Regional Arts & Culture Council (RACC) and Multnomah County Library have collaborated to develop a digital art show of local, Black contemporary artists. The original pieces are in various locations throughout the region making this digital exhibit the only time they have all been seen together. RACC has loaned these digital copies to Multnomah County Library to celebrate Black, regional art at North Portland Library, a cherished hub of Black culture. North Portland Library will host this show in the new Black Cultural Center, a space created to celebrate black creativity and identity. This will be a rotating digital collection so check back soon for a new slate of pieces. Learn more about the artists featured below.
Artist: Isaka Shamsud-Din
Title: King Domino
Date: 1990
Medium: Oil and acrylic on canvas
Conceptual Information/Artist Statement: Isaka Shamsud-Din is an artist, educator, and activist who has been capturing the lives, histories, and cultures of African American and African diaspora peoples in his paintings, drawings, murals, teachings, and community projects for most of his 81 years. His intensely colorful paintings, from portraits to murals, draw on his experiences growing up and living in Portland, Oregon, and on his extensive research into African American history. Through his art, he intends to “illuminate, educate, and fascinate the viewer.”
Artist: Adewale Agboola
Title: The Natives 1, The Natives 2
Date: 2018 (printed: 2022)
Medium: Inkjet print
Conceptual Information/Artist Statement: These photographs are part of a series taken during the artist's visits to indigenous tribes in Africa. The portrait was taken in Mogadishu, Somalia.
Artist: Elijah Hasan
Title: Spin Mikayla
Date: 2006 (printed: 2020)
Medium: Inkjet print
Conceptual Information/Artist Statement: This is a photograph of my niece.
Artist: Tristan “TK” Irving
Title: Madam CJ Walker, Maya Angelou, Coretta Scott King
Date: 2021
Medium: Acrylic on canvas
Conceptual Information/Artist Statement: (These portraits) were commissioned for a Black History Month Pop Up art gallery organized by artist Latoya Lovely and the Old Town Community Association. The exhibit, which took place in a commercial unit in Old Town, sought to promote awareness and appreciation for the unique talents of African American artists; honor the history and legacy of the African American community; provide a creative outlet, exposure, and fair compensation to Portland-based African American artists; and create an exciting community attraction that drew patrons and visitors back to Old Town during a very challenging period of time for the neighborhood.
Artist: Samantha Wall
Title: Gia
Date: 2013
Medium: Graphite and charcoal on paper
Conceptual Information/Artist Statement: My experience navigating multiracialism in Korea and the U.S. inspired these drawings. I photographed and interviewed multiracial women in Portland, fostering an interpersonal connection during the process. The emotional exchange with the model shapes each photo shoot, yielding unique results. I sift through hundreds of digital images, searching for one that transcends a simple portrait. This image becomes the foundation for a drawing, where I use graphite, charcoal, or ink to enhance its distinct quality, revealing an emotional identity shaped by both my feelings and those of the model.
Artist: Nykelle Devivo
Title: The Fire Next Time
Date: 2020
Medium: Inkjet print
Artist: Daren Todd
Title: The Art Marathon: Finished Line
Date: 2021
Medium: Acrylic on canvas
Conceptual Information/Artist Statement: The Art Marathon: Finished Line is the final piece in a six-month personal project I devised for myself. The goal was to push myself to create art on a daily or weekly basis, and to utilize all of the creative talents I practice in one project. This artwork represents that journey, conveying myself in a hopeful light, back dropped by the alphabet which represents the idea that communication is our greatest human trait.
Artist: Bobby Fouther
Title: Ibeji
Date: 2012
Medium: Acrylic on canvas
Conceptual Information/Artist Statement: The title for this piece, Ibeji, is the word for “twins” in the language of the Yoruba people of Nigeria.
Artist: Kellie Kaori Thier
Title: Article of Faith
Date: 2021
Medium: Graphite on paper
Conceptual Information/Artist Statement: I drew inspiration for Article of Faith from a photo archive when researching who Gladys McCoy was as a person. When I found the photo, I knew it was the one on which I would base her portrait: her eyes open and focused with hands positioned as if in prayer. I was intrigued with the ideas of religion, race, social obligations, upbringing, and how she made space and influenced change in the Pacific Northwest.