Edition Information

 
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Feral Church #2
by James Griffioen

ARTIST STATEMENT

“Feral” means reversion to a wild state, as from domestication. It comes from the Latin root fera, for wild beast, but it also has a connection to another Latin word, feralis, literally “belonging to the dead.” Though it is usually used to describe animals, I have wondered if “feral” couldn’t also be used to describe certain buildings here in Detroit. For a few beautiful months every summer, some of the tens of thousands of abandoned buildings become feral in every sense: they disappear behind ivy or the untended shrubs and trees planted generations ago as decoration.

Even churches are not immune. The neighborhood churches and cathedrals that once served Detroit’s diverse communities now serve mainly as a symbol of the city’s incredible population loss. While a few have managed to survive decades of congregant flight, others have been adopted by new congregations and new faiths. Sadly, many beautiful churches and synagogues have fallen into ruin. The church in this photograph has served as a funeral home, and most recently as a social services organization. While not a ruin, today it sits empty, with invasive vines stretching to seal its front doors. As the neighborhoods of Detroit disappear, nature flourishes. I am interested in the duplicity of plant life in Detroit as both blindly innocent and somehow deeply sinister. In other cities, meticulously groomed and maintained ivy-covered walls are a symbol of social elitism. In Detroit, ivy flourishes as a symbol of neglect and the indomitable spirit of nature, even on houses built for gods.

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More art by James Griffioen

  • Feral House #7
  • Feral House #13

Feral Church #2

by James Griffioen

archival pigment print
available framed

  • Custom Order

    Select your print and frame:
    • 8"x10" 24
      Add frame 115
      • Black Frame 115
      • White Frame, recommended 115
    • 11"x14" 60
      Add frame 185
      • Black Frame 185
      • White Frame, recommended 185
    • 16"x20" 240
      Add frame 490
      • Black Frame 490
      • White Frame, recommended 490

  • Unframed prints usually ship within 5 days of purchase.

  • Custom orders ship 3 to 4 weeks after purchase. For faster delivery, select Ready to Ship. Quantities and selection of Ready-to-Ship art are limited.

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ADDITIONAL PRINT INFORMATION

  • Limited-edition, exclusive to 20x200
  • Museum quality: archival inks, 100% cotton rag paper
  • Artist-signed + numbered certificate of authenticity included
  • Directly supports the artist
  • Available framed or print only

These prints are created using archival pigment inks on 100% cotton rag paper with a luster finish.

Our quoted dimensions are for the size of paper containing the images, not the printed image itself. We do not alter the aspect ratio, nor do we crop or resize the artists’ originals. All of our prints have a minimum border of .5 inches to allow for framing.

We recommend a custom frame in white solid wood with UV protected plexiglass and a white archival mat. Please note: Framed art may take up to 4 weeks to ship. Available for U.S. orders only.

  • 8"x10" print offered in 14"x14" frame (3/4” front profile x 1 1/4” side profile)
  • 11"x14" print offered in 16.5"x19.5" frame (3/4” front profile x 1 1/4” side profile)
  • 16"x20" print offered in 22.5"x27.5" frame (3/4” front profile x 1 1/4” side profile)

Would you like a framing consultation? Contact our experts: framing@20x200.com.

Learn more about our framed prints.

 

How to Frame Your Art

All of our prints have a minimum border of .25 inches to allow for framing. We do not alter the aspect ratio, crop or resize the artists' originals—quoted dimensions are for the size of paper containing the image, not the printed image itself. For exact image sizes and more helpful info, view our framing guides: