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In 2018 and 2019, Focus Hope brought to Detroit - Focus On Detroit, an outdoor photography festival. This festival was created to showcase the creative and highly talented photographers of Metro-Detroit with a special focus on the stories and people of Detroit.
Below are the images from the 2018 festival. We would like to thank Focus Hope for making this possible and Detroit Public Library for providing access to this collection via their website.
Detroit Fashion
What we wear on the streets, to work, to places of worship or a night on the town. We are what we wear, and Detroit’s style and fashion speaks volume.
Curated by Asia Hamilton
Corey Turner | Henry IV, 2017
Nicole Felton | Detroit Style
Corey Turner | Henry IV, 2017
Breann White | Bootleg I 2018
Breann White | Captain Jays II , 2018
Breann White | Captain Jays I , 2018
Breann White | Bootleg II 2018
Asia Hamilton | Detroit Fashion in Retrospect
Asia Hamilton | Detroit Fashion in Retrospect
Nicole Felton | Detroit Style
Corey Turner | Henry II, 2017
Jim Prouty | Kenny Burrell
Corey Turner | Henry IV, 2017
Corey Turner | Henry I, 2017
Ariah Buris White | Expected
Ariah Buris White | Counterintuitive
Corey Turner | Henry III, 2017
Flex Dame | Trenton Parrott
Flex Dame | Siberia's West Side
Flex Dame | Jada’s Reprise
Flex Dame | Regality
Flex Dame | Bevlove
Flex Dame | PSYCHO T
Beyond Mainstream
Who defines what is mainstream? The artists whose photographs are exhibited in this tent give us an understanding of sights unseen - that is, unseen as predominant representations of contemporary Detroit. Some of the artists focus on portraiture, while others present landscape both real and surreal. As you experience these photographs please take time to consider “mainstream”- is it more fluid than one might think? Who dictates what is mainstream and why do certain dictates become the norm? Is one group’s mainstream another’s “beyond”?
Curated by Melanie Manos
Janice Milhem | Pup Walk
Alicia Lyon | Heart Broken Twice
Janice Milhem | Pup Play
Janice Milhem | The Curious
Jeff Cancelosi | Richard Phillips-Uncaged
Alicia Lyon | Detroit Zoo
Jeff Cancelosi | Manal Shoukair
Janice Milhem | Pride Celebration
Jeff Cancelosi | Darin Darby
DaeJona Gordon | Evolve
DaeJona Gordon | Soul
Teresa Peterson | Vague
Steven Hauptmann | Detroit Smart
Steven Hauptmann | Detroit Proud
Steven Hauptmann | Detroit Strong
Jamie Feldman | Bonfire
Teresa Peterson | Kind
Teresa Peterson | Big S
Teresa Peterson | Hopes
Teresa Peterson Sleepy
Detroit Neighborhoods
These photographs depict what we believe to be the heart of Detroit’s neighborhoods: the people who live there. Each image was selected for its sense of belonging, its reflection of the moods and stories of life here now. They capture expressions of love, joy, familial bonds, childhood exuberance, quintessential quirkiness and more. These photos are enduring evidence of our existence, windows to our moment frozen in time. Neighborhoods are the core of what Detroit really means, and we hope you are moved in some way through the eyes of your fellow Detroit photographers.
Curated by Mandisa Smith and Laura Earle
Elisa Limon | Getting Ready to Perform
Donald Jones | Working Man on Michigan Ave.
Donald Jones | Stand Up Fight Back
Eric Hergenreder | Linwood 100 Years
Elisa Limon | Los Zapatos
Giorgio Orlandi I | Reflected Light on the
Sarah Nesbitt | Lollo Park
Sarah Nesbitt | Lollo Park, Northwest
Donald Jones | Mexican Town
Natalie Barmore | Somewhere Out There
Elisa Limon | Performing Fun
Giorgio Orlandi I | Reflected Light on the Renaissance
Mya Hernandez | Southwest Escape
Eric Hergenreder | Happy Birthday, Dede
Nancy J. Rodwan | Chess Row Player
Sarah Nesbitt | Lollo Park, Northwest
Sarah Nesbitt | Children of the Fitzgerald Community 4
Sarah Nesbitt | Lollo Park, Northwest Detroit 5
Detroit Evolution
Detroit is evolving. How has this city changed over time? Some iconic places have become non-existent and new ones are emerging. The collection of photos in this exhibition explores and contrasts the city’s industrial age, ruins and recovery. How do these changes reflect the Detroit we aspire to be, or represent reproductions of the past iterations of Detroit.
Curated by Andria Watha
Alex Brisbey | Spirit of Senna
Alex Brisbey | Half off Sale
Gail Borowski | Neighborhood Seating
Jamie Feldman | Hope for the Hudson Site
Taylor Schaefer | The Forgotten
Andrew Shields | Motor City
Danya Ensing | Gateway:Avion
Robert Beras | Dream 2
Jon DeBoer | Z Lot
Jon DeBoer | Conners Creek Reflection
Monica Manning | Set Claire: The calm after the char
Detroit Second Look
Sometimes to really get to know Detroit and take in its sounds, colors, smells; to take in its soul, you need to look at in more than once, with eyes and soul wide open. This collection of images are the second look of Detroit and the beauty we see if we just look again.
Curated by Myett Risker
Sara Abbate | Blue House
Cheri Winegarden |Ballet at the DIA
Cheri Winegarden | Dancing in the Market
Eric Hergenreder | North End Oldsmobile
Tyree Lee III | Lets’s Play Ball
Adry Cota | Dearing 2727 Russell St.
Erik Henderson | Untitled #191
Erik Henderson | Kinda Windy Today
Erik Henderson | Maybe a Trash Can #19
Anthony Lanzilote | The River: Raymond Jr. shows off a shing lure in Mariner Park
David Legg | Underpass
Nancy J. Rodwan | Sestok’s Eye
Adam Neff | Grand Blvd Sits Below Fisher
Adam Neff | Down=New
Adam Neff | Movement 2019
Adam Neff | Bright in Light
Detroit Music Scene
The people of Detroit are fans of many things, among them is music; a prominent part of everyday life here. Yes, the city has a deep rooted history in Motown, but there is more to us than just that. Music can be heard nearly everywhere in the D, walking through the now crowded streets of downtown, leaving Comerica Park after a late game, even cars blaring music as they rush past you. These are just a few examples. This exhibit aims to showcase the diversity of music genres that this great city has to offer and the emotions they inspire in listeners and performers alike.
Curated by Oluwatoyin Akintoroye
Joshua Tufts | Juice World Peace
Joshua Tufts | Blackbear
Jen Prouty | Live From Livernois
Jen Prouty | Detroit So Far
Italia Millan | Music Hall
Jamie Baxter | Keeping On Drumming
Jim Aho | Elvin Jones
Jim Aho | James Carter
Jim Aho | Kenny Burrell
Jim Aho | Kenny Garrett
Derek Farr | King Of the Beat
Derek Farr | Lack of Respect
Derek Farr | Detroit’s Finest
Darkroom Detroit
Darkroom Detroit participated in this exhibition creating banners from its Darkroom Detroit’s Applebaum Fellows. Applebaum fellows participate in a nine-month mentorship and development program for emerging and established photographers in the Detroit. The program offers critical feedback and support in developing new work or completing an existing body of work.
Darkroom Detroit is a 501c3 non-profit dedicated to increasing photography access, education, and visual literacy in Detroit. It offers gallery space, photography classes for all ages and levels, darkroom and digital facilities, print sales, studio space, and more.
Richard Haley
Nathaniel Mullen
Bre’Ann White
Lizz Cardwell
Ricky Weaver
Rosa Maria Zamarron
Rachel E. Thomas
Capturing Belief
Capturing Belief uses photography as a strong educational element in nurturing youth. During the 2019 exhibition, Capturing Belief student work was displayed on banners across the neighborhood. Below are a few of the images from that exhibition photographed by Capturing Belief students.
Curated by Romain Blanquart and Khary Mason.
Focus on Detroit Projection Exhibition
Part of this exhibition in 2018 and 2019 was a projection of the exhibition photos on the historic Bell Building, currently the NSO (Neighborhood Service Organization) Bell Building. Hundreds of people from the neighborhood and around Metro-Detroit came to see these photos big and brightly lighting up the sky of Detroit. Thanks to New D Media for their work on this display.