RACC Blog

As the Portland Building renovation approaches RACC looks back at 23 years of the Installation Space, August 14 – September 1

Written by

PORTLAND, ORE – As the three year long renovation of the Portland Building approaches RACC will take an opportunity to present A Look Back: 23 Years at the Portland Building Installation Space. This “venue retrospective” will celebrate the rich and varied history of art installations in the modest gallery space that adjoins the Portland Building lobby. Each of the 200+ site-specific installations dating back to 1994 will be represented in images and text. The famous (infamous?) Installation Space Comment Book that has accompanied exhibitions over the years will be converted into a wall sized “comment chalkboard” where visitors can endorse past favorites or offer their thoughts on this eclectic and successful public art forum.

Early on in its history the Installation Space developed a reputation both as a venue for well established artists and as an incubator space for emerging artists and students. RACC’s commitment to presenting engaging, challenging, and diverse work has remained constant for 23 years, as has the City of Portland’s support for the program through funds for the honorarium that accompanies each installation to support materials and artist fees. A new location for the Installation Space is envisioned on the 2nd floor of the redesigned Portland Building. In the meantime RACC is looking at temporary location possibilities during the renovation hiatus—stay tuned to www.racc.org for periodic updates.

About the Portland Building: As many Portlanders already know the Portland Building was designed by noted architect Michael Graves. Built in 1982 to serve as the City of Portland’s central administrative office building, the exterior design is considered one of the first examples of Post Modern architecture and the building is on the National Register of Historic Places. Significant exterior façade and interior operational systems needs have arisen over time however, and the city is undertaking the $195 million project to renovate the façade, replace failing building envelope issues, redesign interior work spaces and create new, more welcoming community spaces. To accommodate the renovation the Portland Building will close in November of this year, the reopening is scheduled for the end of 2020.

Viewing Hours & Location The Portland Building is located at 1120 SW 5th Avenue and is open 8 am to 5 pm, Monday – Friday. A Look Back: 23 Years at the Portland Building Installation Space opens Monday, August 14 and runs through Friday, September 1. For more information on the Installation Space series go to www.racc.org/installationspace

###

The Regional Arts & Culture Council (RACC) provides grants for artists, nonprofit organizations and schools in Clackamas, Multnomah and Washington Counties; manages an internationally acclaimed public art program; raises money and awareness for the arts through Work for Art; convenes forums, networking events and other community gatherings; provides workshops and other forms of technical assistance for artists; and oversees a program to integrate arts and culture into the standard curriculum in public schools through The Right Brain Initiative. RACC values a diversity of artistic and cultural experiences and is working to build a community in which everyone can participate in culture, creativity and the arts. For more information visit racc.org.

A look back: 23 years at the Portland Building Installation Space, August 14 – September 1

Written by

As the two year long renovation of the Portland Building approaches RACC will take an opportunity to look back at the rich, 23 year long history of art installations in the gallery that adjoins the building lobby. Over 200 exhibitions have taken place here over the years, all dedicated exclusively to site-specific installation art. The “techy” part: images and text from all the installations dating back to 1994 will be presented on a large format viewing screen. The analog part: the main wall will be converted to a large “Comment Chalkboard” where visitors can endorse their favorites, wish the Installation Space well as it begins its two year renovation hiatus, or simply comment on the nature of a program that has successfully presented engaging, challenging, and diverse artwork in a public forum for 23 years straight.

The Portland Building is located at 1120 SW 5th Avenue and is open 8 am to 5 pm, Monday – Friday. A Look Back: 23 years at the Portland Building Installation Space opens Monday, August 14 and runs through Friday, September 1. For more information on the Installation Space series go to www.racc.org/installationspace.

RACC’s exhibition highlighting the 23 year history of the Portland Building Installation Space opens Monday, August 14. Pictured below: David Nechak, 1994, Meg Rowe 1997, Heidi Fiechter 2001, Chandra Bocci 2003, Amos Latteier 2003, Paula Rebsom 2008, Michael Endo 2011, Shu-Ju Wang 2012, Elijah Hasan 2017

8/8 RACC co-sponsors “Race Talks”

Written by

RACC is co-sponsoring the next RACE TALKS, Tuesday, August 8, 2017; “Williams Avenue Black History Corridor”; at McMenamins Kennedy School, 5736 NE 33rd Avenue; Portland, OR 97211; Doors open at 6 pm; Newcomers Intro 6:45 pm; Food and drink available for purchase.

About Williams Avenue’s Black History Corridor

N Williams is changing. A lot. What many now living, working and playing in the area don’t know is that for the majority of the 20th century, N Williams/Albina was Portland’s largest African American community. Join our speaker panel to learn how the Historic Black Williams Project highlights this chapter of Portland history through a multimedia public art project. Speakers share the history of Albina, the impetus for the Historic Black Williams Project and how art can be a catalyst for Social Justice action and reform.

Speakers are:

  • Tom Robinson, Photo Historian
  • Mychal Tetteh, Fix Our Streets Program Manager, Portland Bureau of Transportation
  • Kayin Talton-Davis, Artist / Project Manager
  • Cleo Davis, Artist / Project Lead

See RACE TALKS.

Artist and filmmaker Elijah Hasan presents “12 Degrees Black” at the Portland Building Installation Space, July 10 – August 4

Written by

PORTLAND, ORE – The Regional Arts & Culture Council (RACC) is pleased to present an installation by artist Elijah Hasan in the exhibition space adjacent to the Portland Building lobby. Hasan’s installation, which runs from July 10 to August 4, combines a set of the artist’s stunning films with a suite of still images. The two mediums work together to poetically explore themes of race, place, and social consciousness.

Using Portland as his stage and backdrop Hasan’s work comments on universal themes, but is rooted deep in the African American experience in Portland and the Northwest. The three films on view at the Portland Building, all written and directed by the artist, are united by their ability to reframe and freshen critical conversations about social injustice, social consciousness, and who records history. The delicate, non-verbal sound tracks (written and performed by Hasan) that accompany the visuals complement content that is at turns challenging, comedic, dramatic and poignant.

“Every one of these pieces represent a degree of departure from the pervasive mindsets that perpetuate cycles of ignorance (darkness). Each of the works have a title as well as a unique symbolic category in which they exist. Whether a work expresses the sorrows of standing in the shadows of capitalism, or the exhaust of lugging around the weight of externally imposed artificial blackness, my challenge is the same. That is, how do I navigate through the flames of these hostile environments and retain my vitality and purity as a Human Being? A worthy question for which I present 12 symbolic realms of reflection.” – Elijah Hasan

About the Artist: Portland artist Elijah Hasan is an award winning filmmaker, photographer, writer and composer. While primarily known for his films and still photography, he describes what he does more universally—as “making art.” His films often employ experimental techniques that work to blend complex concept with powerful, graceful storytelling. Hasan is also an educator and has taught videography, 3-D animation, and photography to inner city youth for many years. His film Is That Me, which is included in 12 Degrees Black, was honored at the 36th Northwest Film Festival with both the Judges Choice Award and the Audience Choice Award for Best Experimental Film. www.elijahhasan.com

Meet the Artist: Join us for an opportunity to meet Elijah Hasan and discuss his work in person at the Portland Building Installation Space on Thursday, July 20, at 4:00 pm.

Viewing Hours & Location The Portland Building is located at 1120 SW 5th Ave. and is open 8 am to 5 pm, Monday – Friday. 12 Degrees Black opens Monday, July 10 and runs through Friday, August 4. For more information on the Installation Space series go to www.racc.org/installationspace.

###

The Regional Arts & Culture Council (RACC) provides grants for artists, nonprofit organizations and schools in Clackamas, Multnomah and Washington Counties; manages an internationally acclaimed public art program; raises money and awareness for the arts through Work for Art; convenes forums, networking events and other community gatherings; provides workshops and other forms of technical assistance for artists; and oversees a program to integrate arts and culture into the standard curriculum in public schools through The Right Brain Initiative. RACC values a diversity of artistic and cultural experiences and is working to build a community in which everyone can participate in culture, creativity and the arts. For more information visit racc.org.

Williams Avenue Honoring History Project Celebrated

Written by

On June 3, there was a community celebration for the Black Williams History Project public art installation. Many community members were on hand to share reminiscences of the neighborhood. Over the summer, take a tour of the project using this map.

Artist Cleo Davis (center) with Honoring History of Williams Ave. Committee members Gahlena Easterly (left) and Deborah Leopold-Hutchins (right)

Paul Knauls (center) photobombing artist Cleo Davis and Kent Ford.

For more information see:

https://racc.org/2017/05/26/williams-avenue-art-community-celebration/

https://www.portlandoregon.gov/transportation/article/641672

At the Portland Building Installation Space: Elijah Hasan’s “12 Degrees Black”

Written by

RACC is pleased to present an installation by artist and award winning film maker Elijah Hasan at the Portland Building. Using Portland as his stage and backdrop Hasan’s work skillfully and poetically explores themes of race, place, and social consciousness. 12 Degrees Black, which runs from July 10 to August 4th, combines a set of the artist’s stunning films with a suite of related still images.

Hasan’s films, all written and directed by the artist, are united by his ability to reframe and freshen critical conversations about social justice, history, and social consciousness. The delicate, non-verbal sound tracks (written and performed by Hasan) that accompany the visuals complement content that is at turns comedic, dramatic, powerful and poignant. www.elijahhasan.com

The Portland Building is located at 1120 SW 5th Avenue and is open 8 am to 5 pm, Monday to Friday. The Installation Space can be found on the first floor directly adjacent to the building lobby. For more information on the Installation Space series go to www.racc.org/installationspace.

First “Fresh Paint” mural finished

Written by

Fresh Paint is a pilot project of the Regional Arts and Culture Council’s Public Art Murals program in partnership with Open Signal: Portland Community Media.

From May 2017 – May 2018, three emerging artists will have the opportunity to paint a temporary mural that will be up for a period of four months on Open Signal’s west-wall facing the highly visible MLK Boulevard.

The first local artist to be featured is Molly Mendoza, an illustrator and graduate of the Pacific Northwest College of Art. As stated in her bio, Molly is “captivated by the relationships that she has built with friends, family, and foes alike over the course of her life. She sets out to emulate those relationships through her chaotic yet rhythmic style to make some dang-good drawings.”

To view a time lapse video of the mural’s installation, click here. The mural will be on display through September 2017.

 

Molly Mendoza painting mural. Photo courtesy of Open Signal.

 

Williams Avenue Artwork Community Celebration

Written by

Williams Ave. was once the vibrant heart of Portland’s Black community. Formerly known as the “Black Broadway,” the corridor included a concentration of Black churches, businesses, social service organizations and nightclubs that were thriving and active community institutions.

Although the landscape has changed, there is much to remember, celebrate and build upon. In 2012, the Williams Ave. Safety Project Stakeholder Advisory Committee recommended to the Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) that these stories be honored through an art history project that would have a prominent place on the corridor. Thus, the community-led Honoring History of Williams Ave. Committee and the Historic Black Williams Project were born.

Since then, local artists Cleo Davis and Kayin Talton Davis have been collecting stories, memories and histories from Black community members. Their artwork is now complete and ready for installation. We hope that this project will serve as both a visual archive and an inspiration for future community efforts. Please join us on June 3rd as we honor this history and project contributors. During this event we will have a brief speaking program and then launch group and self-guided walks of the corridor to view the art pieces. A map of the art walk will be available at the event and online post-event.

ART UNVEILING + COMMUNITY WALK

Saturday, June 3, 2017
12:00 PM – 2:00 PM (Program at 12 PM; community art walk to follow)
Dawson Park, N. Williams Ave. + N. Stanton St.
Portland, OR, 97227

RSVP: historicblackwilliamsproject@portlandoregon.gov or (503) 823-4239