Art in my Daily Life: Southwest Detroit Edition

I have lived in Southwest Detroit my entire life, and it is the place where I developed my deep appreciation for art, particularly due to the countless murals that line our streets. Thus, I decided to document a day in my life through the art I encounter in my community:

10:30 a.m. — After leaving my niece and nephew’s spring recital, my sister and I visited the local E & L Supermarket, we saw one of my favorite murals. This mural, as pictured below, holds a special place in my heart. While there are many iconic murals in Southwest Detroit, most have been around for as long as I can remember, so I had never had the chance to see them being created. However, every day on my way to middle school, I passed the local E & L Supermarket and watched as this mural by Elton Monroy Duran came to life. Though I cannot confirm, it made me happy to see that the mural seemingly used real photos from the Cinco de Mayo parade of that year as references. Further, what makes this mural even more meaningful to me is that I had the chance to meet Elton through one of my art classes. That enlightening experience in combination with actually being able to see the process of making a mural made me appreciate the labor and time that goes into creating the many murals like this one in Southwest. Even though I don’t frequent E & L much anymore, this mural never fails to make me smile whenever I pass by.

12:00 p.m. — After we finished our shopping we decided to go get a quick bite at a local taco truck and restaurant called El Taquito Veloz before heading home. Even though I have been coming to this restaurant since I was little I had never noticed all of the paintings that adorn its walls until I started planning to write this post. This painting below, like many others in Southwest Detroit, reflects the experiences of the local community. Many of us are first- and second-generation immigrants from Latin American countries, and our families often have to work manual labor jobs. This reality is depicted in the painting, reminding folks to take pride in their immigrant backgrounds and draw strength from them. Despite the challenges faced by immigrants, both in the past and today, paintings like this instill a sense of pride in our heritage and community.

7:00 pm — My cousin invited me to attend a yoga class with her at Vámonos Detroit’s Healthy Eatery & Creative Spaces. Upon arrival, I was surprised by the amount of art decorating every wall, the result of a recent exhibition. One painting by Julianna Sanroman, titled “I Don’t Want to Die Yet,” pictured below, particularly resonated with me. While I am unsure of its intended meaning, the imagery in this painting deeply touched me as someone who has had a complicated relationship with grief. Grief often feels like a living entity, a flame that never fully extinguishes. The use of orange in this piece struck me due to its unique perspective on loss. Art related to loss typically utilizes dark colors and motifs, but the use of bright orange in this painting reminds us that the concept of loss is always intertwined with the presence of life.

In documenting a day through the art of Southwest Detroit, I realized that although I have been surrounded by countless murals since I was young, I never fully exposed myself to or thought deeply about all the other community-based art and artists that surround me. Further, I was shocked by how most of these artworks carry profound narratives that encapsulate my community’s experiences and values. As I continue to explore the art and artist in my neighborhood I have a renewed sense of pride and appreciation for my community and how it has helped to shape me and the ways I view art.