Once a cinderblock wall, once a mound of snow in the middle of the street, now a roundabout that prohibits residents from leaving and deters outsiders from entering. The meeting point of Detroit and neighboring suburb, Grosse Pointe, are permanently divided at the intersection of Kercheval Avenue and Alter Road. The divide reinforces socioeconomic, racial, and ideological differences; and is only blocks from my childhood home.
As an active runner, the unspoken rules were to run in daylight, stay on busy streets, and never go past this border. Never leave the bubble. To confront discomfort with my hometown, I have created four highly functional laser cut and sustainably rust dyed running outfits. Each depicting either Grosse Pointe, Detroit, the Grosse Pointe x Detroit border site, or an ideation of how the two opposing populations could seamlessly coexist in the future. The garments are a recognition of the divide, and a call to action.
To view the location, Google Kercheval and Alter Road Detroit.
To dissect the project further, visit www.courtneygeistart.com/thesis.
