Tyree Guyton I AIN’T PLAYIN at MARTOS GALLERY

James Kalm advises viewers to pay attention, and keep their eyes open for the unexpected and unusual. While cruising up Elizabeth Street in Manhattan’s China Town a few years ago, Kalm was struck by a vibrant painting in a gallery window. Upon investigation, he ascertains that it was the work of Tyree Guyton. Your correspondent also started to learn of Guyton’s backstory and his Heidelberg project in Detroit. This enterprise was Guyton’s attempt to revitalize his grandfather’s neighborhood, and use his artistic creativity to bring attention to the spreading urban blight that had afflicted this once great industrial city. With “I AIN’T PLAYIN” the artist has created a gallery filling environment using the same abject materials that he’d used for the Heidelberg Street Project, such as cast-off stuffed toys, old vinyl record albums, and paintings on scraps of wood rescued from demolished houses. A musical introduction is provided by Kas. This program was recorded March 30, 2023.