Piece description from the artist
This image blends my photography, Detroit historical research, and poetry to describe a time when jazz and blues clubs reigned supreme in Detroit, and Black-owned businesses thrived in Paradise Valley. This image, taken on one of the remaining blocks of Hastings Street, represents only three remaining blocks, where 100 once existed before freeway construction in Detroit. Hastings Street once had over 160 Black-owned businesses directly fronting on the street. Joe's Records recorded many blues greats and sermons by Rev. C.L. Franklin.
Rod Arroyo is a photographer and city planner based in Detroit, Michigan. His photographs have appeared in the documentary films "Lemonade: Detroit" and "Best of the Best – Jazz from Detroit," Hour Magazine, the Detroit Artists Market, Kresge Foundation, numerous local shows, and eight books of city photography. In 2018, his photographs of Detroit were featured in "A History Lover's Guide to Detroit," published by History Press.
Rod has been photographing iconic and historical locations in the city of Detroit for about ten years. His photographs are inspired by his love of Detroit, the city's history, and by Rod's personal and professional background. Rod has run much of the city by foot and also traveled by bicycle as part of the Detroit Marathon and the Tour De Troit, respectively. He has also explored the city by foot as part of his city and portrait photography studies. A principal goal of his work is to capture meaningful images of the incredible beauty found in urban settings.
His city photographs are found at www.City-Photos.com and
his portrait work is at www.PortraitsByRod.com.
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