Hamtramck Disneyland is a site-specific folk art installation created by artist Dmytro Szylak (1920-2015).

Dmytro Szylak grew up in Ukraine and immigrated to the United States with his wife in the 1950s. Mr. Szylak worked for General Motors for 30 years; after retiring in the mid-1980s, he began building Hamtramck Disneyland atop the two garages on the properties he owned. The project took nearly 30 years to construct, and was constantly being updated and modified by Mr. Szylak until his death in 2015, at the age of 92.

In its heyday, the installation filled the air with whimsical kinetic structures that rattled and whirred as they spun in the wind. The garages were painted in bright stripes, and the space in between was filled with found photographs, posters, and classic Americana images mixed with those of the Europe of Mr. Szylak’s past. It is one of Michigan’s most significant works of folk art; thousands of visitors from all over the world have made Hamtramck Disneyland one of their stops.

After Mr. Szylak passed away, his estate was in limbo, with no plan to protect or keep the art. Driven by the energy and support of the community, a group of residents and artists formed to save this great local treasure. Hatch Art, which operates an art gallery and studios in the former Hamtramck police station, took ownership of Hamtramck Disneyland in May of 2016.

Hatch Art repairs and maintains the installation, preserving the core components of the artwork while proceeding with gradual updates as materials succumb to the elements. The intention is to honor Dmytro Szylak’s work by keeping the future of the installation as lively as he did in the past.

“Hamtramck Disneyland” has been the subject of two documentaries and is one of the top tourist attractions to Hamtramck, a city located within the boundaries of Detroit. It is one of Michigan’s most significant works of folk art, along with the Heidelberg Project and MBAD African Bead Museum, among others.  Thousands of visitors a year from all over the world have made “Hamtramck Disneyland” one of their stops. In 2006, famed photographer Bruce Weber did a photo shoot with Kate Moss at this location.

The 1,945 sq.ft installation known as “Hamtramck Disneyland” is located at 12087 Klinger and it is viewable from the alleyway between Sobieski and Klinger north of Commor and south of Carpenter in Hamtramck, MI. 
 

Support Hamtramck Disneyland!

The art site needs a lot of work, and Hatch Art needs a lot of resources in order to restore, improve, and share Hamtramck Disneyland with the community for many years to come. The once-rotten roofs of the garages that support the art have been repaired, and the two houses on the property have been renovated; three of the units are rentals, and the fourth hosts an artist-in-residence program that has welcomed visiting creatives from around the world.

But there is more work to be done! Much of the art is weathered, falling apart, and in need of immediate attention to be saved. The lights, motion, and sound components Dmytro Szylak originally installed all need to be re-built, with the electrical being brought up to outdoor safety standards.

Money from donations will go toward rebuilding structural elements; installing security cameras and public safety lighting; restoring electrical power to lights and mechanical elements; and operating a docent program for public engagement, among other things. Hatch Art is also seeking volunteers to help with the restoration.

You can contact Hatch Art by e-mail at renee@hatchart.org or hdl.sean@hatchart.org or phone (313) 909-5444.

Learn More

Restoring a City Treasure: ‘Hamtramck Disneyland,’ Piece by Piece by Sean Bieri, Hamtramck Review, Dec. 1, 2023
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