A few weeks ago a post on MishMash showed some examples of extreme yard decorating and Building Cincinnati recently asked what examples there are of this in Cincinnati. The original post got me thinking and now seeing it come up again at a local level I can’t resist sharing my opinion and rather than ransacking Kevin’s post I thought that I would dedicate a little space here to a few thoughts. Actually, this is not so much about bad neighbors, but good ones. The sites shown below aren’t to say that either Kevin’s or MishMash’s post are wrong. They are just a few examples of places that I have had the chance to experience that I feel have wrongly fallen under this label of bad neighbors in one way or another.
But, I must also admit, as someone who is part planner and part graphic designer I am caught between two instincts. As a planner I see the value of zoning and deed restrictions, but as a designer I love the cacophony of aesthetic values that are manifest in the environment. I understand that zoning for aesthetic purposes is a powerful tool for municipalities. But I also think the connection to the public interest in tenuous. Sure, it allows places to be competitive with other municipalities and for people to enjoy their property rights, but can aesthetics be a nuisance? I guess the technical answer is yes, but I beg to differ. Some of the original court cases that supported zoning for aesthetic purposes where pretty loose interpretations of the constitution and have really been expanded to encompass a lot more over the years.
There are a few places that I have seen that, yeah, are a little of the wall and not my personal taste, but because of their failure to blend in and accept the standard remind me that we are individuals and unless we express that it would be a pretty boring place. The way in which people choose to do so is part of the fun. Some of these projects have been classified as folk art and while I think that is an appropriate description they are more than that, so I call them Public Folk Art. Maybe public isn’t much of an addition to folk art, but I think that it is appropriate in the context of planning and development. It separates it from the yard decoration and places it among the individual acts that are privy to public viewing, in this sense it is not that different from street art.
One example was on MishMash and deserves some clarification. It is a place near and dear to my heart, the Heidelberg Project by Tyree Guyton in Detroit. A number of years ago I was visiting the area and was practically dragged to this place, not because of my resistance, but because of someone else’s excitement. Since then I have been back about 5 times. Every time I am in Detroit I make it a point to go. And I am not the only one. I once read that it was the second most popular attraction in Detroit. There is a lot of interesting history about the project that makes it, to me, one of the most important public art projects ever. The dire state of Detroit has given rise to this very unique strategy at community development through art. This place is anything but an example of a bad neighbor. Sure the drug dealers who’s block was ruined because of the visitors to project are probably upset, but since when do they matter. In fact the sign for the project makes it very explicit that this is a neighborhood where people live and that respect is given.
One of two signs that give a brief explanation of the project
The sidewalks, streets, and more are painted with some of the most unusual stuff ever.
“Junk” collected from the area around the neighborhood a lot of it from vacant houses and lots where people come and dump their garbage is used to create sculptures and decorate the light poles and homes.
Nearby abandoned houses are given “special” treatment to draw attention and positive activity to them.
The small parks, that Detroit is currently trying to sell, have been made into sculpture gardens.
House along a Elliot Street.
The Hiedelberg Project is primarily scattered around a block, near Gratiot and Elliot, but the artist has also ventured out to other houses in Detroit that the city has lost sight of.
I know much less about this project, but it is called the Magic Garden. You can read more about it here & here. It’s in Philly, along South Street an area that has seen a lot of redevelopment in recent years, and is the work of artist Isaiah Zagar. I only spent a little while peering in to the place, but it was amazing. There are tunnels and passageways and great little details. The project has spread beyond the initial lot and looks like it is growing onto the adjacent buildings. While it has become an attraction in the city it wasn’t always well received.
Lastly, there is one place in Cincinnati that, while on a much smaller scale and less visible, is along the same lines. I endearingly call it the Compound. I may not even have known about it if not by chance. It is the first place that I lived when I moved to the area about two years ago. The owners have created a really cool urban wilderness area complete with gardens, a pond and some other little amenities. Tucked away in the corner of what can either be Mt. Auburn or OTR, depending on what map you look at, the compound is filled with little artworks by Roger, a former, resident. It hasn’t received either the positive or negative attention that the other two sites have probably because it is a well kept secret. But I would bet that anyone one who has spent some time here has some good memories of it. Photos courtesy of Visualingual.
A number of dead trees have turned into something like totem poles with figures carved and painted on them
Toys found on the lot and in the buildings during rehab work have been hung and placed on trees
Some of it can be pretty sinister, but in context makes all the difference.
You can spend months exploring and still not catch everything
For more on the compound check out Visualingual’s book, Compound Alchemy,
10 responses so far ↓
Mike // March 12, 2008 at 10:27 am
It is wrong to restrict people from decorating how they like. Zoning should not discourage caring homeowners from creative expression. What would be more damaging to a neighborhood a Heidleberg type neighbor, or a 7-11 parking lot with glaring lights and an oil-stained asphalt parking lot?
VisuaLingual // March 12, 2008 at 10:30 am
In the case of Heidelberg, I would go a step further and say that it’s not just an important work of public art, but a bona fide example of DIY community planning. It has transformed the appearance and character of this neighborhood, in addition to Guyton having created a tourist destination out of colorful paint and rubbish. He has also enlisted the help of neighborhood children in the creation of many of the components of the project; that’s like a free after-school art program borne of the energy of a dedicated resident and artist.
I find it ironic that, for all the talk and strategy of community involvement in neighborhood revitalization, Heidelberg is actually a successful example of this [all controversy aside, I don't think its impact can be denied]. It proves that positive change can happen from the bottom up, not only from the top down. It needs energy and will more so than necessarily resources.
Sigh, I wish I saw more of this kind of energy in Over-the-Rhine.
Jenenne Whitfield // March 12, 2008 at 1:05 pm
I am awestruck by the far reaching tentacles of the Heidelberg Project. This project changed my life and there are many who might say that there was nothing wrong with my life in the first place. Afterall, I was a successful banker climbing the corporate ladder of success. Nevertheless, the Heidelberg Project opened my eyes and raised my level of consciousness on a human level. For all who read, I want you to know that the Heidelberg Project has changed other lives as well–all over the world! It has given children in the community choices; it has given the poor new hope; it has created a dynamic forum for a healthy exchange of ideas that is inclusive of all people and it is empowering.
I invite you to check out our website http://www.heidelberg.org to learn more about what we do and find a way to get involved. I promise that you will get as much as you might give. Thanks to all who recognized the powerful creative energy of this work.
Nancy Stockmann // March 12, 2008 at 5:01 pm
Tyree Guyton, the artist who created the Heidelberg Project in downtown Detroit, is one of the most amazing individual I have had the privilege of “finding”. I was driving my car one day, when I passed a chain link fence, covered with smiling
faces, which stood in front of a suburban elementary school…I almost drove off the road, the faces were so compelling. I came back later that day to take time to look at every single one, there were hundreds. Tyree had been a “visiting guest artist” who had shared his love of art with children, and in the process, had created new artists! Each child, 2nd through 5th grade, had painted a self portrait on a 10″ x 10″ wooden board. The faces were proudly hung on the chain link fence…smiling, creative, endearing portraits for all to see as they drove by. Tyree, in 2 short days, empowered children, of all skills levels, to be successful, expressive, artists…there was not a single face that wasn’t wonderful. As an artist, I was awed by his contageous spirit…as a Mother, I was grateful for his ability to empower and enrich the lives of children…giving each one a sense of pride in their own ability, and pride in their success at drawing positive attention to their school and their community. They will never forget him, I will never forget him. Singlehandedly, Tyree “changed” lives and taught children that they could capture attention and make statements through positive endeavors. He gave voice to art, a voice to children through art, and engineered a commitment to change through art. We in Detroit have a passionate change agent in our midst who is making a statement with all of his creative projects… drawing attention to matters begging attention…aren’t we lucky!
Rochelle Forester // March 13, 2008 at 2:55 pm
Friends of ours are originally from the very vital east coast. They have lived in the Detroit area for 6 or so years. When we took them to see the Heidelberg project they were pensive and spent alot of time looking around. Later, over dinner, they commented that this was the coolest thing they had seen of Detroit since they’d arrived here. They had been hungering for something authentic as an antidote to urban wasteland and suburban sprawl and the Heidelberg Project was exciting to them.
Kevin LeMaster // March 13, 2008 at 4:38 pm
Feel free to ransack my posts anytime!
There is indeed a fine line between what one would consider art and what is just a collection of junk. I’m glad there is at least some mechanism in place to address this sort of thing.
We’ve all seen garish, tacky Christmas displays that look like the Dollar General holiday aisle exploded in someone’s yard. These are short-lasting, but what if you lived next door to something similar all year round? What if the majority of your neighbors hated it and thought that it could lower their property values? Here we cross into an area where a person’s right to free expression infringes upon the rights of others.
These are just questions I raise…I like a funky house as much as the next guy, and I assess them on a case-by-case basis.
justforview // March 13, 2008 at 7:33 pm
I pretty much agree with you Kevin, these mechanism’s do have their purpose and it is a balance between expressionand property rights. But after reading this article in the Boston Globe I would argue that if what you are looking for is clear expectations regarding the aesthetic issues related to property values there are places that offer just that.
They are communities with deed restrictions and special homeowners associations. Gated communities are big business because there is a demand for those protections.
On the other hand there is also a desire of people to live in tolerant, authentic, creative, and diverse neighborhoods. This does get abused, and tolerance should go hand in hand with respect.
My issue with some aspects of zoning is that it often doesn’t take it as a case by case basis, and when it does it is targeted political enforcement rather than protection for perceived social value.
Obviously, the Heidelberg Project has a special magic about it and is distinct from many tacky yard decorations. It is great to hear the testimony of some of those the project has touched personally. It makes me even more curious of other examples and the various scales of expereince that this type of public folk art has.
It is a sort of DIY community development. The ability, however small, to take part in the shaping of the places we live in is critical to being invested in those places. We all have different priorities but I don’t want a stable financial investment as much as a stable social environment. If I can have both all the better.
VisuaLingual // March 19, 2008 at 1:23 pm
I just came across info on a similar project to the ones mentioned above, in the Tenderloin in SF. It’s an alley next to a gallery that now contains a garden and whose walls are adorned with murals:
current photos
older photos
Maggie Barber // April 12, 2008 at 3:46 pm
I will never forget my first visit to The Heidelburg Project. It seemed as though my son and I had entered a “magical oasis” in the middle of inner-city Detroit! Tyree Guyton is the founder/”magician” of the Project. Meeting Tyree and hearing his story was amazing. His vision of “connecting the dots” is spreading across the globe. Tyree is a true visionary who is changing the planet….one dot at a time.
John Jones // April 25, 2008 at 1:52 pm
Tyree knows that real art is of the Spirit. Tyree’s work speaks to me on a spiritual level. I am very grateful for his work.
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