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In her ability to see a place for what it is and what it could be, Yvette Rock is unique among artists who in recent years have tried to capture the fall and rise of Detroit. It helps that the painter, collagist, and photographer lives there, with her husband and four children. "When I go and photograph buildings that are abandoned . . . I start thinking about who lived here and what happened," notes Rock, owner and director of Live Coal Gallery. "I know that someone was really affected by this. That there's a person who lost their home."

In her mixed-media installation "The 10 Plagues of Detroit," it's these people as much as Detroit's social and economic challenges that come to the forefront. And it's these people, says Rock, whom God has called to be "repairers of broken walls and restorers of streets with dwellings" (Isaiah 58). In this film, our first documentary shot on location in Detroit, Rock describes how the Isaiah passage informs her own work—and sustains her hope for the restoration of her city.

The Art of Restoration Amidst Detroit's Ruined Walls

How the vision of a restored city informs Detroit artist Yvette Rock's haunting work.
How One Artist Turns Skid Row into Sacred Streets

How One Artist Turns Skid Row into Sacred Streets

An interview with Los Angeles's Jason Leith about his new installation that features portraits of the homeless.
A California Climber Takes Up the Trafficking Fight

A California Climber Takes Up the Trafficking Fight

Betty Ann Boeving thinks the key to ending trafficking is to focus locally.
Forging the Future with the Tip of a Pen

Forging the Future with the Tip of a Pen

How Jake Weidmann, one of 11 master penmen in the world, uses ink to link the past and future.
Why Tim Keller Wants You to Stay in That Job You Hate

Why Tim Keller Wants You to Stay in That Job You Hate

The Redeemer pastor explains how he ministers to laypeople facing career confusion.

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