The Portland Art Museum (PAM) has announced plans to establish a dedicated gallery space focusing on Black art and cultural experiences, made possible by a generous multi-year grant from the 1803 Fund. This partnership, spanning five years, aims to support the revitalization and strengthening of the historically Black community in North and Northeast Portland.
Located on the first floor of PAM’s Jubitz Center for Modern and Contemporary Art in the Mark Building, the new gallery will be easily visible through the Museum’s transparent façade. This design allows visitors to see the installations while navigating a public community passageway, thereby enhancing the connection between cultural and public life in downtown Portland.
The 1803 Fund aims to foster collaboration, independence, and empowerment within Black Portland through both social and financial investments. Established in 2020 with support from Phil and Penny Knight, the Fund prioritizes culture as one of its three main program areas, backing projects that honor creativity and uphold the communal aspect of Black artistic life in the city. The collaboration between 1803 and PAM is designed to enhance the Museum’s significance as a vital source of inspiration for Oregon residents and as an essential cultural resource for the region’s diverse communities.
The Black Art and Experiences gallery is set to open in late 2025, coinciding with the broader campus expansion and renovation of PAM, which will significantly transform the Museum and establish a dynamic cultural hub in the heart of the city. Upon completion of the renovation, visitors will experience a completely reimagined Museum with newly installed galleries and more intuitive pathways for engaging with art.
The inaugural exhibitions in the Black Art and Experiences Gallery will showcase four distinct presentations. Highlights will include “Tenderhead,” a solo exhibition featuring new works and a site-specific installation by Portland artist Lisa Jarrett; a collection of prints by Black artists from PAM’s collection, showcasing recent acquisitions by Derrick Adams, Robert Pruitt, Alison Saar, Gary Simmons, and others; “Do I Look Like a Lady? (Comedians and Singers)” (2016), a video installation by Mickalene Thomas; and “Conductions: Black Imaginings,” featuring performances by artists Noah Beckham, Miles Greenberg, and Bridgette Hickey. The exhibitions will be organized by PAM’s curatorial team, including Sara Krajewski, Jaleesa Johnston, and Mary Weaver Chapin.
