   |
Artist X. As part of this blog’s ongoing mission to raise the level of design discourse, rogueHAA has created a new series of posts entitled, “Artist X”. This series will highlight local artists, showcasing unique and innovative projects found within the city. By presenting multiple creative disciplines, we hope to build community relationships, spark Detroit specific design dialogue, encourage multi-disciplinary collaboration, and ultimately, strengthen the existing Detroit creative class.
Ryan Schirmang lives in Lafayette Park in Detroit. Currently, he works at Team Detroit and M1/DTW part-time. Originally from Chicago, Ryan earned his Master’s of Architecture from U of M.
Describe your work in three sentences.
I work as a Creative Project Manager for Team Detroit, one of the region’s largest ad agencies. My job is to figure out how to make interesting projects happen- projects that will make the city better – or highlight some of our cultural assets. I also learn how to put buildings together one day a week at my part-time job at M1/DTW.
These two jobs seem a bit unrelated, but they work well for me– I’m admittedly not the best designer– so I get to learn at M1/DTW, while simultaneously using my writing & communication skills at Team Detroit. I was an English major in college. Jumping between these two jobs helps keep things fresh and gives me plenty of problems to solve. I like that.
How do you collaborate with other Detroit artists?
I was a part of Disturbed Sleep, a local furniture company that recently took a hiatus. And when I have the time, I am also a part of Los Pistoleros. In addition, I’m getting ready to jump into the pool of people collaborating on design projects around Lafayette Park.
Most recently, I’ve helped design & construct these collaborative projects:
- A small park at the corner of Michigan Ave & 14th St with Los Pistoleros and 50 volunteers from Daimler Financial
- A tall-grass oasis in front of the Train Station with Los Pistoleros, uRbanDetail, and the Daimler crew again
- The patio of Slows Bar-B-Q with Los Pistoleros (in all these projects we use native plants and reclaimed materials to spruce up the city with vegetation)
- A vertical garden called the ‘Hanging Gardens’ on an abandoned architectural treasure in Midtown, Detroit. I coordinated this project, bringing 50 volunteers from Team Detroit to work with the Greening of Detroit, the UCCA, and a handful of local design & construction friends.
- An opportunity for volunteers to watch music videos being filmed. On the Hanging Gardens volunteer day, we arranged for Single Barrel Detroit to come to the site and film performances by the Juliets. Single Barrel films Detroit-area musicians performing in interesting (mostly abandoned) locations around the city. This collaboration gave volunteers the chance to watch this creative process unfold. It also helped give the work day some interesting flavor. I think volunteer efforts should be more like celebrations. For Single Barrel’s video, click here. For an additional music video, click here.
What other creative disciplines would you like to work with in the future?
Large-scale sculptors, like Michael Heizer-scale.
Why Detroit? Has the city (people, place, economy, etc) influenced your work? Please give at least one specific example.
Detroit is the city with the most opportunity I’ve ever seen. It’s a great place for young people with strong convictions to make a difference. There’s something truly American about that. And you can’t deny the city’s soul. It’s got a great feel, in spite of what history tells you. I think that’s something that people pick up on when they come here – it takes you by surprise.
This city’s influenced not just my work, but my life. I moved here two years ago to help a project for a month or two. Since then, I’ve decided to stay here and adopt the city as my cause. I bought a house here, and I rent out two rehabbed properties in Midtown.
People seem to participate more here than in other place. Most people I know don’t just sit back and expect the place to work for them. They make the city their own.
How can the artistic community help regenerate Detroit?
Work with the city’s strengths. Communicate a vision clearly and get as much input as possible. Jump right in.
If you could design one thing for Detroit, what would that be?
I’d build an Airstream RV hotel along the Dequindre Cut for visiting journalists.
Contact:
Blog: Remains of the D
