Figge Art Museum: Heralding our local treasure
Linda Downs grew up in Detroit, the daughter of a blue-collar father (a tool-and-die maker who later went to work for General Motors) and a German immigrant mother.
"They were always museumgoers," recalls Downs, executive director of the Figge Art Museum. "It was a Sunday event. When I got old enough, I took the bus to the museum. I didn't think about it. I just thought everyone did that."
It was there that she learned to appreciate art, which took her to positions including head of education for the National Museum of Art, and director of the Figge and its predecessor, Davenport Museum of Art, for the past three years.
"I didn't realize how great the collection was in the Detroit Museum of Art," she said. "It was only later I realized what a treasure I had been experiencing all my life."
That's the kind of experience she wants to bring to area families when the Figge opens its doors today.
Q: What's it like to have this open after all these years of planning?
A: Just exhilarating ... and exhausting. It's been an incredible experience to be involved with. I feel so privileged to be involved in such a beautiful facility, and to work with Russell Pepper (Construction) and all the people involved.
Q: Five or 10 years down the line, what are your hopes for the Figge?
A: Our goal is to make this the finest regional art museum in the country. In order to do that, we need the full participation of the community. We need to put the museum on firm financial footing. We need to be able to attract very fine traveling exhibits. We need a larger staff. We need to work with more people in the community than the museum has done before, and we need to expand the educational programs and offerings. It's a big task. In one way, we are an 80-year-old museum, and have the traditions of a quiet, municipal museum. Now, we have the opportunity to really make this an outstanding art museum that people of all walks of life and interests and ages can enjoy, can be proud of and be very eager to participate in. That's our goal.
Q: What's your measurement for success going to be?
A: The real test of success is how well we reach the public, and how well the public becomes engaged in the museum — how we make a community that is really involved in the museum. Some people only want to make art, other people will only want to come and look at art. Other people will want to come and discuss art. Other people will want to bring up issues related to art. For some people, it's a social event. For other people, it's an educational event. For some people, it's a very serious research event. Some people just want to be entertained. It's amazing what happens.
We hope we can serve all of these interests.
Q: What's your advice for people as they come into the museum?
A: Give it time. When it's challenging you, then it has a lot to say. There's a lot to experience and investigate.
We have such a fast-paced culture in terms of television and cars and the Internet. But give it time and go back to it. Go back to old friends like Grant Wood and others you may know about, but give the artists that you may have trouble with a little more time.
Also, wear comfortable shoes. Museum feet can wear out very quickly.