Tyree

Tyree Guyton Extra Credit

Danny Ziegelman

September 26, 2015

Art is much more than paint on a canvas.  Our conventional society has been conditioned to accept art in a certain way, but Tyree Guyton cuts right through that.  The way Tyree puts it, art can change the world.  The purpose of the Heidelberg Project is to cause impact and as a result, transform on the neighborhood.  The polkadots (the symbol of universality and inclusion) are a staple of the project core.  Tyree’s canvas is ever-changing as his art is constantly developing.  Art is an enterprise, a philosophy, and lifestyle.  A lifestyle that has altered the very identity of Detroit and Heidelberg street.  Tyree has turned his environment into his canvas. For thirty years, the Heidelberg Project has questioned the nature of power and transformed the social relations in the Detroit community.  The goal of the project is to promote art education in Michigan public schools, promote art as a catalyst to help rebuild a community, and advocate art a way if life.  

My impression of the discussion was that its controversy speaks volumes to the impact that its had on the Detroit community.  Janine (the executive director of the Heidelberg Project) discussed how the project has the power to transform one’s life.  She came to Heidelberg street on accident and is a living testament of the project’s vibrancy.  I found Tyree’s work inspiring and feel that it should serve as a jumping point for future artists in all communities.