This is the fourth of four drawings I did of Detroit, based on explorations on Google Street View. This scene has a bright and positive feel to me, so I hope it does for you too. That big building with such a width to it. Lampposts, signs and parts of some buildings standing out so bright and white with the sunlight on them. Cars are going along the road – stuff is happening. Can’t see anyone but there’s bound to be someone not far away. Perhaps if we turn around there’ll be someone walking by – someone with an American positivity perhaps. (I know we can’t expect and probably don’t want all Americans to be like that, just as Americans might have good reason not to want everyone here to be “so very British”). It would be fun to be in Detroit and find this road and see what it’s like for real. But in the mean time it’s worth thinking about it and thinking about how some of its potential qualities might actually be shared with places that are part of my life here in Scotland – there could be some wonderful surprises there (or, rather, here).
Details: Pen; 2016; 30 cm x 21 cm. Unframed: original £200; print £30.
Included in the gallery Buildings / Urban