Novi Villa Barr Art Park

Community: City of Novi Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services
Population: 10,000+

When internationally-known artist and resident David Barr (best known for the Transcending Arch sculpture in Detroit’s Hart Plaza) learned his time was limited due to illness, he collaborated with the City of Novi on the purchase of his 4-acre lot that included his house and studios. The shared vision for the property was to become a public park for Barr’s sculptures and to serve as a cultural hub to inspire regional artists. Upon Barr’s passing in 2015, the property began the transition to a public park. A pathway system, interpretative signage, park benches and tables, and parking lot were installed. Villa Barr Art Park opened to the public in October 2018. An artist-in-residency program was also established where artists of various mediums have lived in the house and worked on their craft, while also working with community groups to provide artistic education opportunities to local students.


Replicability:

Creating an art park from scratch could be difficult when depending on public funding. Retrofitting an existing park would potentially be easier. This could be done by installing sculptures and interpretive signage alongside existing pathways, benches, trash cans and other park amenities. Sculptures can be temporarily installed utilizing stipends for the artists, which can cut down on initial costs. Donated artwork is also helpful. Artwork onsite doesn’t need to all be large sculptures, but could be smaller visual images with paint (or chalk for temporary uses) that appear differently from different angles. The aforementioned pathways between the art pieces, descriptions of the works of art and benches/tables for visitors to sit and work out their own creative avenues are all important aspects to creating that atmosphere. A building on site for an artist in residence is ideal, but not necessary. Artists could stay with local residents, in a hotel or, in Villa Barr’s case, another art park.

Creativity and Originality:

There are not many art parks in Michigan that provide the opportunity to stroll through such a variety of thought-provoking sculptures. From the dribbling path of Detroit Pistons basketball legend Isaiah Thomas to the connection between sun and shadows allowing the sculptures to project their own artwork, there is a variety of large sculptures throughout the park with their own stories to tell, all centered by a custom-built house with unique architecture and layout. The fact that the land was sold to the City by Barr two years before his death was also a unique partnership to ensure it was maintained as an educational art park facility after he and his wife passed.

Community Impact:

Villa Barr Art Park has provided a space for local residents and artists to reflect and work on their own artwork. The system of pathways between nearly 20 existing David Barr sculptures and others created by artists in residence act as a muse for artists. While the park itself has garnered positive reviews statewide, it has also looped Novi further into Michigan’s art community via entities such as the Michigan Legacy Art Park at Crystal Mountain Resort in Thompsonville, the Dennos Museum Center in Traverse City and Eastern Michigan University in Ypsilanti. A Friends of Villa Barr group was formed, consisting of representatives from each of those entities, plus local residents and the Novi Parks Foundation. The artist-in-residence program has drawn in artists from Michigan, New York and Arizona during its first six months of existence. The different artists include sculptors, musicians and authors, who have already each made an impact on the community and some have added their artwork to City-owned properties. The artists have formed connections and hosted programs with students in Novi’s school system, helping to expand a love of art through their own worldly vantage points.

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