Our little rock stacker is back

[Michigan]

The city's treatment of the Heidelberg Project: how do you infer that "understanding" had relevance to that treatment? Further, what is it that needed to be understood?

Well, to start with it's free.

[reddog289]

I have only seen the one at the GSCC, need to get out more.

[Retroit]

Belle Isle: the Easter Island of the West.

...or east...or north...

[sumas]

For the record, Michigan I paid to see a Guyton exhibit at the Scarab Club a few years back.

I get to Belle Isle quite a bit and gasp I donate services to the conservatory gardens.

[Ravine]

I still would like to know what it was to be "understood" about the Project; the thing which the city "didn't understand."

[LodgeDodger]

I'm inclined to think it wasn't a matter of the City 'understanding' the Heidelberg Project. I think the City viewed it as a nuisance. I don't ever recall such an organized demolition effort in Detroit. [[IMHO)

[sumas]

Ravine, some art is not so much seen as felt. Guyton took an abandoned, gutted out forgotten street and highlighted social issues by turning it into a gigantic street scape with a message. Each vingnette, integrated into a whole kaleidoscope makes one pause and wonder about the stories behind that broken bike, the headless doll, the single tattered shoe. Yet behind the tragedy, man's spirit seems to shine.

That's my two cents worth

[Ravine]

Well OK. I'll buy it. Asked & Answered...

[Michigan]

Ravine, some art is not so much seen as felt. Guyton took an abandoned, gutted out forgotten street and highlighted social issues by turning it into a gigantic street scape with a message. Each vingnette, integrated into a whole kaleidoscope makes one pause and wonder about the stories behind that broken bike, the headless doll, the single tattered shoe. Yet behind the tragedy, man's spirit seems to shine.

That's my two cents worth

A fair, and I think accurate, description of the project.

[sumas]

Yes, the rock stacker is back in town but his/her internet access ability is limited at the moment. He/she knows personally many good people on the forum and asked me to express good will and to say that they will be personally contacted soon.

An amazing artist and a great person whom I feel honored to know.

[Det_ard]

How well can you know this person if you don't even know if "he/she" is male or female?

[Ragtoplover59]

I know it is the law of the land not to "out" anyone, but is there really anyone here who doesn't know who the rock stacker is, or even if its a he or she? Has something happened that this person now has to hide? Just asking, I've crossed Internet paths with the "stacker" before, but haven't been around enough to know the reason for this new level of security? Please tell "stacker" Ragtoplover said hello!

[Stosh]

Ravine, some art is not so much seen as felt. Guyton took an abandoned, gutted out forgotten street and highlighted social issues by turning it into a gigantic street scape with a message. Each vingnette, integrated into a whole kaleidoscope makes one pause and wonder about the stories behind that broken bike, the headless doll, the single tattered shoe. Yet behind the tragedy, man's spirit seems to shine.

That's my two cents worth

I can look around the streets of any town in Michigan and see broken lives, and deferred dreams; plenty of reminders of the glaring social issues that are constantly put in front of all of us to varying degrees. I don't need to gaze on a pile of junk to have to wonder about alleged stories of imaginary lives. For all you know, these could easily have been castoffs of some wealthy person.

It's been said that art is in the eye of the beholder. You like it, I find it distasteful. And I'd dare say that you wouldn't like it a bit if your street became the next Heidleberg, whether in Detroit or in suburbia.

And the rock stacking is a pure safety issue. Imagine a one or two year old kid wandering up to these precariously balanced rocks on the island and getting his/her head crushed by one of these boulders.
Think things through before you sanctify actions.

[sumas]

I'll answer a few questions/comments posted .

As to the rock stacker. I simply prefer to preserve peoples right to be anonomous. You might recall that the city wouldn't hesitate to arrest this person. Why would I try to "out" them? Just posted a simple greeting [[as requested) to the many personal friends this person has on the forum.

As to the safety issues of the rock formations, a kid is more likely to slip and fall and break a limb on goose poop or litter on the island. Or get cut on the broken glass in the sand water of the approved swimming hole

I focus my real worries about our youth being at risk to very real threats that include concerns regarding school closings and more children standing in the dark in winter waiting for a poorly run bus system, which in turns leaves them open to robbery, personal assault and even death. That is documented.

Those my friend, are very real and documented concerns, not a what if situation.

As to Heidelburg: Art, of course is subjective. I dislike Elvis on Velvet, or fake flowers subsituted in a garden for the real thing. But each to their own.

Guyton didn't just move in and decorate owner occupied homes. He took an abandoned and lost street and made his statement/mission/message. His connect the dots message is powerful. It is a call to take action.

[Stosh]

I'll answer a few questions/comments posted .

As to the rock stacker. I simply prefer to preserve peoples right to be anonomous. You might recall that the city wouldn't hesitate to arrest this person. Why would I try to "out" them? Just posted a simple greeting [[as requested) to the many personal friends this person has on the forum.

And they will arrest him for posting here?

As to the safety issues of the rock formations, a kid is more likely to slip and fall and break a limb on goose poop or litter on the island. Or get cut on the broken glass in the sand water of the approved swimming hole

Nice try. But wrong. A small child could easily be KILLED by a 40+ pound rock falling on their head. Or body. You don't make any sense. Let's try an experiment. Go find some goose poop and slide on it, and compare the results with someone dropping a 40 pound rock on your head. My money's on the rock.

I focus my real worries about our youth being at risk to very real threats that include concerns regarding school closings and more children standing in the dark in winter waiting for a poorly run bus system, which in turns leaves them open to robbery, personal assault and even death. That is documented.

That thread is over in Non- Detroit.

Those my friend, are very real and documented concerns, not a what if situation.

Blah blah blah. And what is your solution to all these concerns?

As to Heidelburg: Art, of course is subjective. I dislike Elvis on Velvet, or fake flowers subsituted in a garden for the real thing. But each to their own.

Guyton didn't just move in and decorate owner occupied homes. He took an abandoned and lost street and made his statement/mission/message. His connect the dots message is powerful. It is a call to take action.

The only call to action I could possibly derive from that "art" is the one that the city had. I'm sure that there are other methods of expression that doesn't destroy a street.

[Ragtoplover59]

I'll answer a few questions/comments posted .

As to the rock stacker. I simply prefer to preserve peoples right to be anonomous. You might recall that the city wouldn't hesitate to arrest this person. Why would I try to "out" them?

I respect your decision not to "out" stacker to any new forum members.
But I'm sure 90% of the people here, know who stacks rocks, and what forum name is used by this person, and I'm sure you know that several current and former DPD members are forum members as well, and already know the Identity of stacker. I don't get the connection between posting and getting arrested?
But this is fun , and I'll play along anyway.

maybe I need to keep a lower profile too, might change my name from Ragtoplover59 to Ragtophandyman007 ?

[ggcanfield]

As far as the rock stacks being a safety issue, they are not located in the middle of playgrounds...they are at the edge of the drop off to the water, where one or two year olds would not reasonably be wandering unsupervised. There is no more hazard than there would be to a child playing on a swingset, or a slide, who could fall off and break a leg, imho.

I like to imagine one or two year olds with responsible parents who would not let them wander unattended along the edge of the Detroit River.

Oops, forgot to add rockstacker or copycat rockstacker is back again, with more creations, in a more remote area of the island!

[Stosh]

As far as the rock stacks being a safety issue, they are not located in the middle of playgrounds...they are at the edge of the drop off to the water, where one or two year olds would not reasonably be wandering unsupervised. There is no more hazard than there would be to a child playing on a swingset, or a slide, who could fall off and break a leg, imho.

I like to imagine one or two year olds with responsible parents who would not let them wander unattended along the edge of the Detroit River.

Oops, forgot to add rockstacker or copycat rockstacker is back again, with more creations, in a more remote area of the island!

Still a liability issue, whether or not you think so.

You can imagine all you wish about the responsibility of anyone, but all it takes is one incident. And it doesnt even have to be a small child. Drop one on your foot and see how much damage is done. It may be pretty and "artsy" but still in a public space and a public place.

[sumas]

Yep, pretty sure most long term posters know the stacker. I still believe in protection of privacy.

Rags, you're right, I think I'll change my screen name to sumanchu. It's kind of a why not.

Actually I have started wondering why I am even posting on this board. No doubt others wonder too.

This is entitled Detroit Yes, and I think that it says "what went wrong, how can we improve [[fix) it". I just keep seeing mega negativity.

As to safety, I have to agree that these rocks are placed where no unsupervised child should be.

As to Heidelburg, you get it or you don't. Not my job to educate. Art is truely in the eye of the beholder. I think the phrase is, one mans trash is another mans treasure. Treasure / trash? Pick your stance. Personally I admire the message sent from this project and the work to highlight/reverse our blight.

Also, don't understand why Detroit children's safety would be on the non Detroit thread? Please enlighten me.

[Jimaz]

I dislike Elvis on Velvet

Eeuw. How cheesy!

[jams]

,Stosh
Do you understand a molehill is not a mountain?

Why try to make it so?

[Stosh]

,Stosh
Do you understand a molehill is not a mountain?

Why try to make it so?

Yeah, I suppose so. You just can't reason with some people I suppose.

Negativity is also in the eye of the beholder as well. So is perception of a situation.
Molehills have a nasty habit of becoming mountains in these parts, if you haven't noticed.

You can also trip on a molehill and crack your skull wide open, or fall into Goose poop.

[sumas]

Sorry all, I have been grumpy of late. Got my neighborhood newsletter and it cheered me considerable to see good news posted about our city residents, residences, civic pride and programs. Check out the current issue of EEV at eastenglishvillage.org.

There is an insert that made me laugh. Marie, an amazing volunteer in this community is selling T shirts with Detroit booster slogans. I am going to buy the one that says, "I live in Detroit and I'm staying".

[Django]

I am most definitely a HE.

Ive been offline for most of the past month. No big secret but I appreciate Sumas and everyone else respecting my privacy.

Ive been stacking for about six or seven years and have had one or two small incidents but no crushed heads yet. Id also like to think that if you have kids your going to be watching them, if not I suppose you could just wrap them in bubble wrap each morning.

Im a little lost on the possible arrest of me, as McNulty would say "what the fuck did I do?"

Thanks to everyone who has supported me. I do need to get over to Cubs garden and stack a few replacements and "glue" em together. I have done a few permanent stacks, held together with re-bar and a mortar epoxy. Drilling out the holes for the re-bar is the tricky part.

As for the Heidelberg, Id welcome a project like that on my block If I lived on street like that. Tyree has really fine tuned the whole project throughout the years. I especially like the melted liquor bottles encased in glass on the corner of Mt Elliot. He has a new addition on the same corner that hes working on but haven't asked him yet what its going to be, but its in a nice big shaded area under a tree.

Hello Ragtoplover.

[Ragtoplover59]

SHhhhh..........
No one here by that name

signed...............Ragtophandyman007

Good to see you are back online, and still a free man! The way it was sounding, I thought the next time we heard from you, It would be from a beach down in Mexico again!