Detroit Institute of Art Unveils Neighhh-borly Display of Love
The Lisa Frank-hued tribute was commissioned for the exterior of a barn in Hess-Hathaway Park as part of the institute’s longstanding public art program.
The Detroit Institute of Arts (DIA) has unveiled a colorful new mural in Michigan, featuring a horse named Champagne. Commissioned by the DIA and installed in Waterford Township's Hess-Hathaway Park, the artwork is titled "Champagne's Chateau." The mural, part of the DIA's Partners in Public Art Program (PIPA), will be among eight debuting in the Detroit metro area this year.
The mural, painted by Flint-based artist Johnny Fletcher, covers two exterior walls of the maintenance barn at Champagne's home. It depicts the horse grazing among sunflowers in a field, surrounded by a psychedelic sunset and a Midwestern farm scene. The scene includes a billy goat, a flock of chickens, and a trio of ducks, all within an old windmill and a spring-fed pond.
On Saturday, August 22, a ribbon-cutting ceremony was held in Hess-Hathaway Park to commemorate the mural, alongside a meet-and-greet with Champagne herself. Town residents and DIA employees attended the event to celebrate the new public art installation.
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