The Unexpected, In An Unexpected Place

    The latest, most impressive thing to see in downtown Detroit right now is not the Christmas tree in Campus Martius; which, for awhile, delivered quite a grand arboreal display until its size was dwarfed by the nature-vanquishing power of gigantic advertising in the form of a ten-story whiskey bottle on the side of a building.  And no, it is not the whiskey bottle either, but rather an art installation inside the Compuware building. 
    Through the main entrance and beyond the information desk to your left, you will find the collaborative work of Annica Cuppetelli and Cristobal Mendoza taking up three former interior storefront windows.
    A transporting, gossamer world, strikingly ethereal and mesmerizing, presents itself in a seemingly minimal scene and yet is complexly intriguing in its scope and execution.  As airy fabric suspends in space, projections from above make the fabric appear to shimmer and twitch, as though electrified. This becomes even more dynamic when the viewer realizes their movements are actually manipulating this effect.  Mere walking, but also flailing arms and advanced rubbernecking, will send the suggestion of lightning bolts through the fabric.
    Adding an aural compliment to the piece is the 14-story waterfall in the building's atrium with its constant static.  Come to think of it, maybe it's the waterfall which is complimented by the electrostatic-like visual of the artwork.  Either way, it all works together in this most unusual setting for an installation; which may be even more the reason for its success.  As public art commissions become more rare and corporations see a need to liquidate or donate their artwork for tax credits, corralling  it into the tidy confines of museums and galleries, Compuware should be commended for supporting free-range art, letting it loose upon us all.