Open House

OPEN HOUSE is an art installation located in downtown York, Alabama, between the grocery store and the post office. This captivating structure cleverly appears as a traditional house but when its walls and roof are unfolded, it transforms into a vibrant open-air theatre that seats up to a hundred people, free for public use. It was constructed by using reclaimed wood and materials salvaged from an abandoned house on the same plot of land.

The project serves as a powerful symbol of community resilience and connection and originated from Mazotta’s collaboration with the Coleman Centre for the Arts, an influential local arts organization. Mazotta worked together with the residents of York and asked them to bring something from their living room so that they could recreate an ‘Outdoor Living Room’ in the middle of the street to spark discussions about public space and reclaiming the urban fabric. Through this exchange, he developed the idea to repurpose materials from abandoned houses in the area to create a new focal point for the community to come together and share collective experiences. In its closed state OPEN HOUSE resembles a house as a constant reminder of the material’s origins and a cheeky camouflage in the neighbourhood. It is a public space where concerts, gatherings, and other events take place.

The installation is a collaborative project involving the mayor, the fire department, and the police department of York. The most prominent blighted house was selected and burned with control to salvage usable materials for the project. The community volunteered to construct the new project with a passion for revitalization. To build the walkways and the stage the city’s transportation department supplemented the wooden railroad ties as a reminder of the city’s rich railway history. After the opening, lots of events for the community took place. The mayor decided to hold the quarterly City Hall Meeting in OPEN HOUSE to encourage new discussions with the residents. The site has become an accessible space for the residents to open up and create ideas for the future of York.

OPEN HOUSE not only addresses the scarcity of public spaces in York but also serves as a symbol of resilience and hope. It proudly carries the weight of the past through its repurposed materials, serving as a testimony of the community’s history. When fully unfolded, it offers a new perspective and a space for people to come together, share stories, and envision a brighter future. As it folds back up, it serves as a poignant reminder of the history that came before, inspiring reflection and appreciation.

The realization of OPEN HOUSE was made possible by the support of numerous organizations and individuals, including the National Endowment for the Arts, the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, the Visual Artists Network, local businesses like York Drug and the City of York, as well as countless passionate residents who rallied behind the Coleman Center for the Arts. Their collective efforts transformed an abandoned house into a vibrant symbol of community engagement and revitalization.

(Öykü Tok, Franziska Sorger)