While on our most recent meet, I heard a man say "So I was driving and I saw Jesus in the cloud" This isn't something I normally let people get away with saying without at least a little bit of sarcasm heading their way. But, seeing how I was not in my normal element, I let it go. The first time. When he said it two more times, I simply could not hold back anymore.
"You
really saw Jesus in a cloud. Really??" I said it with a smile, you know, to hold back the bite. I didn't know the man I was talking to, after all.
He looked at me and said as if he was saying
I like pepsi, "Yes, I did." I started to shake my head when he added, "Of course I was on [add grocery list of drugs] at the time. And he told me to turn around, so I did. And I ended up going the wrong way I-94"
I smiled, chuckled, and shook his hand and said, "I'll give that one to you!!"
And that's how I met Tyree Guyton, the artist behind the Heidelburg Project.
This was my first trip to Heidelberg. It was one of those places around Detroit that I've always "wanted to" go to, but never really thought about it after that first thought.
That's one of the amazing things about this group, about running this group. I've been to so many places that I had never been to, or in many cases, didn't even know about.
The Heidelberg Project was almost over-whelming to me. There was so much to look at, and often I felt that the line between "garbage" and "art" was a very fine line.
I was definitely intrigued by much of his work, and it was certainly like nothing I've seen before. But I can certainly see how the neighbors might not be happy about the Project too. I honestly wouldn't be happy if this was at the end of my own block.
However, that's not to say it didn't hold it's own charm; and his running theme of God and War and DPD was also very clear.
Whatever it means, or whatever it doesn't mean, I have to say that not only did I thoroughly enjoy myself at the Heidelberg Project, I would recommend that you find the time to go down there. As an artist friend of mine said, "Where else can you just walk up to and talk to an artist whose work is in the DIA".
