Besonders für die Amerikaner steht Detroit mit seiner verlassenen Innenstadt und den riesigen Brachflächen als Sinnbild für das Ende des amerikanischen Traumes. Bis 1950 hatte die Stadt knapp 1,9 Millionen Einwohner, heute sind es noch 700.000, was man der Stadt auch ansieht. Etwa 35% der Stadt sind heute unbewohnt, insbesondere alles rund um das Zentrum sieht lädiert und unwirklich aus. Dort, wo der Siegeszug des „american way of life“ begann zieht der Leerstand heute Künstler und Graffiti Writer aus aller Welt an. Die Straßen in und um Detroit Downtown sind bemalt wie wohl keine andere in den Staaten. Das was Revok in seinem Interview für das Amateur Magazin beschreibt oder auszugweise in der Crack & Shine Episode und dem ‘Detroit Beautification” Projekt dokumentiert wird wollen wir heute mal in einem umfangreichen virtuellen Rundgang durch Motor City im Detail zeigen. Knapp 200 aktuelle und sehenswerte Fotos aus diesem Jahr zeigen wie es in Detroit momentan ausschaut. Pieces von Stori, Malt, Gasm, Revok, Chaos, Elmer, Ceno, Purge, Rusle, Aires, Marmer, Zeser oder der NSF Crew findet man fast an jeder Straßenecke, dazu die zahlreichen Bilder von Gästen aus Europa oder Australien. Wer auch in Zukunft über Graffiti in Detroit auf dem Laufenden bleiben will sollte sich die Website piecesofdetroit.com bookmarken. Chris, der Betreiber der Seite macht dort mit seinen regelmäßigen Updates einen wirklich guten Job! Wer eine Reise nach Detroit plant um sich das Live anzusehen oder dort zu malen kann uns gern eine Mail schreiben wir stellen dann einen Kontakt her.
“Here in that city all the lines that are normally drawn between what’s legal, what’s illegal, what’s art, what’s not art you know none of it really matters there, it’s just a simple human gesture.” (POSE/MSK)
“I’ve painted a few cities over the years but Detroit definitely takes the cake. Everyone that comes here says the same thing. There’s more abandoned buildings here than anywhere.” (STORI/KBT)
“You know, in any other big city, where there is a lot of stuff happening and there is a lot of business and a lot of creative people, you know spaces – even if you are able to appropriate space and use it, be it illegally painting graffiti or trying to do legal mural projects, it gets a bit difficult. Space is a high-value commodity, you are competing with advertisers who want to buy the wall, or business owners who have been burnt a couple times. Yeah you know what I mean. Whereas in Detroit you don’t have any of that shit.I think sixty percent of all buildings in Detroit are abandoned. And the ones that aren’t abandoned, these businesses they are struggling to hold on, they are struggling to stay in business. There just aren’t a lot of people out there who are motivated to do something, just for the sake of doing it. Like painting a wall just for the sake of it. You know, everybody is trying to survive there. So, when you approach people and say, hey, I’ve got these very talented guys from Europe, they are great muralists, let us paint your wall for free, they are fucking thrilled, you know what I mean. And they are not trying to hold out because such and such outdoor advertising wants to pay them ten thousand dollars, because no one is advertising in Detroit. There is nobody to advertise to. So, it’s like a perfect place.” (REVOK/MSK)
“Regarded by many as the automotive capital of the world, the city of Detroit has seen a steady, and ever-increasing economic decline over the last several decades. A once ridiculously successful automotive industry spurred growth to rival the largest cities in the world. Since that growth has slowed, stopped and reversed the remaining symbols of the once great empire are slowly returning to the earth, leaving behind empty husks of man’s ingenuity. Ashes to ashes, dust to dust. Born from these ashes is a vibrant and flourishing street art community. In addition to the excellent hometown talent, Detroit is also drawing some great artists from cities across the country and the world. The goal of this website is to showcase the resulting beauty of these artist’s tireless efforts. As Detroit begins to pick up the pieces of it’s broken pride, Pieces of Detroit brings light to the pride that never faltered.”(piecesofdetroit.com)
