John Sims was a giant in the arts, a giant in activism, and a giant in any room he entered but, most of all, he was a friend and ally that we were happy (and felt protected) to have in our corner. There are no words to express the immensity of this loss, not only for Irwin House Gallery and his family, but a hole is being felt in arts communities worldwide. John filled a space with his art and activism that only he could. But one thing we know for sure, is that an army of his colleagues around the world will be working – individually and collectively – to move his name and his works forward in this lifetime.
John had work for everyone to do. And for us, there were Detroit projects in the wings, including a mural and presenting his annual Square Root of Love happening. As John had far-reaching tentacles that never slept, he was planning projects with others in Detroit as well. I know that we are all committed to carrying out these ideas, as best as we can, in his ever-present absence.
Thank you, John Sims, for being a friend.