Heidelberg Project: "Dotty Wotty"
"Dotty Wotty" aka "The New White House" is one of the few remaining buildings in the Heidelberg Project on Detroit's east side.
The Heidelberg Project is a controversial outdoor art project conceived in 1986 by artist Tyree Guyton. After a tour in the Army, Guyton returned to Heidelberg Street, his childhood Detroit neighborhood, and was quoted as saying "it looked like a bomb went off" there.
He began using "found objects" to decorate abandoned homes in the area, for example discarded toy dolls were affixed to the exterior of one house and it became known as the "Doll House". Tourists, and artists alike flocked to the area to be amused and amazed by the vision of the artist. But not everyone saw the artistic achievement. Two Detroit mayors ordered destruction of some of the homes. Then in 2013 and 2014, eight houses were lost to an arsonist in separate incidents. No one was apprehended.
Today, the spirit of Heidelberg Project remains, but vacant lots mark the spots of many parts of the neighborhood.
Heidelberg Project: "Dotty Wotty"
"Dotty Wotty" aka "The New White House" is one of the few remaining buildings in the Heidelberg Project on Detroit's east side.
The Heidelberg Project is a controversial outdoor art project conceived in 1986 by artist Tyree Guyton. After a tour in the Army, Guyton returned to Heidelberg Street, his childhood Detroit neighborhood, and was quoted as saying "it looked like a bomb went off" there.
He began using "found objects" to decorate abandoned homes in the area, for example discarded toy dolls were affixed to the exterior of one house and it became known as the "Doll House". Tourists, and artists alike flocked to the area to be amused and amazed by the vision of the artist. But not everyone saw the artistic achievement. Two Detroit mayors ordered destruction of some of the homes. Then in 2013 and 2014, eight houses were lost to an arsonist in separate incidents. No one was apprehended.
Today, the spirit of Heidelberg Project remains, but vacant lots mark the spots of many parts of the neighborhood.