| Never Look Away | |
|---|---|
%2c_Portland%2c_Oregon.jpg) The mural on July 30, 2021 | |
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| Year | 2021 (2021) |
| Subject |
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| Dimensions | 37 m (120 ft) |
| Location | Portland, Oregon, United States |
| Coordinates | 45°31′27″N122°40′40″W / 45.5241°N 122.6778°W /45.5241; -122.6778 |
Never Look Away is a mural inPortland, Oregon, United States. Installed innorthwest Portland'sPearl District in 2021, the 37-foot-wide mural depicts eightLGBTQ activists includingMarsha P. Johnson,Rupert Kinnard, andAngelica Ross. It is the first public art project in Oregon dedicated to the achievements of theLGBTQ community.
Never Look Away is a mural of eightLGBTQ activists, installed at the intersection of Northwest Broadway and Couch Street near theNorth Park Blocks innorthwest Portland'sPearl District. Depicted Oregonians includeRupert Kinnard, an openly gay African-American cartoonist who created the first African-American LGBTcomic strip characters; David Martinez, a founding board member of theQ Center and a co-founder of Portland Latino Gay Pride (now called PDX Latinx Pride); and activist and musician Kathleen Saadat. Other national figures includegay liberation activistMarsha P. Johnson andtransgender rights advocateAngelica Ross.[1]
According to Claudia Meza ofOregon Public Broadcasting, the mural is the "first public art project in the state dedicated to LGBTQ+ community achievements and progress".[1]KOIN's Emily Burris said the mural is the city's first "dedicated to queer heroes". She wrote, "The mural is made up of colorful abstracts representing the struggle, growth and progress in a city known for its progressive policy, while acknowledging the work still to be done."[2] The mural is approximately three stories tall and 120 feet (37 m) wide, according to lead artist and producer Cassandra Swan.[1]
Zoe Piliafas met OregonLGBTQ rights activist Kathleen Saadat at a bar six years before the mural's installation. Piliafas has recalled:
I said, I know who you are. I'm going to be putting a mural up that's going to have you on it along with some other significant community members from the LGBTQ community. And [Saadat] said, "That sounds great. I'd like to see you do that. I'll wait."[1]
Several people and groups helped the project come to fruition since 2019.[3] In addition to Swan, Ruban Lawrence helped produce the painting. The organizationPride Northwest sponsored the artwork and offered recommendations for subjects to depict. The city funded maintenance and graffiti removal services and the Portland Street Art Alliance offered artist recommendations and production assistance. Additionally, Really Big Video's owners PJ and Maria Harvey provided use of a high-powered projector. Participating artists include Tommy Mack-Davis (known as Nafsi) and Kyra Watkins. The mural was painted in 2021.[1]
