In 2014, the first stage of the White House scenography was initiated. During the “Nykoka” street art festival, a painting of the “Holy Trinity” was created on the eastern wall of the building in the Yard Gallery, with the inscription, “In My Father’s house are many mansions.”
Indeed, when you look around the courtyard, all you see are windows, dwellings. In this abundance, the words spoken by Christ take form: we are all connected, and the essential, eternal unity that binds us is an invitation to be true (conscious) human beings. This meaningful inscription is dedicated specifically to the courtyard residents, highlighting the importance of community.
The first mirrored flowers, symbolizing the three sisters who lived here, adorned the walls during the 2014 street art festival “Nykoka.” The theme of the workshop “Create the Flower of Your Life” was inspired by one of the sisters—Kazimiera, who used to decorate the courtyard with flowers.
2015 m. vasarą, su kaimynais, išlaisvinome iš griuvėsių „kažkieno“ paliktą vonią. Toks vaizdas traukia tikrai ne vieno kauniečio dėmesį, mat puikiai matosi ne tik pačioje Kiemo galerijoje, bet ir leidžiantis nuo Savanorių kalno.
Above the rubble, house debris, and trash, an artwork of site-specific art was placed on one of the red brick facade ledges, together with the neighbors. It invites discussion not only about the relationship between people and objects, the functions of objects, and their transformation into waste but also to metaphorically reflect on human alienation.
The “Small Walls Project” and the Yard Gallery, in collaboration with artists Timotiejus Norvila “Morfai” and Tadas Vincaitis “Plugas,” realized the vision of the “Stork” in 2017…
“Lithuanians have long loved, cared for, and even respected storks, as they are considered bringers of good fortune. Since ancient times, a spiritual bond and mutual attraction have existed between storks and humans. The stork’s popularity largely stems from its remarkable tendency to approach and trust humans. To this day, many Lithuanian homeowners strive to nurture this friendship, as the stork is not only a decoration for the homestead but also a symbol of family harmony and fidelity. Storks are faithful companions of humans.”
In the Yard Gallery, the stork landed with purpose. In Eastern culture, it symbolizes longevity, and in Daoism, immortality. For the core of E. Ožeškienės Street, the winged figure serves as a reminder not only of migration issues but also of birth rate concerns. Notably, at the time the vision of the Stork was being developed, there were no children in the courtyard.
In July 2021, the Yard Gallery hosted open creative workshops, during which volunteers from the “Fluxus Labas!” community program of “Kaunas 2022” were able to create their own life flower on the walls of the White House building, using mirror fragments. The main feature of the White House is the mirrors. I chose mirrors for this work because they are the closest reflection of reality that exists in the here and now, simply reflecting the PRESENT. Each of us begins our morning with a mirror—as a reflection of the here and now, with our surroundings and ourselves…
In 2023, on the first floor of the White House, together with neighbors and artists, we extended the composition of Sister Kazimiera’s mirrored flowers. Based on the visible lace cutting motif, we created a mirrored flower garden around the White House—on the eastern, southern, and northern walls. Unlike in the Black House, where the lace pattern was executed using the sgraffito technique, in the White House, it took on the features of a sculptural bas-relief.
Kiemo Galerija 