All that ever was, always is

In collaboration with Habitat for Humanity– Omaha, I was granted the use of a series of condemned homes on Emmett Street in North Omaha which had been slated for demolition, for the use of an art installation. Artist Peter Cales and I first created functional furniture from the material of the homes: planters, bench seating for about 40 people and a 25ft table. All of which were installed around and between the homes. I then conducted interviews with the neighbors, former residents, and community members to collect personal stories of their time in the neighborhood, with an emphasis on the stories which happened around the condemned houses themselves.

Using the storytellers as models and participants, I composed paintings based on each of their stories, attached those paintings to plywood, and installed each into every window of the houses. Utilizing the built furniture, and surrounded by 81 paintings of the neighborhood tales, we hosted a series of dinner parties, bringing together the neighbors, artists and nonprofit community leaders of the area. – Watie White

All that ever was, always is | Bedroom Triptych