Vacant Seattle Spaces and Your Art: A Discussion with Once Removed

As artists, experimenting is part of the process. Combining years of gallery practice with a partnership in local development, Sammy and Zoë from ONCE REMOVED invite artists to inhabit vacant Seattle houses marked for demolition, and transform them through installation, sound, and performance.

Hi Sammy and Zoë! Thank you for doing this. What draws you to vacant or almost-demolished spaces as sites for art? 

We are especially drawn to vacant to-be-demolished spaces as sites for art because of their innate temporality. The ephemeral nature of these sites facilitates artistic moments that must be accessed with a sense of immediacy and can never be duplicated or replicated. Much like a live performance, ONCE REMOVED exists in its totality with the audience only briefly.

Soon to be demolished Seattle house (Image provided by Once Removed)

Why would using these kinds of spaces be a unique experience for artists?

This is a unique experience for artists because they can modify their chosen spaces however they see fit. They are encouraged to completely alter their surroundings in a way that is not possible in a gallery setting. The sites are being demolished, so the artists are free to be experimental and, in some cases, leave their work in the space as it is razed. If they choose to do this, their installations truly become part of the life cycle of the space. 

A red room with chairs and light fixtures mounted upside down on the ceiling; some names are written on the wall to the right. (Image provided by Once Removed)

How do you actually gain access to these spaces? 

We work with a family friend and through community connections. We always have permission from the owners. 🙂

Image provided by Once Removed

What are the biggest risks you consider when working in nontraditional or abandoned spaces?

Probably the inevitable variables that come up when working in these spaces. Will the power get turned off? Will we have access to a bathroom? When exactly will demolition be taking place? For ONCE REMOVED 01 (our first show), we had to work around the schedules of the various construction crews and the housing developer, which can change quickly. Working in old homes presents its own set of challenges; we had to learn to be as flexible as possible and work around and with the various work crews that help prepare a house for demolition, all while curating and installing our own show within the chaos. 

A video is projected onto a wall showing a person in white, while two small tables with lace cloths and dark objects are positioned beneath the projection. Image provided by Once Removed.

How do artists get involved in your projects / contact you to participate? Is it curated, open call, or something else?

We are currently taking submissions through a form on our linktree via Instagram. We are also always reaching out to artists in the greater Seattle area and beyond that we are interested in working with. 

A group of figures in black cloaks stands together in a dimly lit room with plastic-covered walls, exposed insulation, and chains strewn across the floor. Image provided by Once Removed 

Do you think there’s untapped potential for other temporary or unconventional exhibition spaces in cities like Seattle? If so, what kinds of ideas are you thinking about?  

Absolutely. Because Seattle is a city currently experiencing lots of change and development in housing and architecture, we would love to see art inhabit some of these spaces before they vanish or are forever changed; the possibilities here are endless. It would be really interesting to us to take over larger spaces like abandoned factories or unoccupied buildings so that instead of sitting empty, they can become temporary art oases for our community. 

Image provided by Once Removed

In what other ways can people support you and what you’re doing? 

Please donate so that we can keep this project sustainable! There is a donate link on the homepage of our website, linked below. 

https://www.onceremoved.org/