Dwight White artwork ties students to their Evanston and Chicago surroundings
It鈥檚 truly an honor to be selected as the artist to bring an original artwork to a place that is so central to the Northwestern experience. Knowing the frequency in which students and visitors walk through this space, it was important for me to create something that contributed to the sense of belonging in the Norris Center.”
Dwight White, Chicago-based artist and creative consultant
Northwestern alum’s third work for the University is now on display at Norris
Students entering Norris University Center through its west entrance will now be greeted by a series of four faces on the right-hand wall – a new multi-panel artwork created by Chicago-based artist and creative consultant (‘16, ’17 MS).
White completed the work during Wildcat Welcome, marking his third work for the University. He previously created a , alongside a . With this new piece, prominently placed in Norris, White continues to make an impact on the visual landscape of spaces that are central to the fabric of student life at Northwestern.
"It’s truly an honor to be selected as the artist to bring an original artwork to a place that is so central to the Northwestern experience,” White said. “Knowing the frequency in which students and visitors walk through this space, it was important for me to create something that contributed to the sense of belonging in the Norris Center.”
White is a two-time graduate of Northwestern, and he was a three-year defensive back for the football team before an injury forced him to retire. He also served as the president of Kappa Alpha Psi, a historically Black Greek letter fraternity. Though he didn’t start creating art until his he took an introductory painting course senior year, White has assuredly made his mark here at Northwestern in the time since.
The idea for the artwork was spearheaded by Val Buchanan, an associate director in Campus Inclusion & Community, whose team fosters student leadership and engagement with a focus on justice and equity. By educating students on the history of Evanston and Chicago—the place they call home while attending Northwestern—alongside current events, her team equips them with the context needed to engage meaningfully with the community and contribute through volunteer opportunities.
"The big aspiration is to feel inspired, to connect with our neighbors, and to appreciate and grow to love the place where we live, while being engaged citizens,” Buchanan said. “It's about reminding ourselves that we're not alone on an island but connected in community—and our thriving depends on our own awareness of that connection.”
With the support of the Norris Center team and a vision that the work would serve as a “visual reminder to students that they live in a particular place,” White was commissioned for the piece and was immediately on board.
Buchanan brought together a group of Northwestern stakeholders, artists from Evanston and Chicago and community leaders to help brainstorm ideas for the artwork. The group discussed what they hoped the work would inspire in students at a meeting this summer, and its ideas formed an “inspirational framework” for White to lean on throughout his creative process, according to Buchanan.
“The portraits represent more than a single person or thing - they represent the human experience in Evanston, Northwestern and Chicago,” White said. “When people come to Norris, I hope the artwork drives curiosity and connects to the experience on campus and beyond. I am proud for my work to be the latest addition to the historic art collection at Norris University Center.”
White created the panels of the artwork in his studio in Chicago Wicker Park neighborhood. It features a set of four outlined faces with symbols and objects tied to Evanston in Chicago scattered throughout, each with its own purpose and meaning. Some icons are more visible than others, creating a space for continued exploration of the piece, according to Buchanan.
“Hopefully it's a very interesting thing that people will walk by many times and then walk by for the 100th time and still find something new that they hadn't seen before,” Buchanan said.
Among the symbols is a red location pin, representing Grounding for Public Service (GPS). For students interested in more place-based learning, GPS offers weekly learning and discussions focused on social justice and equity education in Evanston and Chicago. The group meets on Tuesdays at 5 p.m. in Parkes Hall 120 and provides a free dinner. Learn more about GPS here.