Last year, I stumbled upon the Detroit's Main Branch of the Public Library. Like some of my previous experiences in Detroit, it was this amazingly beautiful building that I hadn't read about and went into out of curiosity, and was virtually empty when I went in. It felt like a major discovery.
And as has started to happen, it seems like other people are discovering my secret places. Yesterday, while I was at the Rowland Cafe in the Guardian Building, (see
yesterday's post here), there seemed to be a whole bunch of tourists, possibly local, touring the Guardian Building. I heard one woman ask this other person, "Are you local? Have you been to the Library? Oh! It's great! [or "magnificent" or "beautiful" or something]!" I agree, but it felt like my secret....
Click on photos for a larger view.
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| Detroit Public Library, Main Branch, entrance on Woodward Ave, September 12, 2015. |
The downstairs looks mostly like a local library. Last year, it was pretty deserted (maybe because I was in Detroit in November?) but this year, there were people using the library, people studying, etc. If you go upstairs, near the main entrance, you come to this:
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| Upstairs at the Detroit Public Library, Main Branch, December 12, 2015. You can see, beyond the door, large murals, in three panels. There's also a temporary art exhibit in front of it. Last year, when I visited, this room was empty. Damn you, Detroit, for making good use of your public spaces and attracting users of it!!! |
This room is dominated by three murals by Canadian, John S. Coppin, called "Man's Mobility." The murals are oil on canvas and were glued in place in 1965.
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| Detroit Public Library, December 12, 2015. Using my panorama setting on the camera, giving this weird effect, showing the mural and the wall on the right. |
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| Another view of "Man's Nobility," showing its size. This room was empty when I visited last year, giving me the feeling I had stumbled on a secret. Now I have to share it. Sigh. December 12, 2015. |
The murals are meant to show modes of transportation developed by "man."
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| Centre panel of "Man's Mobility," Detroit Public Library, Main Branch. Depicted behind the man's head are some rockets, and a transcontinental airliner to the right. December 12, 2015. |
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| Detail of the left panel of "Man's Mobility," Detroit Public Library, Main Branch. December 12, 2015. Depicted are a bicycle, trolley, hot air balloon as well as an early Oldsmobile. |
I'm too lazy to post a picture of the hand on the right (viewer's right) not the man's right hand. Plus I was distracted by the ceiling outside the room containing the murals.
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| The ceiling outside the room housing "Man's Mobility." Detroit Public Library, Main Branch. December 12, 2015. |
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| Ceiling of an arch. Detroit Public Library, Main Branch. December 12, 2015. |
There was an addition to the Main Branch, constructed in 1963, that added another entrance.
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| Entrance to the Detroit Public Library, Main Branch, Cass Ave., December 12, 2015. The mosaic is rather pretty. Don't you think? |
Later, I fulfilled a childhood dream of staying at the Renaissance Center. It used to the tallest hotel in the world, when I was a kid, and 8-year old Teza used to see pictures of this building and say, "One day, I'll stay there!" If I could only go back to 8-year old Teza and say, "One day, kid, you'll be living the dream." More on that later, but here's a pic of the Renaissance Center.
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| Renaissance Center, Detroit, December 12, 2015. One of those buildings is a hotel..... |
More tomorrow....
