A variant of Covid-19 is rising they've named it Delta (heavy sigh) it's more contagious and people are getting sick again. Dark times. As I scrolled through depressing articles on climate change, politics and the rise of fascism in America I decided to give Facebook a break. On the last scroll and just before I signed out a post caught my eye by BLKout Walls. I stopped and embraced the light, and the good news, and the good vibes, and just the plain... GOOD!
BLKout Walls is an inaugural festival that consists of black muralists from all over the country. This week long festival ends with a block party on Saturday. I thought, yup, I'm going. As a photographer I had never heard of them so I did a bit of Google, and now I'm a fan. Saturday was a beautiful sunny day with mild temps; a great day for walking and taking photos.
There is an amazing mural on the Chroma building on E. Grand Boulevard in Detroit. You can't miss it - it's HUGE and it's beautiful painted by Sydney James. Reminiscent of Girl with A Pearl Earring by Vermeer c. 1665; instead of the pearl there is a distinct "D". Detroit. I love this wink.
This work of art was completed long before the festival but it was a smart beacon to where the party started. The area is filled with murals and I had a great time walking through all of them. When you have the time, stop and take a walk through the murals, they are fantastic.
I've updated the weekly portfolio with new images. I shot a lot of film and the edit was tough. I walked through one of the oldest neighborhoods in Detroit and there is so much art there. Detroit is working on a second act and it's exciting to see the talent on the stage.