The Dequindre cut, a must in Detroit Street Art – Part I

 

 

“Creativity is intelligence having fun”

A. Einstein.

 

 

 

 

 

Hello, young Padawan

 

 

If you like street art, there is a (very) cool place to visit: the Dequindre Cut in Detroit, Michigan, USA.

 

“But Caro, the Dequindre Cut, what is it?” Well, I was waiting for you to ask me! Lol. It is a promenade area for pedestrians and bicycles. It connects the Downtown area and the Detroit River to Eastern Market, Detroit’s pretty farmers’ market, which we will discuss very soon.

 

In short, it’s a greenway, which takes you from point A to point B.

 

More than a green pathway in an urban world, the Dequindre Cut is an essential landmark of Detroit street art. Walls, bridges, everything is decorated. Some works disintegrate over time, while those of others, freshly made, proudly display their shimmering colors. Some prefer black and white, others the manga style, a bit of old school here and there, cultural references, messages; in short: street art in its most noble element is sublimated by this place.

 

Let’s go for part I of this colorful visit without ever missing the most beautiful of inspirations: the one that comes from the guts and heart.

 

 

IMG 3092 - The Dequindre cut, a must in Detroit Street Art - Part I

 

 

 

 

The Dequindre Cut.

First, a little suspense. Here is the back view, when you arrive on Dequindre Cut from downtown. The big building you see is the “Ren Cen” or Renaissance Center – the skyscraper that houses the offices of General Motors in Detroit – in a very nice little neighborhood. This residential area, along with the very last sections of the Dequindre Cut, was completed in 2016.

 

 

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Here we are. Initially, this place was a railroad created in 1830 by the Detroit and Pontiac Railroad during the boom years of the Detroit industry. By the 1920s, over 400 industries were operating on Detroit’s east side. However, the combination of the city’s haphazard street plan, the expansion of large factories, and the substantial network of rail tracks conspired to slow traffic within the city, particularly in the east-west direction. In 1923, the city of Detroit and the railroad began a plan to build 22 grade separations; both parties agreed to share the cost.

 

 

Dequindre Cut 1 - The Dequindre cut, a must in Detroit Street Art - Part I

Source for this pic: The hub Detroit.

 

 

Dequindre Cut 2 - The Dequindre cut, a must in Detroit Street Art - Part I

Source for this pic: The High Line.

 

 

 

 

The street art in The Dequindre Cut

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06A909B8 08A4 4359 B2A6 298665BA1FFA 1 105 c - The Dequindre cut, a must in Detroit Street Art - Part I

 

 

9F1D171D 2751 473D BD5D 5385B42D26D7 1 105 c - The Dequindre cut, a must in Detroit Street Art - Part I

 

 

68FB21B7 C457 4C0B ACE8 5DD931A18835 1 105 c - The Dequindre cut, a must in Detroit Street Art - Part I

 

 

45ECDB35 3B2A 4F45 9EFD 79DC0F9DD905 1 105 c - The Dequindre cut, a must in Detroit Street Art - Part I

 

 

365D6A06 4E9D 41F1 909D 66724A28740C 1 105 c - The Dequindre cut, a must in Detroit Street Art - Part I

 

 

22D161AC 1A23 480F BD42 9ECDE3DFEBA8 1 105 c - The Dequindre cut, a must in Detroit Street Art - Part I

 

 

8E30029A 6521 45A2 AB2D ED45F9AEE9D3 1 105 c - The Dequindre cut, a must in Detroit Street Art - Part I

 

 

8DCA08D5 1E34 4857 9E78 4402EE06FBC2 1 105 c - The Dequindre cut, a must in Detroit Street Art - Part I

Lady Shrek from space, lol.

 

 

6FDF5374 CE5F 4470 8387 C717BEB5528F 1 105 c - The Dequindre cut, a must in Detroit Street Art - Part I

 

 

87A11E05 8472 4345 AF9D 55A1C6C97E6C 1 105 c - The Dequindre cut, a must in Detroit Street Art - Part I

 

 

6A043A5F 4DEC 495B 8B2F C3AD26080682 1 105 c - The Dequindre cut, a must in Detroit Street Art - Part I

 

 

5E2ABFCE 7285 4579 B656 0F7344618CCA 1 105 c - The Dequindre cut, a must in Detroit Street Art - Part I

 

 

5A809B79 9DE9 4698 B36F A6D19C6CB61E 1 105 c - The Dequindre cut, a must in Detroit Street Art - Part I

 

 

3A0FA6EE F69B 4BF8 B84C 3AAE127B6ED5 1 105 c - The Dequindre cut, a must in Detroit Street Art - Part I

 

 

2E773F35 D4C0 459A A45A DB4C23E75D18 1 105 c - The Dequindre cut, a must in Detroit Street Art - Part I

 

 

0BCD7A47 3D0A 4B46 A2C8 A5CDDA0E840C 1 105 c - The Dequindre cut, a must in Detroit Street Art - Part I

 

 

ACD011AA D85C 444A A740 D69D56CEFDBA 1 105 c - The Dequindre cut, a must in Detroit Street Art - Part I

 

 

82D3CE0C FD25 4399 B946 E272F2A3D8B6 1 105 c - The Dequindre cut, a must in Detroit Street Art - Part I

 

 

 

 

 

 

To be continued…

 

 

 

 

And that’s it for the first part of our Dequindre Cut street art tour. I hope you enjoyed it, and see you soon for part II of this article!

 

In the meantime, I wish you a great weekend and see you on Friday.
XO 🎨

 

 

Sources: Wikipedia.

 

 

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