This is what I know… The core of being is a timeless ghost born yesterday and every day through every word and every thought caressing the heart of the matter. Me? I am ageless— the same as yesterday, with tomorrow frozen in last night’s dream of what will be but never is because this morning, to no one’s surprise, it was today, and I am still right here right now forever in this moment. Oh, but for today… that place, that state, that familiar constant where time stands still, and where we breathe the essence of ourselves until the last exhale, which will not be tomorrow but some other today not unlike this one. Yet… anchored as I am to the moment, I no longer recognize myself, not in the mirror, not in the mortal reflection of my outer shell no… but oh, in the photos, in the miracle of arrested time traveled forward and permanently captured oh yes, there is the soul of me the familiar one suspended in animation transcending the veil of decay.
The past twenty four hours have been insanely productive with much thought, contemplation, and creation. Yesterday I was feeling out of sorts, in a rut, and thinking that I was in need of a new metaphor for my life. I’m done riding the roller coaster… there’s got to be another picture that fits. The image below was an attempt to articulate the feeling, which got me thinking about these old photos of myself that have been surfacing, which then split off in two different directions—one in the form of a fully formulated project, MIXED STATES, and the other in the form of the poem above, Timeless.
And that’s how I roll… barely at all, or fast and hard in explosive creativity. The images below are from the Mixed States Project, fully fledged and barely twelve hours old. Enjoy, and thanks so much for stopping by.
So you’ve bought a gorgeous piece of art for your home, but you’re not sure how to hang it. Here’s what to do!
HOW HIGH?
The rule of thumb is that the centre of the work should always be at eye level. This will allow everyone to fully appreciate the beauty and detail of the work, enhance the balanced look of your room, and it will also give the impression that you’ve hired a professional interior decorator!
Art galleries around the world use a standard formula based on the eye level of the average adult when hanging two-dimensional artwork. Consistency is key!
THE BASICS:
The standard eye level height is generally between 56 to 60 inches from the floor (some even go as high as 62 these days), so you can choose whatever best matches the height of the people in your environment. Whatever you choose, it should remain the same for each piece.
The height of artwork, including the frame, is measured in order to determine the exact centre point measurement. For example, a work that is 24″ high will have a 12″ centre point, and a 36″ piece will have an 18″ centre point, and so on. (see diagram, C) Each piece will be hung so that the centre point is always at eye level, no matter how small or large the artwork. (There are other formulas, but this one is pretty fool-proof.)
The other important measurement you need is the distance of the stretched wire from the top of the work. The ideal is 3″ but many artists and framers don’t consider this when attaching wire to the back of an artwork. (see diagram, A-B)
THE FORMULA:
(This tells you where to place the picture-hanging hook on the wall if using a 58 inch eye level format.)
For a work measuring 24″ with a 3″ wire allowance, place the hook at 67 inches from the floor: (24 ÷ 2) + 58 – 3 = 67 inches
For a work measuring 36” with a 4” wire allowance, place the hook at 72 inches from the floor:(36 ÷ 2) + 58 – 4 = 72 inches
NOTE: In cases where works are hung in groups, the centre of the grouping then sits at eye level.
Artwork Credits: Oncoming Storm by Brent Trach, (painting not to scale)
The famous Polka Dot House still standing with the decorated tree beside it
Yesterday, my friend Adele and I visited The Heidelberg Project in Detroit. Situated in one of the most economically depressed neighbourhoods in the United States, I wasn’t prepared for the impact it would have on me. Before I talk more about it, here’s a brief description from their website:
The Heidelberg Project is art, energy, and community. It’s an open-air art environment in the heart of an urban community on Detroit’s East Side. Tyree Guyton, founder and artistic director, uses everyday, discarded objects to create a two block area full of color, symbolism, and intrigue. Now in its 27th year, the Heidelberg Project is recognized around the world as a demonstration of the power of creativity to transform lives.
The Heidelberg Project offers a forum for ideas, a seed of hope, and a bright vision for the future. It’s about taking a stand to save forgotten neighborhoods. It’s about helping people think outside the box and it’s about offering solutions. It’s about healing communities through art – and it’s working!
Upon arrival, I was overwhelmed with what initially looked like undecipherable clutter. The first thing that struck me was the sheer number shoes. They were part of almost every installation – thousands of shoes. The second thing I noticed was the clocks strewn about from one end of the project to the other, many with their numbers out of order. The piece that hit me the hardest was the old oven full of crusty shoes. It was positively unsettling, and immediately brought to mind Auschwitz and the horrors that happened there. Obviously there is no comparison, but what happened to Detroit is a colossal human tragedy.
One of the more disturbing pieces I saw that day
Anyway, it took a while to absorb what I was seeing – to make sense of it and the intensity of its message. In fact it didn’t fully sink in until after I got home. On the surface, the art in that two-block stretch appears whimsical, decorative, and chaotic all at the same time. But what about all those shoes? At the very least, they are poignant reminders of the decimation of Detroit’s population (from nearly 2 million down to its current 700,000). Miles and miles of once vibrant neighbourhoods are now largely abandoned, burned out, and forgotten. Those shoes are testimony that people – lots of people – lived, loved, and worked there at one time. Which brings us to the clocks.
A mound of shoes crowned by a child’s riding horse and a doll astride itClocks and other installations on an empty lot on Heidelberg Street
The references to time are inescapable, and multiple interpretations are possible. Combined with the shoes, the deliberate juxtaposition suggests a symbolic and deeper reading. Clichéd expressions come to mind. Time stands still. We’re out of time. The clock is ticking. Time is running out. The times they are a changing. Time on your hands. There’s no time like the present. All in due time. Time heals all. We can each draw our own conclusions – HP is certainly a thought-provoking place.
A memorial to all the people who lived, loved, and worked in Detroit
Above all, The Heidelberg Project is about optimism and taking pride and ownership of your environment, especially when it is suffering under dire and desperate circumstances completely out of your control. Despite the controversies and criticism it receives – many refer to it as nothing more than piles of junk and trash – what I saw there is undeniably powerful. Sadly, HP faces many challenges. Apparently, five of the eight principle art houses have been destroyed by arsonists since 2013. Their charred remains have been turned into what can only be described as shrines to what once was. Nevertheless, the founders and volunteers invested in this project seem to take it as it comes and continue to work with what they have.
I’m guessing that the house foundation where the cross is is where the art house covered in vinyl albums once stood – another casualty of arsonThe remains of one of the torched art houses now converted into a shrine
A final word about Detroit – despite its history and current difficulties, the city is truly inspiring. Countless entrepreneurial pop-up businesses and grassroots community efforts are infusing the city with fresh vitality. People are relying less on the government and more on each other to improve the quality of their own lives. Adele and I were overwhelmed by the friendliness we encountered everywhere – first at the HP project; then near the Eastern Market searching for the Canadian Residency on Gratiot where renowned Canadian artist, Suzy Lake, is currently working; then in the Wayne State University area looking for the Motor City Brewing Works (a restaurant that Suzy recommended), and finally downtown while looking for the historic Guardian Building! People were friendly and generous.
I was born in Detroit, and lived there for the first five and a half years of my life. Of the many places I’ve lived in the past fifty years, although some were great, none have truly felt like “my place.” I saw a post on Facebook the other day that said something to the effect of, “Home is where your story began.” So… like an imprinted gosling, I’ve finally found my way back home, and it feels right. (I have to live in Detroit’s sister city, Windsor, for now, but it’s close enough for me.)
The Heidelberg Project attracts 50,000 visitors per year, including a young French couple from Switzerland that we met there yesterday. This kind of attention is very positive because it brings much needed tourist dollars to the financially ailing city.
One of many clocks
Side of the Polka Dot House
A few remaining houses in the neighbourhood
The remains of one of the torched art houses now converted into a shrine
Car hoods reminiscent of the domino effect
Heidelberg Street
Salvaged door installation
Car hoods, reminiscent of the domino effect
Car hoods, reminiscent of the domino effect
Interesting piece with charred house boards behind it from the rash of arsons.
The Polka Dot House surrounded by clocks and shoes
Car hoods
An old stove with a crushed globe of the world inside the oven
One of the remaining houses protected by a shoe fence
A fence strung with shoes
I consent to the use of my Heidelberg Project photos by the Heidelberg Project for promotional and educational purposes. Just give me a heads up guys.
And that’s how I roll… barely at all, or fast and hard in explosive creativity. The images below are from the Mixed States Project, fully fledged and barely twelve hours old. Enjoy, and thanks so much for stopping by.
Michelle LaRiviere 