In the heart of Downtown Detroit runs Woodward Avenue: it cuts from the downtown riverfront through the city of Detroit, through various suburbs, extending to Pontiac. Before it turns into a round-a-bout at Campus Martius downtown near Hart Plaza, there are blocks of various vacant storefronts, which used to surround the once glamourous HUDSON’S department store (which has since been demolished and turned into a parking garage). These beautiful storefronts guard tall office buildings which for the most part, are also vacant. Dan Gilbert recently acquired a nice chunk of this stretch of buidlings on Woodward Ave with future plans of major development.

Until then Street Culture Mash and 323East Gallery, along with many artists- local and national, have decided these empty storefronts could use some life in them. Several artists have put up installations in the windows of these buildings to bring public art and hope to the area. This is an incredibly cool effort spearheaded by founder of Street Culture Mash, Mike Han and the guys at 323East. Mike Han speaks about the project: 

Woodward Windows is our pilot project and we’re working to expand into what I like to call Sprawl Art, a public art initiative that activates vacancies throughout Detroit City.

We’re just getting started, and this will be an exciting year. Make sure to check back in as you’ll get to learn more about these artists through our blog posts and upcoming video series to debut next month.” -VIA SCM Website

(All images via Street Culture Mash Website)

The Detroit Design Festival will feature the Woodward Windows project as well, which will be on view September 21-28th. Check out these videos below which interview Mike Han and the artists work in progress!

The post VACANT WOODWARD WINDOWS NOW OCCUPIED WITH ART FROM STREET CULTURE MASH X 323EAST GALLERY appeared first on PLAYGROUND DETROIT.