Analysis

LAND OF MUSIC

TITLE by Julia Alderson




This image focuses on mapping Detroit’s music culture and what has, and continues to, influence the city and our perceptions of it. In the center are mapped images of past and present musical venues, musician’s homes, famous performers, and other places of significance that I either saw or learned about from our site visit or my research.

Filling in the spaces are words that either describe the people or places in the pictures or represent things that have happened. The words are sized according to significance. For example, “riot” is larger than “Bert’s.” Underneath you can see red and yellow splotches; these represent the areas that were “redlined” according to the racist bank policies of the day. What’s interesting, but not surprising, is that wherever the colors appear on the map is where areas of musical significance are. Just outside the central pictures/words are a ring of slightly lighter words that reflect negative occurrences that chipped away at the quality of life in Detroit. And outside that in faint, large letters are my perceptions upon experiencing Detroit. I saw hope, struggle, poverty, and leaders who are trying to make the city a better place.



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