Packard Motors Nothing symbolizes the current state of the city of Detroit like the ruins left behind by the retreating American auto industry. The buildings so large that they have no practical use but also far to big for the city that has inherited them to take down. They are a problem so massive that they overwhelm the available resources. This painting is of one building at the site of the former Packard Motor Car factory, at one time the most modern industrial manufacturing facility in the country. At one time, Packard was the American equivilent of a Rolls Royce. The factory was designed by Albert Kahn to be attractive to skilled workers with huge skylit bays and recreational facilities for Packard employees. Located in the heart of residential Detroit, the complex of buildings still takes up over 36 city blocks and is empty save for squatters, car strippers, and urban explorers. This oil painting is still unfinished, but getting there. Here are the initial small sketches:
|
