Michael Luchs, "Untitled (Birds)"
May 29, 2018
Michael Luchs, Untitled (Birds), c. 1993
For those who are familiar with the art of Michael Luchs, a rabbit typically comes to mind when thinking of the Cass Corridor artist. Sometimes a frog or a snake may find its way onto his canvas, but most prominently it is the rabbit. In this 1993 painting by Luchs, one finds instead two birds– although not rare, this animal is still somewhat unexpected. His brush first makes the silhouette of the bird from a profile view, then at frontal view where it expands its wings and twists its beak up. The frisky contour turned oval shape around this bird echoes distress, along with the symbols that mark up its body and background. The style of Untitled (Birds) remains loyal to the oeuvre of Luchs, whose art has been described as “urban expressionism.”
Luchs moved to Detroit in the 1960s to study at Wayne State. He was involved with the Cass Corridor movement and was also a founding member of the Willis Gallery. His work has been exhibited at the Detroit Institute of Arts, the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, Simone DeSousa Gallery, and is currently on view at the Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit until July 29, 2018.
Written by Danielle Cervera Bidigare