I Need My Space
Curated & Curious
Jan.01.2023
By Megan Swoyer | Photos by Joe Tiano
Living with her collection of art and design objects reminds Isabelle Weiss of the joy and responsibility that drive her gallery.
“EVERY DAY IS A DISCOVERY,” Isabelle Weiss says of her home in the Method Development lofts at the Detroit Design District. “And I work an oatmeal bowl away from where I live.” Indeed, the 33-year-old occupies a loft located just an elevator ride above her business, I.M. Weiss Gallery.
Located at the border between the city’s North End and Milwaukee Junction, the three-story building - formerly the Maurice Fox Ford sales and service station - features retail space on the first floor and 18 industrial-style lofts on the second and third floors.
Work by Cody Norman, Nina Cho, Forrest Hudes, Minji Namgoong, Kira Keck, Benjamin Teague, Katie Shulman, Paula Schubatis, Bryan Rees and Kayla Powers.
Weiss’ gallery (previously known as Next:Space) supports Detroit artists and designs who create functional art objects. The gallery is on the first floor of the building and neighbors a clothing store, design firm, and comic book shop.
“I like the industrial atmosphere here,” Weiss says. “It’s close to everything, but off the beaten path.”
Here, we take a peek at her gallery (which was once a mechanic shop) and tour her loft, where Isabelle Weiss sits in her living room surrounded by her vast art collection.
Work by Dawson Moore, Benjamin Teague, Yazmin Dababneh, Kira Keck, Seth Keller, Nina Cho and Katie Shulman.
The office: Weiss’ office is within the gallery and is not separated by walls. Her desk sits in front of an old brick wall, on which she “left the old graffiti and a million layers of paint,” she says. “I chose to keep the industrial bones and event color-matched the paint to drywall. It’s an environment that speaks to our art objects that are born from this great industrial context of Detroit; we shouldn’t hide that.”
Work by Mary Kim, Cody Norman, Nina Cho, Colin Tury, Paula Schubatis, Alex Drew and No One and Nancila Breteinstein.
New dimension: An impressive tower sculpture by Korean American Artist Mary Kim, who graduated from Cranbrook Academy of Art in Bloomfield Hills, impresses. “It’s my favorite color: red,” Weiss says. “And [Kim has] created a sculpture using several pieces of wood in various shades of red that are all the same size.”
Please be seated: The LT chair, made of aluminum and bent steel, is “super sculptural,” Weiss says. It was designed by Colin Tury of Midwest Common, a design studio located in Method Development’s building.
Ocean turbulence: Works by Cody Norman, a designer, self-taught engineer, and Cranbrook Academy Art alum, also adorn the apartment. “I have the first lamp he ever made [called a Jellyfish Lamp] and have representing his work since he was just starting at Cranbrook.” She also owns a planter, “M4_6”, and a vessel from Norman’s Turbulence series that she keeps on a shelf in her living room.
Work by Luke Mack, Forrest Hudes and Cody Norman.
It grows on you: A vessel, made by metalsmith and College for Creative Studies student Cassidy Kaufman, started as a flat sheet of metal that was then hammered into a form. “It has a very unusual patina, made with Miracle-Gro,” Weiss says.
Marketplace musings: Vintage lamps and a chair are from Marketplace Antiques Gallery in Detroit. “I learned so much from Marketplace owner Marvin Nash about midcentury design,” Weiss says. Also in this space are a Matt Eaton painting, two monoprints by artist Deborah Friedman, a thread necklace by Detroit Artist Elizabeth Youngblood and triangular mirrors from Ferndale design studio Alex Drew & No One.
Textile style: Several Paula Schubatis pieces adorn the apartment. They include a mix of woven textiles, found materials, and more. “I have a collection of her pillows and cushions made from a wide range of materials, including recycled plastic bags, foam pellets, [and] reclaimed textiles,” Weiss says. She also has a Schubatis wall tapestry in her bedroom.
Wall art: The painting above the bed is by Detroit Artist Luke Mack.
Underfoot: The polished concrete flooring is original.
Rooms with a view: Through her apartment’s living room window is “the money view,” Weiss says. Looking west on East Grand Boulevard, she can see Chroma, the Fisher Building, and “some amazing sunsets.” - Megan Swoyer