“People are much nicer when they’re happier, which says a lot about people who aren’t very nice to you. Wish them well and be on your way.” ~ Marc & Angel
I’m veering away from this week’s Texas Mission theme to highlight tonight’s Blue Grass Trust for Preservation deTour event featuring The Met and The Artist’s Village. The Met – so named for the building’s location at Midland and East Third – houses DV8 Kitchen, artist studios, apartments, Art House Kentucky Gallery, and other retail stores. The same company that put this complex together also has the former Millersburg Military Academy, now called Mustard Seed Hill that was featured as a deTour a year ago August. The Artist’s Village is currently 13 lots with four floor plans to choose from – each named after a Kentucky artist – and they encircle a communal outdoor space meant for performances, everything from music to poetry readings. So far, only four of the 13 lots have been built. Meanwhile, a short two blocks away at The Met, local artists have wonderful studio space above the DV8 Kitchen, and even more local artists have work displayed and for sale in Art House Kentucky. The place is oozing with awesome. All of this is wonderful, but the best part of all is that these businesses in this location highlight the East End of Lexington, a traditionally African American neighbourhood that has been home to some of the finest Lexingtonians in history that too few have heard of outside the neighbourhood. This company worked with the community to build something that would work for them and made arrangements that the housing would be affordable as well. As our tour guide pointed out, gentrification can be a complicated thing, and this situation was no different. I was impressed at how much they worked with the neighbourhood to include them in everything from the name – The Met – to the design of the building and the artwork on the grounds. I hope it brings everything the area deserves and the community truly benefits from it. From an outsider’s perspective, and an artist’s perspective, I think it’s brilliant. If my circumstances were different, I wouldn’t hesitate to buy one of the Artist’s houses. I would be really happy being neighbours with loads of other artists, all of us making work and giving readings and playing music under the stars right out the back door.
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