FROM THE DIRECTOR

The Portland Art Museum’s founders were rooted in the idea of offering the broadest possible exposure to art to the citizens of our growing city, many of whom did not have access to the art centers at the time. Just as libraries have long served as portals to a universe of knowledge, for 130 years our art museum has served to bring the world to Portland, and Portland to the world. Reflecting today on the mission and purpose of our Museum, I am gratified by how we are continuing to deploy our collections and the knowledge of our staff and community to learn, adapt, and write a more expansive and inclusive way forward. One exciting example is Dakota Modern: The Art of Oscar Howe. I am grateful to Kathleen Ash-Milby, Curator of Native American Art, for her deep insight into curating this important exhibition. During his lifetime, Oscar Howe was a painter celebrated among a select group of enthusiasts and students and a Native artist whose work inspired many, and yet the art-historical canon had not recognized his contributions. This exhibition and its accompanying catalog strive to change that. Presenting contemporary Native artist Jeffrey Gibson’s They Come From Fire alongside Howe’s work, and adjacent to our Native American collection galleries, is a beautiful expression of the expansive and inclusive vision we believe in.

I want to extend my thanks to you, our members, for continuing to support our work. This past summer we hosted exhibitions and warm-weather favorites like PAM CUT’s outdoor movies, as well as an incredibly diverse array of youth and student programs—from a Middle Eastern student leadership group examining the role of art in democracy, to a program with youth from the Centro Cultural in Washington County. The fall arts season is here, and we cannot wait to see you in the galleries again soon.

Brian J. Ferriso Director and Chief Curator