Driving through this pocket of Detroit, deteriorating single-family homes dot swaths of vacant lots. It’s a story that we’ve all heard about Detroit and other Rust Belt cities. Turn down Heidelberg Street though, and stuffed animals cling to a boat like barnacles, old telephones perched on painted bricks line the sidewalk, and colorful polka dots adorn an old house. Artist Tyree Guyton is rewriting that story with the objects that were left behind.
An Urban Canvas
Today, the street is home an outdoor art environment called the Heidelberg Project. Two city blocks serve as an urban canvas that incorporates houses, the street, sidewalks, and discarded items. What began in the 1980s as a way to spotlight urban blight is evolving into an art community and “culture village.”
Guyton grew up on Heidelberg Street in the working-class McDougall-Hunt neighborhood. In 1967, the site of his childhood memories filled with Army troops and tanks in response to five days of riots in the city. “I thought the world was coming to an end,” Guyton told the New York Times Magazine. He left the neighborhood to enlist in the army in the 1970s. The neighborhood he returned to years later was devastated by drugs, violence, and poverty. Where others armed themselves with weapons, Guyton’s grandfather encouraged him to pick up a paintbrush.
Together with the neighborhood children, Guyton and his grandfather began cleaning up the street. They used everyday, abandoned items to transform the vacant lots into an outdoor art project. What was once his family home became an enormous sculptural installation. Playful polka dots, symbolizing diversity, began popping up along the street. The project was officially incorporated as the Heidelberg Project in 1988.
“My art is a medicine for the community. You can’t heal the land until you heal the minds of the people.”
– Tyree Guyton, Heidelberg Project Founder
Guyton wanted to draw attention to the plight of Detroit’s forgotten neighborhoods, but not everyone appreciated his art. Several Heidelberg project homes have been the target of neighborhood complaints, demolition by two Detroit mayors, and arson. Today, only two of his original HP houses remain.
State of the Art
Numbers House
Covered in colorful numbers, the Numbers House is one of the only original HP structures remaining. It’s an homage to the Woods family who lived here and donated their house to the Heidelberg Project. The numbers were inspired by resident Thelma Woods’ dream of winning the lottery. The Woods children were some of the original “Kids of Heidelberg” and often return to visit.
Dotty Wotty House
Guyton’s great-grandparents purchased this house in 1947. He grew up in the home with his mother, grandfather, and nine siblings. The polka dot house represents the celebration of all races living together.
Pink HUMMER
Installed one month after the last HUMMER was manufactured, Pink HUMMER is a collaboration with the women’s peace group “Code Pink.” The pink HUMMER symbolizes peace, and the bicycle reminds us to consider sustainable transportation options.
Noah’s Ark
This boat piled with stuffed animals represents the opposing forces of childhood innocence and corruption. The original “Noah’s Ark” installation was destroyed by the City of Detroit in 1999.
Motor City Lot
This is a tribute to the good and bad of Detroit’s auto industry. Covered in pennies, the “Penny Saab” represents the result of saving and waiting.
Heidelberg 3.0
Thirty years on, the Heidelberg Project continues to enrich the community through art. The HP provides jobs and programs in addition to a venue for expression and interacting with people from Detroit and beyond. The Heidelberg Arts Leadership Academy is a free arts education program. The Young Adults of Heidelberg program partners with other organizations to support community building and professional development within the arts.
In 2017, Guyton announced that he would be dismantling some of the Heidelberg Project installations to make room for a new vision called “Heidelberg 3.0.” Rather than featuring his own work, Guyton aims to create an art community and culture village.
He plans to transform the remaining buildings in the area into cultural and educational centers and spaces for artists. The Numbers House is under renovation to feature an artist-in-residence program, gallery, and event space. Last year, the HP moved into its first community headquarters, a 7,000-square foot building, a residence, and six lots. Rather than reflect the neighborhood’s past, the Heidelberg Project will help shape the community’s future.
Visit the Heidelberg Project
The Heidelberg Project is free and open to the public daily, from 8 a.m. – 7 p.m. The HP recommends that visitors travel by car or by taxi.
If you’re visiting, be sure to download Isobar’s Heidelberg Project app. The app offers a self-guided tour using GPS technology. View the full installation from above and then learn more about the history and inspiration of specific works.
When I visited the Heidelberg Project, years after seeing some of Guyton’s work exhibited at the Detroit Institute of Arts, I was surprised to see the world-renowned artist standing in the street being interviewed by art students. But of course Guyton was there on Heidelberg Street, because he never left it behind.
The Heidelberg Project
3600 Heidelberg St.
Detroit MI, 48207
Sources
- “Encyclopedia Of Detroit – HEIDELBERG PROJECT.” Detroit Historical Society.
- “History.” The Heidelberg Project.
- “Iconic Detroit Outdoor Art Environment, The Heidelberg Project, Launches App: Isobar News.” Isobar, 15 Jan. 2018.
- Miller, M.H. “Tyree Guyton Turned a Detroit Street Into a Museum. Why Is He Taking It Down?” The New York Times, The New York Times Magazine, 9 May 2019.
- Tyree, Guyton. “About.” Tyree Guyton.
Jessica Mlinaric founded Urban Explorer in 2010 to inspire curious travelers by highlighting history, culture, and hidden gems in Chicago and beyond. She is the author of ‘Secret Chicago’ and ‘Chicago Scavenger.’ Jessica has visited 20+ countries and 30+ U.S. states. She has more than 16 years of experience as a marketing strategist and works as a freelance writer and photographer.
