Tyree Guyton sits (middle) surrounded by staff of women.
For more than 35 years, the Heidelberg Project has been a staple in the city standing on the east side of Detroit in the McDougall-Hunt neighborhood. Created by Tyree Guyton, the collection of art has undergone several reconstruction phases caused by arson, demolition and an artist-led dismantling. Now, propelling into its next phase, the Heidelberg Project is showing its Detroit grit and pouring into the next generation of artists and leaders.
In 1986, Tyree Guyton began his journey with the Heidelberg Project to protest the downturn of his childhood neighborhood. His grandfather motivating him towards a life of art, Guyton began painting and reimagining the neighborhood he called home. Cleaning the neighborhood, Guyton used discarded material found to transform vacant lots and abandoned homes into large displays of artistic expression.
Jenenne Whitfield has had a close relationship with the exhibit for 28 years. Now the President of the Heidelberg Project, Whitfield was the founding Executive Director of the Heidelberg Project and wife of artist and visionary Tyree Guyton for the past 20 years.
“When Tyree actually started, I call it the First Era. From 1986 to 1991 was defined as an era. At that time, I wasn’t involved yet; it was his grandfather and his former wife, Karen Guyton. The three of them had built this thing that nobody knew what it was and that era was defined with the demolition in 1991 under the then Coleman Young administration,” says Whitfield. “Then the artist began to rebuild and that was around the time his grande died and he and his wife went through a divorce.”
The second era of the Heidelberg Project would last just under ten years; from 1992 until 2000. The outdoor exhibit has begun to gain national and international notoriety. In 1991, the artist made his first appearance on the Oprah Winfrey show. Then, under mayor Coleman A. Young, three exhibits in the Heidelberg Project were demolished. A few years later, history would repeat itself. This time, in 1999, under the order of then-Mayor Dennis Archer, the site was once again demolished.
“Keep in mind, these demolitions are coming, but at the same time, so are the accolades from all over the world. At that time, during the second demolition, we had just finished a documentary and had won an Emmy award,” says Whitfield.
At the turn of the millennium, The Heidelberg Project was a well-known exhibit and held worldwide attention. With exhibits in other states, an Emmy and documentary, the Heidelberg Project also received support from hip hop legend, Russell Simmons.
(Find the quote about him supporting them)
As the Detroit staple made its imprint on the world, a new challenge would force another rebirth. From May through December of 2013, the Heidelberg Project fell victim to arson with eight fires.
“That era is marked by fires. A total of 12 fires. We call it the ‘unauthorized transformation of the Heidelberg Project’ which destroyed several of the art installations and several of the houses. That era was a defining era. As you see, the pattern is each era is defined by an attempt to destroy the Heidelberg Project,” says Whitfield. “I think that’s what most people find so fascinating because it exemplifies the characteristics of Detroit which is resilience.”
Despite the many attempts to erase a piece of Detroit history, the Heidelberg Project continues to rebuild bigger and better each time it was targeted. Though it had been the focus of some controversy since its inception, the Heidelberg Project would face another hurdle. This time, it was at the artist’s request.
“Then came the artist making the statement, in 2015 or 2016, that he himself would then begin to dismantle the Heidelberg Project. That is defined as the era we are currently in,” says Whitfield.
Dismantling the installation would mean the artist would have the opportunity to choose a methodical and systematic way to take the project down. A pause would come in the form of a pandemic. Trapped in homes, residents began to frequent the outdoor display and seek solace in its design.
“The pandemic gradually over time began to change things. It became a place of refuge for people. It became a place where people came during that era when people were very afraid and didn’t know what the pandemic was doing. 2020 was a very strange time, but Heidelberg became this safe haven,” says Whitfield.
Now, with dismantling at a halt, the Heidelberg Project continues on. Paving the way for a new generation, the Heidelberg Project has released a new children’s book, Yeret Nutyog, penned by the organization’s President and CEO, Jenenne Whitfield. Along with the book, the organization is grooming its next set of leaders to continue its rich legacy of art, expression, resilience and triumph.
“The future looks like you,” says Whitfield. “We are building a legacy. We are in the throes of succession building. That means we’re training the next generation.”
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