MBAD Bead Museum
6559 Grand River
Thanks for sticking with me wonderful readers! I apologize for the lag between posts but with finals mode kickin' into high gear, my schedule has been slightly, or not so slightly, tipped to 98% studying and 2% exploring. To make up for my absence, I provide you with one of my best Detroit finds, Dabl's African Bead Gallery and Museum.
I discovered Dabl's about three years ago shortly after I moved to Detroit. My friend and I were doing a bit of exploring when we spotted Dabls. The place is hard to miss. It looks like a miniature version of a house from the Heidelberg Project. The outside is covered in mirrors, African art and of course... beads. Dabl's is a mix between a bead shop and bead gallery. Definitely an eclectic mix. Bead imports from all over Africa line the walls. Beads that are for sale, beads that are not for sale, beads that are for sale but no one could ever afford, Dabl's has all of these. Dabl's however, doesn't stop with just beads. If you venture out the door and behind the building, you discover the 3 outdoor art installations. The art installations are no small side note though.
The art installations, take up an area about the size of a large parking lot. My favorite installation is easily "Iron Teaching Rocks how to Rust". Scraps of iron have been turned into a number of awesome sculptures and left in the rain to rust. The rust incorporates in with the rocks that are also part of the installation and creates an awesome effect. The other installations include the N'Ksi Iron House and the African Language Wall.
Dabl's is definitely one of the most eclectic yet interesting places I have discovered thus far in Detroit. The museum holds workshops and tours once a month, but the whole place is open to the public Monday to Saturday 12pm-7pm. Check it out!
PEACE.LOVE.DETROIT.
-Amy
