The Lot in Corktown is Detroit's latest in public art

Detroit's newest public art exhibit "The Lot" in Corktown could only exist in Detroit, creator Kathy Leisen says.

Excerpt:

"Kids in the neighborhood always ride by on their bikes and give us the thumbs-up; sometimes they stop and ask questions but sometimes they just yell, 'Yeah, that's the Lot, man!' Leisen says, noting that, because of this project, she's gotten closer to everyone in the neighborhood.

"I don't think that what they are saying is, 'Yeah, experimental outdoor art spaces that reclaim unused land are cool!' I think they just like the letters, and that it makes them feel like they're a part of something." Vandalism is a concern, but Leisen is confident that people generally respect what's going on there. She also says the Lot could only exist in Detroit. 

"Space is readily available here. We are crawling with empty lots — but what's more important is the attitude here, that's what makes it possible," she says. It's this sentiment that informs the Lot's slogan: We live here for a reason. 

"Living in Detroit is very different from living in other cities — we have different expectations," Leisen says. "Just living here is a radical notion to some people, but a concept such as putting art in an empty lot is something that people in Detroit are quicker to embrace."

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