I have to admit, I didn't have much hope in finding much else of interest in a city that is one of the most economically and socially depressed in the country.
Boy, was I wrong. Our coach had emailed us the week prior to leaving and he had found out about an inner city outdoor art installation called "The Heidelberg Project". Sounded really interesting and so I looked it up. The artist, a Detroit native, is Tyree Guyton who grew up in the notoriously rough east side of the city. He lost 3 brothers to street violence and when he returned home from serving in the army he found his neighbourhood looked "like a bomb had gone off".
Together with the encouragement of his grandpa Sam he began what is now known as The Heidelberg Project. He has "waged war on the urban blight of Detroit's east side...transforming it into a living indoor/outdoor art gallery". His mission is to take back the streets and revitalize them through art and creativity. Talk about inspiration!!
His story touched me as did the whole project. We arrived into the neighbourhood with one hand on the door locks and one foot on the gas pedal. As we drove through the decrepit, scary and desolate streets that surrounded Heidelberg St. (named for the first settlers of the area who were primarily German) we felt a little unnerved about bringing our kids here and wondered if it was really such a good idea. Those thoughts instantly faded when we saw the first signs of the installation. Brightly coloured objects and paintings covered every foot of the road, sidewalks and houses. It was quite simply remarkable.
Started 25 years ago with one house being painted with bright circles it has exploded, literally, onto the neighbouring houses and steetscape. No object, tree or even garbage can is untouched by his brilliant colours and creativity. I felt like a kid in a candy shop. There was so much to see and so many different messages within the work.
Tyree, it turns out, is on a 1 year prestigious residency in Switzerland. We did meet his nephew David who helps out his uncle with the work and also mans the info booth. He told us the shoes and paintings of shoes represent "all the different walks of life".
There is an emphasis in this work on the cultural and socio-economic demise of Detroit, particularly this neighbourhood. Tyree aims to reivitalize the city one street at a time. Since the installation 25 years ago, the city has tried to tear down the project twice. They succeeded in taking down 5 houses that had been transformed before being stopped and the area is now protected.
I came away from the work with a smile on my face and the realization that art can be a very powerful force. The coming together of community to create this streetscape and the immediate and profound change it has made to the neighbourhood is something to be inspired by.
I think we can all learn a lesson from someone like Tyree Guyton. A true hero and renaissance man.
check out the website at www.heidelberg.org and if you are ever in or near Detroit I highly recommend checking it out. You won't be disappointed.
