who is kim fay and what’s this about?
I’m an artist (abstract, paint), curator, teacher, liaison to collectors, and an arts writer. I’ve been eye-balls deep in the Detroit art scene —from the graffiti filled corridors to suburban soirees—for going on three decades. I’ve been commissioned for anything from murals and film sets to Greek Revival pillars and custom-designed pieces for luxury homes. Every time I’ve had a show of my own work, I feel like I won the lottery and want to vomit at once, still. I’ve been broke, rich, broke again, and comfortable ‘til I’m not. I’ve been filled to the brim with adoration, other times not so much. I’ve got so much appreciation for my fellow artists—and critical creative opinion—that I if I don’t tell y’all about them, I’ll implode. With so much beauty, pain, and downright wtf daily, we all need real… even when it comes to the great all-subjective taste of art.
Detroit artists had plenty to say when I started this journey, but no one on the outside was really listening. That all changed when the crumbling city hit rock bottom and literally rose from its ashes. Abandoned factories that once rolled out four-wheeled Detroit muscle now hosted tourists eager to experience a modern-day archeological excavation of a storied city buried in its own decay. But Detroiters know how to grind. We staged one of the great comebacks of all time. It exploded with pop-up restaurants serving tiny portions of indecipherable deliciousness and became a hotbed for artistic talent. Energy was high and space was cheap. Renown for its musical roots from Jazz, Motown, and Rap — now includes the visual arts.
why subscribe?
With our groove in gear, art galleries run from small, edgy spaces to fancy-pants exhibitions; every piece contributes to the mosaic of our community. My goal here is to explore the depth and range of Detroit’s visual arts. I publish on Thursdays with a review of an open show and list those opening or running for the upcoming weekend.
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