful, getting the standing ovation he deserved from an appreciative audience.

During intermission, we headed to the balcony for photos and then down front.

You can get an idea of the scale of the hall, yet it felt rather intimate.

And the architectural details were lovely.

The second act, Rachmaninoff's Symphonic Dances, Op. 45. I loved this piece, filled with energy, power, lightness and quieter moments. And yes, another ovation.

The Rachmaninoff was being recorded by the DSO -- I have a feeling I'll be getting that CD!

Then it was back to the hotel (where the restaurant bar had closed before we arrived at 10:30. No glass of wine for us that night!

But we did pass by a couple of Detroit's other "diamonds" -- The Fox Theatre (above) and Comerica Park, home of the Detroit Tigers. (It will never replace the original Tiger stadium in my mind, though!)

Next: A brunch to die for in a converted mansion. And, for some great illustrations and a look at a treasured children's book I've loved since 1958, visit Chopsticks and String HERE.