List of public art in Detroit

This is a list of public art in Detroit.

This list applies only to works of public art accessible in an outdoor public space. For example, this does not include artwork visible inside a museum.

Selected artworks

Image Title / subject Location and
coordinates
DateArtist / designerTypeMaterialDimensionsDesignationOwner / administrator Notes
Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac Philip A. Hart Plaza

42°19′43″N 83°2′37″W / 42.32861°N 83.04361°W / 42.32861; -83.04361 (short title)
2001William Kieffer and Ann Feely sculpturebronze City of Detroit

[1]

Atom Gazelle Belle Isle Park

42°21′2″N 82°58′10″W / 42.35056°N 82.96944°W / 42.35056; -82.96944 (short title)
1991Richard Bennett sculpturestainless steel City of Detroit

[2]

Balancing Act One Campus Martius

42°20′0″N 83°2′47″W / 42.33333°N 83.04639°W / 42.33333; -83.04639 (short title)
2016HOW and NOSM mural184 x 60 feet (56.1 x 18.2 m) Library Street Collective[3]
Bagley Memorial Fountain Cadillac Square

42°19′53″N 83°2′42″W / 42.33139°N 83.04500°W / 42.33139; -83.04500 (short title)
May 30, 1887 (relocated July 3, 1926)Henry Hobson Richardson fountainwhite Worcester granite Michigan State Historic SiteCity of Detroit

[4] [5] [6]

Curved Form with Rectangle and Space Scarab Club

42°21′34″N 83°3′47″W / 42.35944°N 83.06306°W / 42.35944; -83.06306 (short title)
2000Lois Teicher sculpturestainless steel University Cultural Center Association

[7]

Detroit Chimera Graffiti Mural Russell Industrial Center, Building Number 2

42°22′39.71″N 83°3′39.89″W / 42.3776972°N 83.0610806°W / 42.3776972; -83.0610806 (short title)
between 2010 and 2012Kobie Solomon mural8,750 square feet (813 square meters) Russell Industrial Center

[8]

Le fleuve la garonne Detroit Institute of Arts

42°21′32″N 83°3′54″W / 42.35889°N 83.06500°W / 42.35889; -83.06500 (short title)
early 20th centuryafter Antoine Coysevox sculpturebronze53 x 99 1/4 x 44 3/4 inches (134.6 x 252.1 x 113.7 cm) Detroit Institute of Arts

[9]

Johann Friedrich Schiller Belle Isle Park

42°20′29″N 82°58′48″W / 42.34139°N 82.98000°W / 42.34139; -82.98000 (short title)
designed 1906, dedicated May 11, 1908Herman Matzen sculpturestainless steelapprox. 6 x 4 x 8 feet (1.8 x 1.2 x 2.4 m ) City of Detroit

[10]

Gateway to Freedom International Memorial to the Underground Railroad Philip A. Hart Plaza

42°19′35″N 83°2′38″W / 42.32639°N 83.04389°W / 42.32639; -83.04389 (short title)
dedicated October 20, 2001Edward Dwight sculpture City of Detroit

[11]

General Alexander Macomb Washington Boulevard at Michigan Avenue

42°19′55″N 83°3′3″W / 42.33194°N 83.05083°W / 42.33194; -83.05083 (short title)
dedicated September 11, 1908Adolph Alexander Weinman sculpturebronze9 feet x 44 inches x 42 inches (2.7 m x 1.1 m x 1 m) City of Detroit

[12]

Gracehoper Detroit Institute of Arts

42°21′36″N 83°3′55″W / 42.36000°N 83.06528°W / 42.36000; -83.06528 (short title)
1961Tony Smith sculpturesteel and paint23 × 22 × 46 feet (7 m 1 cm × 6 m 70.6 cm × 14 m 2.1 cm) Detroit Institute of Arts

[13]

Hamtramck Disneyland Hamtramck

42°24′26.2″N 83°3′31″W / 42.407278°N 83.05861°W / 42.407278; -83.05861 (short title)
created 1992, finished 1999Dmytro Szylak installation Hatch Art

[14]

Hazen Stuart Pingree southwest of Woodward Avenue and East Adams Avenue

42°20′12″N 83°3′3″W / 42.33667°N 83.05083°W / 42.33667; -83.05083 (short title)
1903, dedicated May 30, 1904Rudolf Schwartz bronzestainless steel10 1/2 x 6 x 6 feet (3.2 x 1.8 x 1.8 m) City of Detroit

[15]

Heidelberg Project McDougall-Hunt neighborhood, east Detroit[16]

42°21′31.23″N 83°1′16.88″W / 42.3586750°N 83.0213556°W / 42.3586750; -83.0213556 (short title)
created 1986, ongoingTyree Guyton installation Tyree Guyton

[17]

Horace E. Dodge and Son Memorial Fountain Philip A. Hart Plaza

42°19′37″N 83°2′38″W / 42.32694°N 83.04389°W / 42.32694; -83.04389 (short title)
1972-1979, dedicated October 14, 1981Isamu Noguchi fountainstainless steel and black granite30 feet (9.1 m) City of Detroit

[18]

James Scott Memorial Fountain Belle Isle Park

42°20′6.22″N 82°59′57.52″W / 42.3350611°N 82.9993111°W / 42.3350611; -82.9993111 (short title)
1923, dedicated May 31, 1925Cass Gilbert and Herbert Adams fountainmarble, cement, bronze18 feet x 75 feet (5.5 m x 22.9 m) City of Detroit

[19]

Jeune fille et sa suite (Young Woman and Her Suitors) Detroit Institute of Arts

42°21′32″N 83°3′47″W / 42.35889°N 83.06306°W / 42.35889; -83.06306 (short title)
1970Alexander Calder sculpturepainted steel35 feet × 27 feet 6 inches × 19 feet (10 m 66.8 cm × 8 m 38.2 cm × 5 m 79.1 cm) Detroit Institute of Arts

[20]

Monica 500 Woodward 2016Swoon mural17 feet Library Street Collective

[3]

Monument to Joe Louis Philip A. Hart Plaza

42°19′43.3″N 83°2′40.36″W / 42.328694°N 83.0445444°W / 42.328694; -83.0445444 (short title)
dedicated October 16, 1986Robert Graham sculpturebronze25 feet 6 inches × 24 feet 6 inches (7 m 77.2 cm × 7 m 46.8 cm) Detroit Institute of Arts

[21] [22]

Nymph and Eros Detroit Institute of Arts

42°21′33″N 83°3′55″W / 42.35917°N 83.06528°W / 42.35917; -83.06528 (short title)
early 20th centuryafter Philippe Magnier sculpturebronze51 x 99 x 45 inches (129.5 x 251.5 x 114.3 cm) Detroit Institute of Arts

[23]

Passo di danza (Step of the Dance) One Woodward Avenue, Jefferson Avenue entrance

42°19′43″N 83°2′43″W / 42.32861°N 83.04528°W / 42.32861; -83.04528 (short title)
1963Giacomo Manzù sculpturebronze11 feet (3.4 m) One Woodward Avenue

[24]

Phoenix Scarab Club, west facade

42°21′34″N 83°3′46″W / 42.35944°N 83.06278°W / 42.35944; -83.06278 (short title)
1976Stephen Veresh sculpturecopper Scarab Club

[25]

Pylon Philip A. Hart Plaza

42°19′41.4″N 83°02′39.0″W / 42.328167°N 83.044167°W / 42.328167; -83.044167 (short title)
1972-1979Isamu Noguchi sculpturestainless steel20 x 7 x 7 feet (6 x 2.1 x 2.1 m) City of Detroit

[26]

Russell Alger Memorial Fountain Grand Circus Park

42°20′12″N 83°2′59″W / 42.33667°N 83.04972°W / 42.33667; -83.04972 (short title)
1920, dedicated July 27, 1921Daniel Chester French fountainbronze7 feet 6 inches x 56 inches x 58 inches (2.3 x 1.4 x 1.5 m) City of Detroit

[27]

Sentry Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History

42°21′31″N 83°3′39″W / 42.35861°N 83.06083°W / 42.35861; -83.06083 (short title)
1996-1997Richard Bennett sculpturealuminum and gold Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History

[28]

The Spirit of Detroit Coleman A. Young Municipal Center

42°19′45.47″N 83°2′40.66″W / 42.3292972°N 83.0446278°W / 42.3292972; -83.0446278 (short title)
1958Marshall Fredericks sculpturebronze312 inches (200.7 × 130.2 × 140.3 cm, 907.2 kg) Coleman A. Young Municipal Center

[29]

Stevens T. Mason Capitol Park

42°19′59″N 83°2′58″W / 42.33306°N 83.04944°W / 42.33306; -83.04944 (short title)
dedicated May 30, 1908Adolph Alexander Weinman sculpturebronze8 feet x 30 inches x 30 inches (2.4 m x 0.76 m x 0.76 m) City of Detroit

[30]

The Thinker Detroit Institute of Arts, southeast lawn

42°21′32″N 83°3′55″W / 42.35889°N 83.06528°W / 42.35889; -83.06528 (short title)
1904Auguste Rodin sculpturebronze79 × 51 1/4 × 55 1/4 inches, 2000 pounds (200.7 × 130.2 × 140.3 cm, 907.2 kg) Detroit Institute of Arts

[31]

Transcending Philip A. Hart Plaza

42°19′40″N 83°2′41″W / 42.32778°N 83.04472°W / 42.32778; -83.04472 (short title)
dedicated August 30, 2003David Barr and Sergio de Guisti sculpturesteel63 feet (19.2 m) City of Detroit

[32]

United We Stand Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History, Farnsworth entrance

42°21′32″N 83°3′42″W / 42.35889°N 83.06167°W / 42.35889; -83.06167 (short title)
2016Charles McGee sculpture Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History

[33]

Unity 28 West Grand River Avenue

42°20′2″N 83°2′58″W / 42.33389°N 83.04944°W / 42.33389; -83.04944 (short title)
2017Charles McGee mural118 x 50 feet Library Street Collective

[3]

untitled mural The Belt

42°20′5″N 83°2′49″W / 42.33472°N 83.04694°W / 42.33472; -83.04694 (short title)
2016Nina Chanel Abney mural Library Street Collective

[3]

untitled mural 25 East Grand River Avenue

42°20′4″N 83°2′53″W / 42.33444°N 83.04806°W / 42.33444; -83.04806 (short title)
2015Aryz mural Library Street Collective

[3]

untitled mural One Campus Martius

42°20′0″N 83°2′48″W / 42.33333°N 83.04667°W / 42.33333; -83.04667 (short title)
2015Shepard Fairey mural184 feet (56.1 m) Library Street Collective

[3]

untitled mural Madison Building

42°20′9″N 83°2′57″W / 42.33583°N 83.04917°W / 42.33583; -83.04917 (short title)
2014HENSE mural10,000 square feet (929 square meters) Library Street Collective

[3]

untitled mural 14635 East Jefferson

42°22′27″N 82°56′30″W / 42.37417°N 82.94167°W / 42.37417; -82.94167 (short title)
2016Swoon and Baba Wayne mural Library Street Collective

[3]

Wayfinding: An Art Installation and Skate Park Monroe Blocks 100 Monroe Avenue

42°19′58″N 83°2′42″W / 42.33278°N 83.04500°W / 42.33278; -83.04500 (short title)
from August 2017 through January 2018Ryan McGinness and Tony Hawk installation4600 square feet (1402.1 square meters) Library Street Collective and Cranbrook Art Museum

[3] [34]

Weather Permitting 35 East Grand River Avenue

42°20′4″N 83°2′52″W / 42.33444°N 83.04778°W / 42.33444; -83.04778 (short title)
2017Willie Wayne Smith mural Library Street Collective

[3]

William Cotter Maybury east of Woodward Avenue and East Adams Avenue

42°20′13″N 83°3′2″W / 42.33694°N 83.05056°W / 42.33694; -83.05056 (short title)
dedicated November 24, 1912Adolph Alexander Weinman sculpturebronze5 x 3 x 4 feet (1.5 x .91 x 1.2 m) City of Detroit

[35]

Further reading

  • Herron, Jerry et al. Connecting the Dots: Tyree Guyton's Heidelberg Project. Wayne State University Press, 2007.
  • Nawrocki, Dennis Alan. Art in Detroit Public Places. Wayne State University Press, 2008.

References

  1. ↑ "City Guide 2009 - Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac". Hour Detroit. Hour Media, Inc. Retrieved September 21, 2017.
  2. ↑ "Gazelle, (sculpture)". Art Inventories Catalog. Smithsonian American Art Museum. Retrieved September 18, 2017.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 "PUBLIC ART". Library Street Collective. Retrieved September 15, 2017.
  4. ↑ "Bagley Fountain, (sculpture)". Art Inventories Catalog. Smithsonian American Art Museum. Retrieved September 18, 2017.
  5. ↑ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. April 15, 2008.
  6. ↑ "Bagley Memorial Fountain". Michigan State Housing Development Authority. Archived from the original on May 17, 2012. Retrieved September 21, 2017.
  7. ↑ Nawrocki, Dennis Alan (2008). Art in Detroit Public Places. Wayne State University Press. p. 70.
  8. ↑ "Best Bizarre Statues Or Public Art In The Detroit Area". CBS Detroit. Retrieved September 14, 2017.
  9. ↑ "Le Fleuve la Garonne, early 20th Century". The Detroit Institute of Arts. Retrieved September 20, 2017.
  10. ↑ "Schiller, (sculpture)". Art Inventories Catalog. Smithsonian American Art Museum. Retrieved September 21, 2017.
  11. ↑ "International Underground Railroad Memorial, (sculpture)". Art Inventories Catalog. Smithsonian American Art Museum. Retrieved September 14, 2017.
  12. ↑ "General Alexander Macomb, (sculpture)". Art Inventories Catalog. Smithsonian American Art Museum. Retrieved September 16, 2017.
  13. ↑ "Gracehoper, 1961". The Detroit Institute of Arts. Retrieved September 20, 2017.
  14. ↑ "Hamtramck Disneyland sold to local art collective". The Detroit News. Retrieved September 14, 2017.
  15. ↑ "Hazen Pingree, (sculpture)". Art Inventories Catalog. Smithsonian American Art Museum. Retrieved September 21, 2017.
  16. ↑ "The Heidelberg Project — History". Retrieved September 14, 2017.
  17. ↑ "Heidelberg Project, (sculpture)". Art Inventories Catalog. Smithsonian American Art Museum. Retrieved September 14, 2017.
  18. ↑ "Philip A. Hart Plaza: Horace E. Dodge Fountain, (sculpture)". Art Inventories Catalog. Smithsonian American Art Museum. Retrieved September 14, 2017.
  19. ↑ "James Scott Memorial Fountain, (sculpture)". Art Inventories Catalog. Smithsonian American Art Museum. Retrieved September 18, 2017.
  20. ↑ "Young Woman and Her Suitors, 1970". The Detroit Institute of Arts. Retrieved September 20, 2017.
  21. ↑ "Monument to Joe Louis, 1986". The Detroit Institute of Arts. Retrieved September 14, 2017.
  22. ↑ "Detroit sculpture of Joe Louis' fist getting overhaul". The Detroit News. Retrieved September 14, 2017.
  23. ↑ "Nymph and Eros, early 20th Century". The Detroit Institute of Arts. Retrieved September 20, 2017.
  24. ↑ "Passo di Danza, (sculpture)". Art Inventories Catalog. Smithsonian American Art Museum. Retrieved September 16, 2017.
  25. ↑ "Phoenix". Scarab Club. Retrieved September 14, 2017.
  26. ↑ "Philip A. Hart Plaza: Pylon, (sculpture)". Art Inventories Catalog. Smithsonian American Art Museum. Retrieved September 14, 2017.
  27. ↑ "Russell Alger Memorial, (sculpture)". Art Inventories Catalog. Smithsonian American Art Museum. Retrieved September 21, 2017.
  28. ↑ Nawrocki, Dennis Alan (2008). Art in Detroit Public Places. Wayne State University Press. p. 65.
  29. ↑ "Spirit of Detroit". The Detroit Historical Society. Retrieved September 14, 2017.
  30. ↑ "Stevens T. Mason, (sculpture)". Smithsonian Institution Research Information System. Archived from the original on January 8, 2022. Retrieved January 8, 2022.
  31. ↑ "The Thinker, 1904". The Detroit Institute of Arts. Retrieved September 14, 2017.
  32. ↑ "Michigan Labor Legacy Landmark (sculpture)". Art Inventories Catalog. Smithsonian American Art Museum. Retrieved September 14, 2017.
  33. ↑ "Charles McGee @ Charles H. Wright Museum". Detroit Art Review. Retrieved September 20, 2017.
  34. ↑ "Wayfinding: An Art Installation + Skate Park by Ryan McGinness and Tony Hawk". Cranbrook Art Museum. Retrieved September 15, 2017.
  35. ↑ "William Cotter Maybury Memorial, (sculpture)". Art Inventories Catalog. Smithsonian American Art Museum. Retrieved September 21, 2017.