Hamtramck Arts Festival

The Hamtramck Neighborhood Arts Festival is a “loosely curated showcase of artists, writers and musicians living in Hamtramck and surrounding neighborhoods.” Visitors to the festival are invited to walk through downtown Hamtown and the surround streets viewing art or listening to music, in houses, on porches, in backyards, on sidewalks and in storefronts, all for free. We grab our map at Bumbo’s Bar on Holbrook, the place looks pretty cool in a vintage way but it’s packed, I make a mental note to come back on a day when it’s not so crowded. There are 38 little blue dots on the map marking places participating in today’s event, good thing it runs all day.

We trek over to Klinger, Hamtramck Disneyland Artist-in-Residence Joanie Wind has opened her studio to festival-goers. Inside the compact home her abstract paintings hang near the entryway, I like the textures and glitter. In the family room her video art plays on a large television screen. Outside is the infamous Folk Art installation we all know and love, Hamtramck Disneyland. I’m excited because this is the first time I’ll be seeing it from inside the yard instead of from the alley. For those of you unfamiliar with the story behind the art here’s a little history: Hamtramck Disneyland is the work of artist Dmytro Szylak, it took him nearly 30 years to build it atop the 2 garages on the properties that he owned. It’s a whimsical combination of photographs, posters, found items, that together twirl, spin, illuminate, entertain. It’s Americana, kitsch and Dr. Seuss all strung together from ground to sky. We pass the Statue of Liberty on the porch and take the narrow walkway between 2 houses, crossing under the archway of horses into the backyard. 

We see the jetliner, a rocking horse and carousel horses for the first time. A windmill turns, a duck flaps its wings, a lumberjack saws.  Real Sparrows and Chickadees are perched throughout the sculpture, not a single one is phased by the pieces dancing in the wind. The longer we look the more we discover; a bicycle rim, window fan, Mickey Mouse, propellers, sailors, miniature lights, missals and a helicopter… In the alley a fresh coat of paint has been applied to the garage and fence. After Szylak’s death residents expressed concern over what would happen to the neighborhood Disneyland, Hatch Art took ownership of the properties in 2016, their plan is to repair and maintain the installation, it’s looking better than it has in a long time. You can see Hamtramck Disneyland for yourself anytime from the alleyway between Sobieski and Klinger, north of Commor, south of Carpenter.

Speaking of Hatch, let’s go check out their gallery on Evaline. HATCH stands for Hamtramck Art Collective, in 2008 they purchased the old police station from the city and began renovating the building as money allowed; four years later Hatch Art Gallery opened. The 2-story brown-brick building is quietly tucked away on a neighborhood street; exhibitions take up most of the first floor, there’s also classroom space, a gift shop, community dark room and an Art Library where Detroiter’s can borrow a local artists work for their home for up to 2 months. Upstairs, studios are 11 x 14, each has a window, solid door, WiFi and secure 24-hour access, not bad for $200 a month. We climb the stairs and admire the beautiful painting in the hall, wandering in and out of each private studio with an open door we see a variety of mediums and styles; oils, watercolors, portraits, clowns, dogs, plants, sculptures and encaustic pieces. Such a mix of subjects and images; some startling, others serene.

Moving along we pass an abandoned house where the boarded up windows have become canvases for art. Inside the Ghost Light thick-framed paintings by Emily Jane Wood fill a wall, the band is setting up in the performance space. A house on Caniff has also been turned into studios, I watch as an artist works with dried flowers she grew herself. We notice a small group of people hanging out on a porch, we cross over to see what they’re doing; it’s an interactive display combining sound, art, circuits and sculpture.. Fruits are halved with wires running to a computer, a note instructs me to pick up the wired carrots and use them as drumsticks, how fun is this? Next I tap pumpkins and hard squash with my fingertips, the vegetables have become drums. My favorite thing is the jello cups, I hold the spoon and tap the jiggly concoction mimicking  the sound of a xylophone, each color is a different note, it’s like magic– I could play with this all afternoon!

A former Chinese restaurant on the corner of Caniff and Jos Campau has been turned into a community space called Bank Suey, today it’s home to an artist market selling everything from homemade samosas to essential oils and fiber art, chair massage anyone? Oloman Cafe is showcasing black and white photography on a gallery wall. I really like the space, so open and airy. Come in for a coffee drink or tea, pastries or light fare, check out the current exhibit, relax in the lounge area; I take my coffee to go.

The door is open at another multi-level building, we follow the sound of the voices inside. An artist is talking to a group of visitors, we check out his work then ramble through the rest of the building. Upstairs a man is deep in thought, working on a piece. His space is bright, stuff is everywhere, he makes his own material, it looks like some kind of soft plastic, he layers pieces on top of one another creating multi-dimensional works, colors drip and ooze together. His work space is almost as interesting as his work.

“Popps Packing is an artist-­run neighborhood-­based nonprofit organization founded in 2009 by husband and wife artists, Faina Lerman and Graem Whyte. Their mission is to create impactful arts programming and foster cultural exchange between local and international artist communities, while leveraging the unique features of our region, neighborhood, and personal practices.”  Whew, having gotten that about of the way I now want to tell you about Popps Back Forty. Over on Carpenter St. you will notice the house at 2037 is undergoing renovation, we enter carefully, look at the art on display then exit through the back door; what I see is completely unexpected. A wide open space, mature trees, gardens, the tallest corn I’ve ever seen in my life, a treehouse. Stepping out into the yard we wander in amazement, cabbages are still hanging on, Marigolds are finished blooming, a thick layer of mulch separates perennials and vegetables; various garden beds are found throughout the property. Kris climbs the ladder to the treehouse, what a view; I visit the chickens and turkey’s in their pen. Musicians begin arriving for the improvisational soundscape taking place on the back forty; one makes his way to the back of the lot, the boat parked on a trailer will be his stage. Further on more musicians are already making music, one on a large wooden spool another on a platform nestled into a tree. It begins to rain, we listen to ethereal sounds that seem natural in this environment, the tire swing looks lonely, colorful art installations look as if they grew from the ground up; who knew all of this was here?

Time to eat, the cafe at the Detroit Zen Center is open again, lets get some food. Living Zen Organics, an organic health food store and cafe is located on the lower level of the center. Operated by monks, students and neighbors you can stop in to purchase bulk foods, organic teas or have a bite to eat. The large, open space has an immediate cozy feeling, exposed rafters, glazed brick walls, decorative tiles, wood tables and benches put me at ease. After taking a seat we place our order, I have a sore throat today so director and head cook Myungju Sunim is making me a special tea. I look around at Ball jars filled with dark liquids such as coconut blossom syrup and raw blue agave, others hold spices; turmeric, thyme, sage; metal cans hold dried beans and rice. Back at the table I sip on my tea, it feels good going down. Large plates hold kale salad and a vegan black bean burrito, bowls hold today’s soup. We eat slowly, the calmness dictating our pace, the food is quite flavorful, we enjoy every bite. As a treat Abbot Hwalson Sambul Sunim is making vegan ice cream for the staff, he’s kind enough to share some of it with us, the smooth and creamy banana mixture is sweet and pleasing. What better way to end the day!

Tags: art, Detroit Zen Center, Explore, Hamtramck Disneyland, Hatch, Neighborhood Festival, Open Studios, organic, Travel