Nelson Mandela Tribute At Art In Motion

Nelson Mandela visited Detroit in June of 1990 shortly after leaving prison and before his election as South Africa’s president. His presence impacted our city with such reverence that Detroit renamed Atwater Street to “Nelson Mandela Drive.”

This past weekend, I met Ida Hawkins. She’s a New York born artist, nestled on Livernois in Detroit – very alive to what people need to see visually. Now a little over a year after Mandela’s passing, Hawkins, too, desired to continue to honor his life. At Art in Motion, she keeps Mandela’s sacred energy tangible in the form of an art exhibition, as a tribute to him and an inspiration for others.

“I am inspired and uplifted by his example for what it means to live a life of clarity and honesty,” said Hawkins. “I created several sculptures with some informative highlights of Nelson Mandela’s life – from the beginning to the end – with pictures from well known figures around the world, with quotes, biography, facts, time line, speeches, and education quotes.”

Hawkins was born in New York City but has been living in Detroit for 37 years. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Art Education and teaches at Nataki Talibah Schoolhouse of Detroit.

“As a visual artist and art teacher, I thought it would be wonderful to create sculptures and paintings using wood, paint, pictures, and words. It is very exciting to view the many people, special quotes and comments about Nelson Mandela in my works of art,” she said.

Art in Motion is a ceramic studio gallery that offers sculpting classes, workshops, private lessons, and parties for all ages interested in the sculpting artistry. The Tribute to Nelson Mandela is on display from Feb. 7 – March 7 at Art in Motion, 19452, Livernois in Detroit.