Hamtramck art scene gets more national exposure

(Editor-at-Large Walter Wasacz writes a weekly column on life in Hamtramck.)

By Walter Wasacz

October was an awesome month for art in Hamtramck — and the residential area on the north side of Carpenter we used to call NoHam.

A better name for it now is the Power House neighborhood, named for the art & design project founded by Gina Reichert and MItch Cope. The couple once ran Design 99 on Jos. Campau and then on Caniff, before it found a virtual home on the web. They are also the people behind the famed “$100 House” and the Tree of Heaven Workshop that converts weed trees into sculpture and furniture.

All cool, inspirational work with global cachet.

Recently, a San Francisco-based art magazine called Juxtapoz bought four vacant homes in the area, on Moran just south of Davison, with plans to rehab them all.

The houses have become urban installations for six artists: Swoon, Ben Wolf, Monica Canilao, RETNA, Saelee Oh and Richard Colman. Do yourselves right, Street Life readers, and go check out the houses. More wild and free inspiration clearly at work.

About a half-mile west on Carpenter, Popps Packing held a closing party for artist Andy Krieger. The party included a reunion of the original members of Outrageous Cherry, a psych-pop-garage band led by Hamtramck’s Matthew Smith and featuring drummer Deb Agoli, Krieger’s wife. It was packed with people.

Finally, a free jazz/modern classical opera accompanied by an improv dance performance got our attention, and held it, at Public Pool on Halloween weekend. Also part of the eclectic program: Hamtramck-based writer and Kresge Grant award-winner Steve Hughes reading from the newly-printed edition of his Stupor zine.

We’ll keep seeking out the best stuff out there, really out there, in the city. In the meantime, enjoy some pictures from all three events.