The Nomadic Culture Council is a series of public convening ignited by artists and cultural leaders addressing the growing need for a Detroit department of cultural affairs. The inaugural event brought together leading arts advocates, curators, policy makers, educators, philanthropic organizations, and cultural activists to collectively project the shape and aspirations such an entity might take in Detroit. For the occasion, Akoaki created a pop symbol and architectural threshold in the form of a gold arch. Composed of architectural replicas, art objects, and landscape elements, the 21-foot nomadic arch playfully pays tribute to the enduring allure of Detroit’s popular aesthetics and serves as a sign to temporarily transform existing sites into stately, though ephemeral, public institutions.
2016
Detroit, Michigan
Scale:
12’x 21’
Grants:
Creative Many
Principals:
Anya Sirota, Jean Louis Farges
Design Team:
Jonathan Watkins, Sam Okolita
Production:
Christopher Holder, Eric Howard
Fabrication:
Lindsey Karasik