Carr Center holds ribbon cutting for art installation, Beatrice Buck Park, Paradise Valley July 2

DETROIT, MI - The Carr Center has commissioned a collaborative installation by Detroit’s African Bead Museum curator and famed artist Olayami Dabls and Anya Sirota + Akoaki design studio with support from the University of Michigan’s Taubman College of Architecture + Urban Planning. Entitled “Nice Outfit,” the installation, consists of 9 painted and reflective sculptures and an interactive environment.

The art sculptures will be unveiled at Paradise Valley-Harmonie Park on July 2, 2015 during a ribbon cutting that takes place at 5:30 p.m. followed by a concert by Detroit’s own legendary Bass Player, T. Money Green. The Summer in the Park Concert series is free to the public. The commissioned installation runs through September 30, 2015.

Nice Outfit is a group of figures that forms an imaginary collective and a friendly crowd. Alluding to themes from the African diaspora, the project introduces a family of wooden forms that engage visitors in a dynamic, collective experience. The sculptures define the Beatrice Buck Park’s performance spaces and pathways, creating inspiring spatial and social effects that are welcoming and inviting to all.

Olayami Dabls is a Detroit-based artist, curator, visual storyteller, and founder of the African Bead Museum. His sculptural works and installations connect African narratives and material culture through the interpretation of ancestral histories, mythologies, and philosophy. His artistic techniques have earned him local and international accolades. “As a storyteller, I use materials to create and dress these figures; in the process, I internalize how my ancestors would have worked in a non-contrived way,” describes Dabls. “The result is an entourage, with a powerful narrative to tell.”

“Our concept was to invert the orientation of the park and to create a series of markers that animate the perimeter of the park’s performance spaces,” Sirota explains. “In the process, we’ve had the unique opportunity to work in collaboration with renowned artist Olayami Dabls, to make the project truly exceptional.”

Nice Outfit continues the Carr Center’s commitment to innovative and catalytic programming that brings together music, design, art, and education. The commission is made possible by a grant from Quicken Loans to the Carr Center.

About the Carr Center
The Carr Center is a multidisciplinary arts center, community house and cultural destination located in Detroit’s Harmonie Park Paradise Valley neighborhood. The organization brings high quality arts, cultural and education experiences to metro-Detroit and provides global transmission of the city’s growing artist community.

For more information, call The Carr Center at 313-965-8430, Ext. 221 or visit www.thecarrcenter.org.