“PERSPECTIVES” EXHIBITION SHINES A SPOTLIGHT ON RACIAL JUSTICE
Portland Art Museum showcases photography from Black Lives Matter protests "PERSPECTIVES" EXHIBITION AT THE PORTLAND ART MUSEUM. JEREMIAH HAYDEN/PSU VANGUARD JEREMIAH HAYDEN When Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin murdered George Floyd, he ignited a worldwide firestorm that would last throughout the summer of 2020. While it was far from an isolated incident, Floyd’s death was a massive awakening for those incited to action by video evidence of the arrogant cruelty of United States policing, particularly against Black Americans. Portland protestors endured an onslaught of pushback from elected officials and police during the protests. This included, but was not limited to, the Portland Police Bureau’s constant use of tear gas and Donald Trump’s publicity stunt in which federal agents tear gassed and kidnapped Portlanders off the streets in unmarked vans. Perspectives, a new exhibition at the Portland Art Museum (PAM) from July 16 through Nov. 13, bears witness to this history-
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ARTS & CULTURE
making racial justice movement through the camera lenses of Portland photographers. The exhibition features more than 60 works from local photographers of color and creates space for conversations about how systemic racism pervades society. “The very first day that the protests happened at Peninsula Park and into downtown, when everyone destroyed everything, I was there,” exhibiting photographer Mariah Harris said. “I had no idea what was going to unfold—I never had any protest photographing experience. Turns out, I’m really good at it.” Born and raised in Portland, Harris typically focused on family and boudoir photography, but in the summer of 2020 was compelled to document a protest happening a couple of blocks from her house.
“I wasn’t prepared for the police brutality,” Harris said. “There’s another activist, Mac Smiff, and he did some quote about how when we first came out, we were out here with hula hoops and flip-flops, then by the end of the summer, we were out here in bulletproof vests, gas masks and wet-wipes—just to get protection from the police.” She noticed that media coverage often focused on spectacle and chaos. “I’d rather find some Black joy,” she said. All her photos are in color, edited in a similar style to how she edits her portraits—bright saturation with a subtle sepia tone. “The fact that people are able to express Black joy while protesting Black pain—that’s freaking crazy,” she said. For the exhibition, Harris self-published a book of her photos.
PSU Vanguard • JULY 27, 2022 • psuvanguard.com
