Churley 1

Lauren Churley
Beth Fowler
HON1000
5 November 2016
The Heidelberg Project
See that house over there?, Guyton, pointing to one of his works, stated in People.
That was a crack house. After the first three police raids, it opened right up again.
After the fourth raid we couldnt stand it anymore. So we went on over and painted the
place. Pink, blue, yellow, white and purple dots and stripes and squares all over it. Up
there on the roof we stuck a baby doll and that bright blue inner tube, and on the porch
we put a doghouse with a watchdog inside. Now all day long people drive by and stop
to stare at the place,(Hodges 2011). The Heidelberg Project, created by Tyree Guyton in
1986, was designed initially to respond to the neglect and deterioration of Detroit.1 It still
stands today, serving as an even more powerful representation of Detroit with the
different meanings underlying each structure, emphasizing the problems in Detroit.
Unknowingly, the people who visit the Heidelberg project are not only observing a
marvelous work of art, but they are also taking a step back in time to what the city of
Detroit represents. Guyton designed the Heidelberg project in hopes of spreading
awareness and improving the city. In the house mentioned above, he explains how the
once before crack house was turned into a work of art, which lured the negative
influences of the city away and replaced it positivity. Another one of his houses, The
Babydoll House, which was demolished in 1991, projected a compelling message
1 "The Heidelberg Project | Non Profit | Open-Air Art | Art Education | Detroit." The Heidelberg Project | Non Profit |
Open-Air Art | Art Education | Detroit. The Heidelberg Project, n.d. Web. 05 Nov. 2016.

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concerning child abuse, prostitution, and abortion.2 The physical features consisting of
broken, naked, sprawled out babydolls scattered all over the house provided a very strong
representation of one of the biggest problems in Detroit, which is why it was demolished.
Not only were there problems with drugs, prostitution, and child abuse, but there were
also problems with segregation during this time. The Polka Dot House is a visual
representation of this: Guyton painted a white house with polka dots of various sizes and
colors, representing the need for human diversity in this time of high degree segregation
in the metro Detroit Area.3 During this time, there was a high amount of racial
segregation concerning housing and occupation: blacks were banned from living in white
neighborhoods, they were confined to certain areas like Black Bottom, and their
employment rates were lower than those of whites, making it harder for them to get a
job.4 Guytons polka dots symbolize human diversity and the hopes of growing a more
diverse community.
One of Guytons motivations to structure his art the way he did was his past. He grew up
with 9 siblings and a single mother.5 Consequently, he went without almost all his
childhood life. However, he used this idea of poverty, an idea that is representative of the
way of life for many people in Detroit, and turned it into art. He says that most of the

2 Sussman, Alison Carb. "Guyton, Tyree 1955." Contemporary Black Biography, edited by L. Mpho Mabunda, vol. 9,
Gale, 1995, pp. 99-102. Gale Virtual Reference Library, Web. 5 Nov. 2016.

3 Che, Deborah. Connecting The Dots To Urban Revitalization With The Heidelberg Project. Material Culture 39.1
(2007): 33-49. America: History & Life. Web. 5 Nov. 2016

4 Logan, John R. "Detroit Divided." Contemporary Sociology 31.5 (2002): 519-21. ProQuest. Web. 5 Nov. 2016.
5 "The Heidelberg Project | Non Profit | Open-Air Art | Art Education | Detroit." The Heidelberg Project | Non Profit |
Open-Air Art | Art Education | Detroit. The Heidelberg Project, n.d. Web. 05 Nov. 2016.

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items that are seen down Heidelberg Street are things that he didnt have growing up like
telephones and toys.6
On the other hand, the Heidelberg Project has created a sense of community. While some
people go against this idea and argue that visitors do not understand the story behind the
artwork or have any interest in being social with the residents, the entire project involves
a lot of care and nurturing, which influences and requires people to come together. This
coming together to care for and cherish this historically prominent piece of artwork
contributes to the rebirth and reestablishment of Detroit. Furthermore, all of those who
have moved away may be gone, but they are not forgotten: Guyton explains that he uses
shoes and suitcases that he finds and repurposes them to symbolize those individuals.7
Tyree Guyton was beat down several times for this work of art. However, it did not stop
him from pursuing what he had always wanted to do: give back to his community. By
using pieces of trash and things that people did not want, he has told the story of Detroit,
highlighting many of the problems the city has dealt with in the past few decades. Tyree
creates a certain way of seeing, a way of seeing Detroit as a place of rebirth, despite what
has happened in the past. He sees this project as a renewal and a chance to change the
way people view Detroit. When the government decided to demolish The Babydoll
House due to the struggle over space and the gruesome but true reality of the situation
concerning child abuse and prostitution, Guyton sued. Despite his loss, The Heidelberg
Project not only went against what the government hoped for (the project to slowly fall

6 Sussman, Alison Carb. "Guyton, Tyree 1955." Contemporary Black Biography, edited by L. Mpho Mabunda, vol. 9,
Gale, 1995, pp. 99-102. Gale Virtual Reference Library, Web. 5 Nov. 2016.

7 Hodges, Michael H. "'Outsider Art' Still Fuels Fame, Furor." Detroit News. Aug 01 2011. ProQuest. Web. 5 Nov.
2016 .

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apart), but it prospered and gained even more recognition, so the city left it alone.8 Tyree
Guyton uses what he knows about the lives of the poor in the urban city of Detroit and
couples it with his own experiences to create a way of seeing for people who have come
from all over the world. In addition, he represents parts of the city, and how the can be
changed from something incredibly depressing to an amazing, inspirational piece of
artwork.

8 Hodges, Michael H. "'Outsider Art' Still Fuels Fame, Furor." Detroit News. Aug 01 2011. ProQuest. Web. 5 Nov.
2016 .

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The Babydoll House, 19879

The Polka Dot House

(Original Picture), 10/29/2016

The Toy Yard (Original Picture), 10/29/2016

Works Cited
9 Johnson, Jack. Baby Doll House. 1987. Detroit. Wayne State University Press. Web. 05
Nov. 2016.

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Che, Deborah. Connecting The Dots To Urban Revitalization With The Heidelberg
Project. Material Culture 39.1 (2007): 33-49. America: History & Life. Web. 5
Nov. 2016
Hodges, Michael H. "'Outsider Art' Still Fuels Fame, Furor." Detroit News. Aug 01
2011. ProQuest. Web. 5 Nov. 2016 .
Johnson, Jack. Baby Doll House. 1987. Detroit. Wayne State University Press. Web. 05
Nov. 2016.
"The Heidelberg Project | Non Profit | Open-Air Art | Art Education | Detroit." The
Heidelberg Project | Non Profit | Open-Air Art | Art Education | Detroit. The
Heidelberg Project, n.d. Web. 05 Nov. 2016.
Sussman, Alison Carb. "Guyton, Tyree 1955." Contemporary Black Biography, edited
by L. Mpho Mabunda, vol. 9, Gale, 1995, pp. 99-102. Gale Virtual Reference
Library, Web. 5 Nov. 2016.