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.