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About The skanner. (Portland, Or.) 1975-2014 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 21, 2024)
February 21, 2024 The Skanner Portland & Seattle Page 5 Black History Month cont’d from pg 4 SATURDAY & SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 24-25, 12-5PM SELF ENHANCEMENT, INC. PRESENTS JUNCTION AVE: Junction Ave is back and bigger than ever! Join us at the Center for Self Enhancement for music, food, and shopping on February 24 and 25. Support Black-owned businesses in the apparel, food & drink, health & wellness, service industries, and more. And, come see the Prairie View A&M Marching Storm presented by Alaska Airlines and the Portland Trailblazers on February 24. 3920 N Kerby Ave. SATURDAY & SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 24-25, 9AM-6PM BLACK ARTISTS OF OREGON CONVENING: This convening explores Black arts stewardship, collecting, and caretaking practices through a multitude of artist, collector, curator, community and institution voices. Presented in connection with the Black Art- ists of Oregon exhibition, this day and a half program includes panel discussions, lectures and performances that address the connection between nurturing Black artistic legacy and schol- arship within the larger work of Black institution building in Oregon. Registration is on a sliding scale cost. Portland Art Mu- seum, 1219 SW Park Ave. SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2-4PM PDX SOUL PRESENTS GOSPEL BRUNCH WITH KEVIN MOORE: Join us for an uplifting and soulful experience at the Gospel Brunch with the talented Kevin Moore! This in-person event will take place on Sunday, February 25, 2024 at Alberta Street Pub locat- ed on Northeast Alberta Street. Tickets are $20. Alberta Street Pub, 1036 NE Alberta St WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 7-8PM BLACK AT UNIVERSITY OF PORTLAND PANEL: The University of Portland’s Ethnic Studies Program presents a conversation about what it’s like to be Black at UP on Wednesday, Feb. 28 at 7 p.m. at the Diversity Center in Buckley Center 102. This panel will be moderated by Dr. Amy Ongiri, director of ethnic studies. For more information about this event or ADA accommodations, please contact Jennie Marable at 503.943.7166. Buckley Center Rm 102, University of Portland, 5000 N Willamette Blvd. THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 29, 5:30-7PM THE CENTER POWERED BY Y.O.U.TH FINANCIAL WORKSHOP: Join us for a financial workshop facilitated by Lonnie Bowden from New York Life Insurance to discuss the benefits of life insurance and building generational wealth. Refreshments will be provid- ed, and all are welcome. The Center Powered by Y.O.U.TH, 16126 SE Stark St. Seattle SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 11AM-2PM CONFRONTING HATE TOGETHER—THE POWER OF COMMUNITY: Join representatives from the Black Heritage Society of Wash- ington State, the Wing Luke Museum, and the Washington State Jewish Historical Society to hear about their collaboration for Confronting Hate Together, inspired by the 1937-1952 American Jewish Committee campaign to fight bigotry. The movement to combat hate is very real today across all communities. Learn about the Confronting Hate Together exhibition and campaign, bystander intervention strategies, and make your own poster led by Vivid Matter Collective artists. Museum of History & In- dustry (MOHAI), 860 Terry Ave N, SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 12-2PM ACTIVE IMAGINATION, A WORKSHOP AT WA NA WARI: Promoting social emotional awareness via art making, this session is facil- itated by interdisciplinary artist and poet, Dez’Mon Omega Fair. This is an art-based group, an invitation to participate fully and listen compassionately in a non-judgmental, intuition forward space. No prior experience is necessary. Though not required: wear comfortable clothing. This workshop is also approachable for those who are sedentary. Wa Na Wari, 911 24th Ave. SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 3-4:30PM IN-PERSON INTERACTIVE STORY TIME “THE STORY OF RAP”: Enjoy in-person interactive story time reading of “The Story of Rap” in the Community Living Room. Attendees will receive a FREE copy of the book and complimentary food will be provided by Ezell’s Chicken. Northwest African American Museum, 2300 S Massachusetts St. THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 29, 5-6PM AFROBEATS DANCE CLASS AT NAAM: Join Jess in this fun and upbeat fusion of different African dance styles. This dance ex- perience is open to all levels. Come and vibe out to music from across the motherland with live DJ, Muva Frekwensi. The Dance experience will be hosted in Legacy Hall. Northwest African American Museum, 2300 S Massachusetts St. The Visionary Kara Walker The Skanner News K ara Walker, a groundbreak- ing visual artist, has emerged as a transformative force in contemporary art, chal- lenging conventions and sparking crucial conver- sations about race, iden- tity and historical narra- tives. Born Nov. 26, 1969, in Stockton, California, Walker’s artistic jour- ney has unfolded with a striking blend of innova- tion and provocation. Walker’s interest in art began early, influenced by her father, who was an artist. She pursued her undergraduate stud- ies at the Atlanta College of Art before earning her Master of Fine Arts degree from the Rhode Island School of Design. This educational foun- dation laid the ground- work for a career char- acterized by fearless exploration and a com- mitment to confronting uncomfortable truths. Silhouettes and Subversion Walker’s signature me- dium is the silhouette, a traditional art form that she has redefined and subverted to explore complex themes of race, gender, and power dy- namics. Her large-scale installations, often using cut-paper silhouettes, evoke visceral respons- es, inviting viewers to confront the historical legacies of slavery and racism in the United States. One of Walker’s earli- est major works, “Gone: An Historical Romance of a Civil War as It Oc- curred b’tween the Dusky Thighs of One Young Negress and Her Heart” (1994), is a silhou- ette narrative that tack- les the Civil War and its aftermath, addressing the intersection of sexu- ality, violence and racial dynamics. “Gone” estab- lished Walker’s reputa- tion as an artist unafraid to delve into the com- plexities of history and its impact on marginal- ized communities. “A Subtlety, or the Marvelous Sugar Baby” (2014) was commis- sioned for the Domino Sugar Refinery in Brook- lyn, New York. This mon- umental installation further solidified Walk- er’s position as a leading contemporary artist. The piece, featuring a towering sugar-coated sphinx, provocatively ex- plored the historical con- nections between sugar production, slavery and the exploitation of Black bodies. Influence and Legacy Walker’s effect on the art world has earned her numerous accolades. In 1997, at the age of 27, she became one of the youngest recipients of the MacArthur Fellow- ship, commonly known as the “Genius Grant.” Her contributions have been celebrated with major awards, including the United States Artists Eileen Harris Norton Fel- lowship in 2008 and the Deutsche Bank Artist of the Year in 2020. Kara Walker’s influ- ence extends far beyond the confines of the art world. Her unflinching examination of Ameri- ca’s painful past challeng- es viewers to confront uncomfortable truths about systemic racism and the enduring lega- cies of slavery. Through her work, Walker has in- WIKIMEDIA COMMONS; INSET: STUDIO INTERNATIONAL/WIKIMEDIA COMMONS Community Calendar 2024 No Swan So Fine spired a new generation of artists to engage with history and use their creative platforms to fos- ter dialogue and under- standing. Walker’s work has not been without controver- sy, with some critics chal- lenging her approach to sensitive subjects. However, her ability to provoke meaningful dis- course has fueled her reputation as an artist who refuses to shy away from difficult conversa- tions.
