Man in the City Takes on U-Haul

Aug 14, 2013

Man in the City can now be found on the top of the U-Haul Moving and Self-Storage New Center location, and what appears to be the “U-Haul Orange” iconic color and could be construed as something U-Haul started – it’s NOT.   John Sauve artist and  creator of the Man in the City project is the “Man” behind this project!

DetroitRiverFrontSculpturePark
Detroit Riverfront Sculpture Park
John Sauve

Meet the Man
John Sauve is more than just an artist, he is a philanthropist with a vision to inspire and give back to his community.  John started the Sauvé Art Foundation  10 years ago with one goal in mind,  “building communities through public art.”  Born in Detroit, John has lived in the city his entire life with the exception of going to college.  John is not the typical sculpturer, his work as a curator can be seen in the City of Birmingham Cityscapes Sculpture Exhibit,  the Blue Water International Sculpture Exhibit, overseeing the sculpture installation in the Stone Ridge Sculpture Park just outside Manhattan, the Lyon Sculpture Park in New Hudson, and- most important- John was recently honored with installing the first sculpture on the Detroit Riverfront Sculpture Park.

Man in the City Project HighlineNY

In 2010, John’s artwork was commissioned by the Marc Ecko Foundation to be the first public sculpture exhibit installed on New York City’s Highline and John’s sculpture was located in front of the Merchandise Mart in Downtown Chicago during the 2011 Art Chicago Sculpture Exhibit.

What exactly is the Man in the City?
The Man in the City
sculpture project is comprised of over 30 sculptures located on the rooftops throughout the City of Detroit.   I might as well just let John tell you himself about this fabulous project as he places the Man in the City atop the U-Haul Moving and Storage Midtown location in this video.

ManIntheCityBoysandGirlsClub
ManIntheCityDetroit.2jpg

The sculptures will be installed for two years, and during that time period the Sauve Art Foundation will be holding fundraisers to benefit the children’s art programming in the City of Detroit.  John has worked with the youth at the YMCA and is currently working with the Boys and Girls Clubs where he engages the children in the community and encourages them to delve into their artistic creativity and make their very own Man in the City.  As part of the project, John has incorporated educational workshops for children about photography and videography.  With John being as successful as he is with his artistry, it is truly commendable that he contributes his time and funding to give back to the community through this project –  which just goes to show that that there is much more to the Man in the City and the man behind the project.

U-Haul is truly honored to have the Man in the City sculpture selected to be showcased atop our building, and couldn’t be more impressed with John’s commitment to the community of Detroit.  Plus- it doesn’t hurt that U-Haul just happens to have a passion and liking to the color he selected to represent the Man in the City!

What other buildings have you seen the Man in the City on top of in Detroit?

–JoeyGirl

More articles like this one…

What’s New

U-Haul and VVA Unite to Serve Veterans

U-Haul and VVA Unite to Serve Veterans

Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA), an organization founded in 1978 to support and advocate for veterans of the Vietnam War, serves by the motto “never again will one generation of veterans abandon another.” VVA’s goal is to promote the well-being of all veterans and...

Spokane Wildfires: U-Haul Offers 30 Days Free Self-Storage to Victims

Spokane Wildfires: U-Haul Offers 30 Days Free Self-Storage to Victims

U-Haul® is offering 30 days of free self-storage and U-Box® container usage to residents in and around Spokane impacted by two active wildfires. The Gray Fire and Oregon Road Fire have already destroyed hundreds of structures and burned thousands of acres. Evacuations...

U-Haul Appoints New Recruiting Manager in Jaris Scott

U-Haul Appoints New Recruiting Manager in Jaris Scott

One of the best ways to grow your status as a veteran-friendly employer is to put a U.S. Army veteran is charge of your company’s recruiting efforts. That’s what U-Haul International has done with Jaris Scott, who was recently named Recruiting Manager for the industry...

Mandy Morris Named U-Haul Supply Chain and Logistics Director

Mandy Morris Named U-Haul Supply Chain and Logistics Director

Mandy Morris has been a part of the U-Haul Purchasing and Supply team for 12 years, including several years as a manager in the department. Now she’s ready for a new challenge as Director of Supply Chain and Logistics. Morris steps into the role that Don Cerimeli held...