Red Bull House of Art: Detroit

January 28, 2014

Anyone that watched the Grammy Awards on Sunday saw a Red Bull commercial promoting the House of Art.

“Red Bull House of Art is a program for up and coming artists to develop their skill and showcase their abilities in a collaborative and inspirational environment by exploring new themes and innovative ideas. From Baroque to Banksy, the art world is always rebuilding from the foundation up. It’s this principle that is the bedrock of Red Bull House of Art. A concept born in Brazil in 2010, Red Bull continues to provide artists with the foundation, tools and resources needed to create their work without financial or institutional constraints or censorship.” – Red Bull

The project sounds amazing and the TV spot was great , taking viewers on a melancholy tour of Detroit. While the narrative is positive, it is ironic that almost all of the locations featured in the spot are on the verge of experiencing millions of dollars in new development and construction. Similar to the House of Art project that is rebuilding from the foundation up, the commercial gives us a glimpse of Detroit’s future after more of these artists, makers and disruptors get their hands on Detroit and bring it back to life.