January 3 • 2019 23 jn Th e Buddy’ s Pizza Legacy William and Shirlee Jacobs bought Buddy’ s Pizza in 1970, when it was an established specialty restaurant on Six Mile and Conant in Detroit. Like so many customers, they enjoyed what became known as the Detroit-style square pizza. Drawing customers and continuing as ownership changed was a Sicilian-based recipe originated by August “Gus” Guerra, who launched Buddy’ s in 1946 before selling to Jimmy Bonacorse and Jimmy Valenti in 1953. While William “Billy” Jacobs concentrated on a realty business, son Robert took charge of management responsi- bilities for Buddy’ s after finishing law school. “The great joy of the business has been bringing enjoyment to the people we serve,” Jacobs says. “I had great people working for me, and we were able to sponsor many community events as a team.” Under Jacobs, CEO for 25 years, the business thrived with expansion to 13 Buddy’ s restau- rants in the metro area. The most recent opened at the Detroit Zoo last spring. Over its many years, Buddy’ s has been recognized by lead- ing taste reviewers for serving high-quality menu choices. A partnership came in January 2018 with CapitalSpring, a private investment firm focused exclusively on the branded restaurant industry. The plan is to extend new store growth across the Midwest and beyond. “I now am a board member with one vote out of five,” Jacobs says. “We are hiring great people for growth while the food standards and processes are being maintained and improved.” details The Robert and Katherine Jacobs Asian Wing can be seen Tuesdays- Fridays free of charge for Wayne, Oakland and Macomb County resi- dents and DIA members. (313) 833-7900; dia.org. administrators are taking. It’ s like a special kind of gathering place. I’ m a proponent of the docent program, which helps people looking at art learn about the history and culture associated with each piece on display. ” EXPLORING THEMES The Asian galleries, enlarged from 1,398 square feet to 6,900 square feet with a reassignment of space, have been designed to explore themes. In the area of Chinese painting, viewers can leave responses to the works they see in keeping with ages-old traditions. Korean works showcase the continuing ideal of harmony. Hindu sculptures demonstrate access to devotional beliefs. Seven community members representing the cultures spotlighted, but not professionally asso- ciated with the arts, were selected to collaborate with DIA staff in brainstorming ideas. “There are about 140 pieces on view now; but, with rotation, we’ re going to be displaying more than 300 objects in these galleries over the course of time, ” says Katherine Kasdorf, DIA assistant curator of Arts of Asia & the Islamic World. “The objects we display are dependent on what we have in our collection. “ Almost all of the paintings and textiles in the new galleries are light sensitive so we’ ll be chang- ing works on display every six months. For every painting or textile seen in the galleries, we need to have eight lined up ready to go on display over the next few years and then we can go back to the first group. Visitors can return every few months and see completely new works of art. ” One work donated by Robert and Katherine Jacobs and currently on view is a relief sculpture of Vishnu, the Hindu god, and is located in the Southeast Asia section. Made of beige sandstone in the 900s, it has smaller-scale figures carved in the stone framing it. “It’ s a really wonderful, engaging sculpture, and we developed a special type of label, almost like a small book, ” says Kasdorf, who explains that beliefs associated with Vishnu have to do with preserving balance in the universe. “Visitors can page through to learn multiple layers of signifi- cance pertaining to the piece. ” As a visitor to the wing, Jacobs particularly relates to two other works. Yogini Goddess, a sculpture from southern India made in the 900s, combines imagery related to both auspicious and threatening qualities con- nected to power. Head of Buddha, made of cast iron and dating back to the 800s, has a very serene expression communicating a sense of peace. “While the Yogini is a sculpture that expresses movement, the Buddha is very still and calming, ” Jacobs says. “Both are beautifully carved and show artistic skills of high quality helping to train my eyes to appreciate great quality Asian art. “ Jacobs extends his multicultural interests by enjoying and supporting the array of movies shown by the Detroit Film Theatre at the DIA. “The theater brings in movies that the conven- tional, for-profit theaters do not show — whether specialty productions made in the United States or movies made in other countries, ” Jacobs says. “I’ m glad to see so many people enjoy the films as much as I do. ” Jacobs, a member of Temple Shir Shalom, also supports diverse initiatives in the Jewish commu- nity, a commitment carried down from his late parents, Shirlee and William Jacobs. She had a strong interest in Israeli causes, and he was a founder of the Michigan Jewish Sports Foundation. Just as he followed his parents’ inter- ests, Jacobs hopes to pass along his interest in art to youngsters. “Some of the school systems don’ t teach art in classrooms any- more, and the DIA is taking their place, ” he says. “We sponsored a program where 1,900 teachers a year come to the DIA and learn the technique of Visual Thinking Strategies, an approach to asking questions about what is seen and felt when experiencing art. “That’ s a great way of spending money efficiently because the teachers carry these ideas back to classrooms to instill critical thinking skills. ” across the Midwest and beyond. “I now am a board member with one vote out of five,” Jacobs says. “We ar hiring great people for growth while the food standards and processes are being maintained and improved.” - - mber of Temple Shir Shalom, also e initiatives in the Jewish commu- ment carried down from his late and William Jacobs. She had a n Israeli causes, and he was e Michigan Jewish Sports owed his parents’ inter- es to pass along his o youngsters. school systems n classrooms any- DIA is taking their “We sponsored a 1,900 teachers a e DIA and learn f Visual Thinking pproach to asking t what is seen and felt cing art. at way of spending tly because the hese ideas back o instill critical Manuscript of the ‘ Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Verses’ (Ashtasahasrika Prajnaparamita), about 1160, Scribe: Shri Dharaka of Ghoshaligrama; painter: Unknown Artist India (Bihar), ink and opaque watercolor on palm leaves. Vasudhara, Goddess of Wealth and Abundance, 1100s, Nepal, copper, gold, gem stones. Billy Jacobs, circa 1950, with his young son Robert.