Van Gogh in America: Detroit Institute of Art
Detroit Bound…
My husband and I journeyed on a drive to Detroit, Michigan, with tickets in hand, to the Van Gogh in America exhibit at the Detroit Institute of Art (DIA). We stayed at the Holiday Inn Express in Woodhaven, Michigan. Woodhaven is a nice suburb of Detroit, approximately 30 minutes from DIA. It offers everyday shopping and plenty of restaurants (dining and fast food) to satisfy any craving. The Holiday Inn Express is very nice and advertised as newly renovated. It’s spot on clean, updated in the same decor as the new hotels, and staffed with super friendly, helpful people. A delicious complimentary breakfast, and we were on our way into the heart of Motor City. Detroit is an interesting city; it’s busy, but doesn’t seem overcrowded as the traffic was reasonable. There’s a ton of industry and car manufacturing with a lot of effort being put into the vitalization of the city.
The Detroit Institute of Art…
The museum is beautifully decorated at both of the main entrances advertising the momentous exhibit. 100 years ago, DIA was the first public art museum in the United States to purchase a Van Gogh painting. DIA purchased the infamous self-portrait (1887) that depicts Vincent wearing a straw hat.
So Many Van Gogh’s…
To honor this special occasion, over 70 of Van Gogh’s paintings are on display. It was an extraordinary experience with every turn of my head and step into another room. I was impressed with the information of where each painting came from; it was a part of each painting’s story. A story that had me wanting to know more about the paintings journeys to their respective homes. We saw so many infamous paintings that we’ve seen reprinted everywhere.
We saw drawings done in pencil, crayon, ink, and watercolors that were new to us.
The museum offered an audio tour to accompany the exhibit. Many people seemed to participate in this feature. We skipped it since we simply wanted to experience the moment without an audio distraction.
It was deeply emotional to be in the presence of Vincent’s masterpieces. To think about him creating these paintings and hopefully being in our presence to see that he continues to receive the respect he always deserved. As we thoughtfully walked out of the exhibit, I felt so humbled and grateful to have had this amazing opportunity. Thank you, Vincent.
Van Gogh in America Exhibit Gift Shop…
As we exited the Van Gogh exhibit, there is a gift shop dedicated to all things Vincent. It’s a really nice shop that offers tons of memorabilia: mugs, magnets, clothing, umbrellas, Christmas cards, jewelry…the list goes on and on. We purchased the book Van Gogh in America. It’s a beautiful book that wonderfully commemorates our visit.
Exploring the rest of DIA…
After spending two glorious hours being lost in Vincent’s world of art, we spent the rest of the day exploring the museum and other artists.
Time to Refuel…
Exploring the DIA worked up an appetite. The museum offers two impressive eating areas. One is the gorgeous Kresge Court, which offers a variety of beverages, including wine, sandwiches, salads, and soups. Kresge Court is a beautiful indoor courtyard with tables, couches, and chairs for relaxing. We opted for the Cafe DIA. It’s a conventional cafe style of service that goes above and beyond a typical service. There’s a soup bar, a huge salad bar with every topping imaginable, a grill where your food is cooked to order, pizza, and a healthy meal option (baked lemon marinated chicken, rice, and sautéed zucchini and onions.) They also offer several beverage options.
Everywhere we went in the DIA we encountered friendly, helpful staff. After spending approximately five hours at DIA, we returned to Woodhaven and enjoyed a delicious dinner at Blue Margarita, a local Mexican restaurant. Overall, this was a memorable experience. I’m so grateful we had the opportunity to take this trip.
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