PAINT OUTSIDE THE LINES
PAINT OUTSIDE THE LINES is a street art campaign addressing the rise of opposition to refugees, racial tensions and Islamaphobia in the United States. The campaign will work with refugees and host communities as well as marginalized groups to create collaborative murals in 5 locations across Portland. Working closely with community groups, the murals will invite individuals from different backgrounds to come together and paint outside the lines of race, religion, class and conflict. The walls will be lasting landmarks for participants and viewers to reflect on the value of inclusive communities. See more images after the jump.
Alongside workshop leaders, artists from around the world will develop the messages of the walls in open forum discussions. The walls will reflect the diversity and common humanity of the people that create them. The artists are Ruben Sanchez (Spain), Ernesto Maranje (US), Kevin Ledo (Canada), Suhaib Attar (Jordan) and Samantha Robison (US).
While past projects have focused on communities in conflict-affected areas, developing racism and fear mongering has compelled action. As demonstrated by the rhetoric of politicians, as well as both social and conventional media outlets, no society is immune to fracturing along ethnic, racial or religious lines. This project gives voice to those who support and inclusive, tolerant and diverse planet.
Alongside workshop leaders, artists from around the world will develop the messages of the walls in open forum discussions. The walls will reflect the diversity and common humanity of the people that create them. The artists are Ruben Sanchez (Spain), Ernesto Maranje (US), Kevin Ledo (Canada), Suhaib Attar (Jordan) and Samantha Robison (US).
While past projects have focused on communities in conflict-affected areas, developing racism and fear mongering has compelled action. As demonstrated by the rhetoric of politicians, as well as both social and conventional media outlets, no society is immune to fracturing along ethnic, racial or religious lines. This project gives voice to those who support and inclusive, tolerant and diverse planet.
Alongside workshop leaders, artists from around the world will develop the messages of the walls in open forum discussions. The walls will reflect the diversity and common humanity of the people that create them. The artists are Ruben Sanchez (Spain), Ernesto Maranje (US), Kevin Ledo (Canada), Suhaib Attar (Jordan) and Samantha Robison (US).
While past projects have focused on communities in conflict-affected areas, developing racism and fear mongering has compelled action. As demonstrated by the rhetoric of politicians, as well as both social and conventional media outlets, no society is immune to fracturing along ethnic, racial or religious lines. This project gives voice to those who support and inclusive, tolerant and diverse planet.
Alongside workshop leaders, artists from around the world will develop the messages of the walls in open forum discussions. The walls will reflect the diversity and common humanity of the people that create them. The artists are Ruben Sanchez (Spain), Ernesto Maranje (US), Kevin Ledo (Canada), Suhaib Attar (Jordan) and Samantha Robison (US).
While past projects have focused on communities in conflict-affected areas, developing racism and fear mongering has compelled action. As demonstrated by the rhetoric of politicians, as well as both social and conventional media outlets, no society is immune to fracturing along ethnic, racial or religious lines. This project gives voice to those who support and inclusive, tolerant and diverse planet.
UNDER THE SAME SKY
Kevin Ledo with Refugee and Immigrant Students
The political climate in the United States is tense. In the lead up to the presidential election, the media and politicians are targeting refugees and immigrants. The founding documents of the United States, created in part by immigrants, proclaim, “All men are created equal”. To celebrate that idea and emphasize the strength of diversity, youth from RISE (Refugee and Immigrant Student Empowerment) helped Kevin Ledo paint their ideas across a massive public wall in downtown Portland, Oregon. The youth cut their ideas into stencils with languages ranging from Arabic to Amharic, Burmese to Somali and some Swahili and English in between. The stencils fill the body of a larger than life girl with her gaze turned upwards. A sky blue ribbon wraps around her body and on a clear day disappears into the sky behind her, reminding all that pass by, no matter where you come from, we all live under the same sky.
THE GUARDIAN
Ernesto Maranje with Youth Experiencing Homelessness
As the wealth divide in the United States grows, so does the number of people made homeless, many of them youth. The psychological and physical impact of homelessness, even temporarily is not something anyone; particularly youth should be forced to experience. To address the reality of growing economic gaps and the impact that divide has on all of society, a public conversation is needed. To help spark that conversation youth from p:ear worked with Ernesto Maranje to paint a public wall. The youth painted their identity and things of importance into the shapes of flowers. A larger than life tiger stands guard above the flowers, protecting them as they develop and grow in a dreamy underwater world. Next to the tiger a bird takes flight representing the potential all humans have if nurtured and protected. Elements of coral and sea life adorn the tiger, bird and flowers, highlighting the connection we all share regardless of where we come from or where we are going.
Images by Samantha Robison
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