Local Art Love: Feelings and the Flower House
(Guest View by Pamela Bellaver, Nov. 1, 2015)
I had the pleasure of experiencing first hand all the glory of the unique Flower House exhibit on display last weekend in Hamtramck. There were two houses to view, one that was completed in May and is now in a less “lively” state and the newer, bigger Flower House full of beautiful fresh flowers, plants, vegetables, fruits and other vegetation.
The contrast between the two houses provided insight into the transformation of these living beauties in only a few short months. I read about and felt so many different emotions as I approached both houses and then walked through, taking it all in. There was such abundance in the main flower house in stark contrast to the weathered smaller version. Dried flowers, weathered books, and images of spring and summer days gone by spread their soft yellow, green and brown hues throughout the first house giving one a sense of time moving on and changes that occur quickly but just as beautifully.
I arrived in the late afternoon and had the benefit of the setting sun just as it starts to pour its warm glow into the open and cracked windows in both houses. This alone provided such a unique perspective, an almost liveliness of both exhibits. The Flower House itself was adorned with what appeared to be a repurposed sign, a symmetrical almost Zen-like garden out front and a mural across the back that brought thoughts of spring and freshness to the weathered siding.
Inside, I was moved and inspired by the time each floral artist had taken to express the care they obviously felt as they wandered the house and let the walls speak to them of days gone by. I too was warmly reminded of times I’d spent in homes that are now gone or abandoned. It’s heart wrenching and comforting all at the same time. It was a visual overload taking in all the creative designs from a waterfall, to a shower curtain of cascading orange flowers to the flower tornado and so much more.
Overall, I truly enjoyed this wonderful endeavor and applaud Lisa Waud of Pot and Box, and her team of hundreds, for creating such an emotional, beautiful and transcendent piece of art, an exhibit of life in an otherwise lifeless structure and a unique perspective of how our city is transforming….for the good.
The Flower House lasted only a weekend, but the project gained national attention. The plan was simple, fill an abandoned house with flowers, do an exhibit, then responsibly deconstruct the house, repurpose the materials, and put a garden on the site. The exhibit ran Oct. 16-18. According to the project’s website, the mission was to:
“sharing the flower house experience rooted in a love of art
building an exhibition that brings visitors awe and joy
creating an opportunity for florists to participate in an innovative floral installation
pursuing a passion for sustainability and responsibility to American-grown flower farms
showing respect for the city of Detroit’s history through the reuse of one abandoned house
enriching as many lives as we can.”
Learn more at http://www.theflower.house/about/.