"Speramus meliora; resurget cineribus." In English, "We hope for better things; it will arise from the ashes." Those are the words of the motto of the city of Detroit, which is the inspiration behind this piece. This piece is part one of a two part series on Detroit and it is the first in what I hope to be a series of many pieces representing hope for many forgotten/misunderstood cities in this country.
The image painted is based on a photo I took near the infamous Packard Plant in Detroit; however, the plant was intentionally behind me in the photograph. Many photographers have documented this plant and my intention was not to make this another piece of Detroit "ruin porn."
"Speramus meliora; resurget cineribus." In English, "We hope for better things; it will arise from the ashes." Those are the words of the motto of the city of Detroit, which is the inspiration behind this piece. This piece is my interpretation of my city's motto, yet it is also meant as a universal symbol of hope in the most despairing circumstances. The frame was made from burnt wood found on the East Side of Detroit, which is where I live. This piece is an ode to my beloved city. A city that, though left for dead, is still breathing and will never die. Further inspiration for this piece came from the song "Jesus We Love You" by Bethel Music, which has a verse that says, "things that we thought were dead are breathing in life again. You cause your Son to shine on darkest nights."