, a lover of math and science since childhood and architecture graduate, never thought he would one day call himself an artist. However, he found success by combining his architecture and engineering background with an artistic vision that utilizes light, color, and music.
Ethen says while growing up in Kentwood, near Grand Rapids, he didn鈥檛 have any role models who were successful artists. This caused him to resist using the term 鈥渁rtist鈥 to describe himself for the first seven years of his work. But now, he proudly calls himself a light artist.
鈥淲hat I do, it鈥檚 kind of architecture, it鈥檚 kind of engineering, it鈥檚 kind of design. I鈥檓 just right in the middle of all these things,鈥 says Ethen.听
Ethen began to transition from his scientific aspirations to creating art after participating in the festival in Grand Rapids. He says this set him apart from other architecture students and sent him down a path toward more artistic pursuits.
Installation art exhibits, sometimes called environments, often take up an entire room, and can typically be walked through or around to maximize interaction between the viewer and the work. These installations are often temporary, able to be disassembled and moved, but can sometimes be permanent.听
Ethen鈥檚 work uses sculpture and light, often paired with music, to give each viewer the opportunity to form their own interpretations and experience something unique.听
鈥淭he goal is not to provide meaning, the goal is to provide experiences,鈥 says Ethen. 鈥淧eople like the idea of 鈥楾he work is about this,鈥 but it鈥檚 an oversimplification.鈥
鈥淚t鈥檚 like looking at a campfire, where you鈥檙e just observing, and you鈥檙e open to color and you鈥檙e open to light,鈥 Ethen adds. 鈥淚t鈥檚 the same reason why a sunset is good, why a campfire is good, why it鈥檚 good to watch the ocean waves. Because it doesn鈥檛 repeat itself, because it鈥檚 always new, it鈥檚 always moving.鈥澨
Ethen has three permanent works in Detroit, one in San Diego, and one in Boston, but most of his installations are temporary and can be found in Detroit鈥檚 underground music scene, particularly electronic music.听
Ethen has done work for electronic music festival and has a long history working with Texture, a pop-up music event that provides an audio-spatial experience.听
鈥淢y aesthetic is really future forward, and electronic music was made as the music of the future, so I think there鈥檚 a great pairing with the work there,鈥 says Ethen. 鈥淎ll over the world people look to Detroit because they know us for our music scene. We鈥檙e a major exporter of culture via music.鈥澨
鈥淚 know my work has had an impact on the city, at the very least, in the music scene,鈥 adds Ethen, noting that he is the only person in the midwest doing this kind of work.
Reflecting on why he creates this type of art, Ethen says he tells a story from his childhood.听
鈥淕rowing up, my dad had a corporate job, and he would take two weeks off of work every Christmas, not to go on vacation, but to literally put up 35,000 Christmas lights on our house every year.鈥 Ethen explains.听
鈥淥ur house had a six-foot star at the top,鈥 he continues. 鈥淎nyone who didn鈥檛 know me, I鈥檇 be like, 鈥極h, well you know that house with the star on the top?鈥 That鈥檚 how you get to my house.鈥
鈥淚t was always this question for my family. We love it, tour buses come by the house, but why does dad do it? I don鈥檛 even think that he knows. And all my friends are like, 鈥極h, you do lights because your dad put up Christmas lights on your house,鈥 and I鈥檓 like, 鈥楴o, that鈥檚 not why I do lights.鈥欌
鈥淚 think the reason I do lights and my dad does lights are the same reason, and that is that, other people like it, and it鈥檚 important to do stuff for other people,鈥 he adds. 鈥淚 think focusing on joy is just the most powerful way of fighting for what you believe in.鈥
Learn more about Patrick Ethen and his work at . Plus, find even more stories about metro Detroit鈥檚 art scene at hourdetroit.com.听
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