Black Arts PDX
Black Art and Experiences (B.A.E.) Gallery
Portland Art Museum – Portland, Oregon
Saturday, April 25, 2026 | 11:45am
Entering the Black Arts PDX exhibit in the Black Art and Experiences (B.A.E.) Galleries at the Portland Art Museum, I stood before artifacts from the Albina neighborhood in Northeast Portland. Albina may sound ordinary at first, but it was a central place where a rich history of Black artistry took hold—one that continues to shape the city in ways both visible and quietly enduring.
A pristine film reel, a cable TV guide, and a series of television stills caught my eye. Artifacts, yes—but together they formed a vivid record of a 1980s public access program that brought Black Portlanders into view on their own terms.
Viewing the artifacts up close felt like a Portland time capsule unearthed—one that asked the viewer to see for themselves, but not to interpret.
Being present in the Black Art and Experiences (B.A.E.) Galleries, that history felt carefully arranged under glass—visible, but never fully settled, not easily defined from the outside.
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