(Detroit)—A mural created by formerly homeless veterans residing at Piquette Square will be unveiled at a reception hosted by the Detroit Institute for Arts (DIA), which initiated the mural project, and Southwest Solutions, which owns and operates Piquette Square.



The reception will take place on November 4 at 1 p.m. at Piquette Square, located at 6221 Brush Street in Detroit. The reception is not open to the public, but media are invited to cover the event.



The mural is installed in the Masco Veterans Park at Piquette Square, a 150-unit apartment complex for veterans who were homeless. Muralist and DIA teaching artist Vito Valdez, a veteran himself, was the lead artist and facilitated the creative contributions of a dozen veterans. The mural represents the veterans’ life experiences, optimism and joy as they travelled the world in service, the challenges and despair of being homeless and the peace and happiness in their present home. 



“Helping with the design and painting of the mural was therapeutic and fun,” said Thim Johnson, a veteran living at Piquette Square. “All of us who worked on the mural were asked to create something that connected with our inner feelings. We're happy with the way it all came together and turned out.” 



Piquette Square is part of the DIA’s Community Group Program, which provides underserved populations with a safe, nurturing environment for creative expression and socialization while building positive relationships within their group, the wider community and the DIA. The DIA’s Studio initiated offsite projects, an offshoot of the Community Group Program, in response to museum Director Salvador Salort-Pons’ community-focused vision for the museum. 



“Art can build so many connections in our community,” said Salort-Pons. “This stunning mural not only provided a way for these veterans to share their stories, but also inspires deeper understanding of their experiences for everyone who sees it, creating a more just society for all of us to live in.” 



“We strive to provide a broad range of support services and opportunities at Piquette Square to help the veterans rebuild their lives and reintegrate into the community,” said John Van Camp, president of Southwest Solutions. “The veterans who participate in the DIA program truly consider it to be an important part of their recovery and personal growth.”

The Community Group Program at the DIA has been serving social service agencies in the Detroit area for 20 years, providing meaningful experiences through art with gallery tours and hands-on art making. A variety of groups have participated, including cognitively and physically challenged adults, alternative schools, veterans, adults with HIV, adults in recovery and seniors. Current groups in the program include the John D. Dingell VA Medical Center, Hannan House for Seniors, Piquette Square for Veterans and the Macomb-Oakland Regional Center.

Visitors can also view works created by local veterans in the DIA’s eighth annual Community Group Exhibition, on view from Thursday, Nov. 10 to Sunday, Dec. 4 in the Walter Gibbs Learning Center. A variety of projects will be on display, including preparatory drawings and individual paintings made as studies for the Masco Veterans Park mural, painted this summer by Piquette Square Veterans and DIA studio staff. The DIA’s Community Group Programs are generously supported in part by the Ford Motor Company Fund.