UNT Student Brings Art Exhibition Experience Into His Backyard
It’s no secret Denton is packed full of artistic venues. There is already a smorgasbord of house venues available to Denton residents, and UNT junior, Kyle Patrick, has added his backyard to the mix.
Kyle Patrick at the Where?House.
Photo by Will Baldwin.
Patrick opened his home and his heart to the community last Halloween when he turned his house and garage into the Where?House – a hub for local artists to display and sell their work.
“It kind of defies what it’s supposed to be,” Patrick, 22, said. “Because it’s more of an art vibe, I feel like people are more respectful of what they’re coming into when they walk in. It makes people feel like they’re in a museum without the expectations of a museum.”
Defined by Patrick as a “DIY music and art venue,” the Where?House is anything but a normal museum experience.
At each show, a handful of bands play sets in Patrick’s living room while 5 to 10 artists arrange their artwork with magnets onto the giant metal walls in the backyard.
Patrick’s passion for curating artists into his home stems from his studies in art design and art management along with his desire to work in an art gallery or museum.
Photo by Will Baldwin.
The Where?House has had four exhibitions so far, with many local faces displaying their various forms of art to the community.
UNT student, TJ Webb, is one of these faces as he once displayed his photography at the venue.
“I loved the Where?House because it gives musicians and creatives an even playing platform,” Webb, 19, said. “Other venues don't necessarily have a space for artists to sell prints, stickers, and what-have-you like the Where?House does. I have a lot of respect for what Kyle and his roommates are providing to the creative community in Denton.”
UNT Photography major, Elicia Fraga, 20, has displayed photos and drawings at the venue as well.
She noted that Patrick’s dedication to the venue is apparent in how he shines a light on not just bands but also local artists.
“Kyle makes it very professional, and you can tell that he very much cares about how the people see this place and who he is showing - art and music wise,” Fraga said. “It's nice to have a space like this in Denton that’s not just about house shows but to also give exposure to artists in Denton, whether they are students or not.”
Kyle Patrick at the Where?House.
Photo by Will Baldwin.
Patrick strives to create an interactive environment for visitors and artists to discuss their work on a more personal level.
“What’s special about the Where?House is you get to meet the artist,” he said. “You get to talk to the artist and have a connection with them. And if you don’t really understand what’s going or if it’s too abstract from a meaning, then you can ask the artist themselves.”
He also explained that while artists are encouraged to sell prints and other forms of their work at the Where?House, the significance of the venue mainly lies in connecting the community closer to artists.
“Even if an artist comes and sells a lot or doesn’t sell any at all, that’s not what the experience is all about,” Patrick said. “It’s about fostering that sense of creativity and community.”
The Where?House is hosting its fifth show, The Thrills of Culture, this Saturday, June 23 at 7 p.m.
Photos taken by Will Baldwin.
Header image design by Tori Falcon.