Photographer Richard Haskin and writer Pierette Domenica Simpson are proposing a DETUR in the Art community of Detroit and Turin.

DETUR, (short for Detroit-Turin Exchange) refers to a new path intended to create a cultural bridge for artists of every genre to explore, enrich, and connect with the Art world that now mostly exists in isolation.

The new cultural merger between the two sister cities of the automobile, where Sergio Marchionne has made his strongest impact, was launched in June, in Turin, by its by co-founders Richard Haskin author Pierette Simpson. They recently returned from Turin/Torino (Piemonte) where Haskin held a solo exhibition featuring Italian and Italian-American artists in the Detroit metropolitan area and Lansing. "Art Within Art: From Italy to Detroit and Vice Versa" is a model for DETUR's format: artists from both cities share their creations with a larger audience, using both cities as their platform. Hence, Haskin's exhibition will be repeated in the fall in Detroit.

Simpson directed and produced a documentary film explaining Haskin's research and
photography. Turin curator, Loretta Del Ponte, who proposed the overseas event, describes Haskin and Simpson's exhibition and documentary as "Rare visual conversations with Italian American artists of various genres in Michigan, documented via a photographic and cinematographic objective". Interviewees included Detroit Institute of Arts (D.I.A.) curator, Alan Darr; sculptor Sergio De Giusti; Michigan Opera Theatre founder and creative director, David DiChiera; and art professor/painter, Rick Vian. Italian masterpieces from the D.I.A. enhanced the exhibition.

Project DETUR intends to create jobs and stronger economies in both cities. Haskin explains how it will help young people. "My son, Nik, filmed Pierette's documentary. He also created a short film on Detroit Street Art, which was shown at an art center in Turin called LungoTavolo45. He has now been discovered overseas as a Detroit videographer. Hopefully, this project will create jobs in related industries such as travel and tourism, and gastronomy. Our merger will make the Art market the catalyst for stronger economies in general—not unlike the Fiat-Chrysler merger."

D.I.A curator, Alan P. Darr, expresses his enthusiasm for being involved in project DETUR. "We certainly are open and would be very interested in organizing an exhibition with Turin or certainly with Italy."

The exhibition, "Art Within Art: From Italy to Detroit and Vice Versa" was endorsed by the DIA, the Italian Consulate of Detroit, and the Dante Alighieri Society of Turin and Michigan. The latter has proposed featuring Haskin's exhibition as part of their 90th anniversary celebrations in November.

Visit www.detroiturin.wordpress.com for more contact info and a complete description of DETUR (including the photo exhibition, documentary, and a Skype call between artists in the two cities). An English version of the site is accessible at Detroit Turin Exchange on Google, by clicking on "Translate this page". The documentary, in English with Italian subtitles, will be available for only a limited time on the DETUR's site and on YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zg5SRNaGqRw&feature=youtu.be)

Nikolas Haskin's documentary, "Detroit Street Art", can be viewed on YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L10bKFqWpuM