COMING HOME Exhibit Extended!

Driven by community interest, Vanport Mosaic will extend COMING HOME through Sunday, October 13.

PORTLAND, OR – Due to overwhelming community interest and engagement, Vanport Mosaic announces the extension of the COMING HOME: Memory Activism in Portland’s Historic Old Town exhibit. Originally slated to close on Saturday, October 5, the exhibit will continue welcoming visitors during limited hours: Thursday, Friday, and Saturday from 12 PM to 5 PM, and Sunday from 12 PM to 4 PM at Building 220 (220 NW 2nd Avenue). This extension offers visitors a final opportunity to experience this impactful collection of art and history.

The exhibit showcases Indelible Spirit and History is Now, two cornerstone displays that celebrate the rich cultural heritage of Old Town. In addition, visitors can engage with interactive community art projects like Senninbari and Remember Us, watch short documentaries, and explore partner pop-up mini museums that highlight local stories and historical artifacts. COMING HOME partners include the Oregon Historical Society, Oregon Black Pioneers, Japanese American Museum of Oregon, Hellenic-American Cultural Center and Museum, Lan Su Chinese Garden, Oregon Jewish Museum and Center for Holocaust Education (OJMCHE), and Portland Chinatown Museum.

“Due to the overwhelming response, both from attendees and the artists involved, we’re thrilled to extend COMING HOME,” said Chisao Hata, Project Director. “The community’s embrace of this project has been incredibly meaningful, and we’re excited to continue sharing these stories and artworks with Portland.”

The extension allows for additional time to experience the following features:

  • The Indelible Spirit: Artists in Situ Revitalizing Old Town

  • History is Now

  • Senninbari

  • Remember Us

  • Short Documentaries Viewing Station: A curated selection of short documentaries that provide insight into the stories and experiences of the communities that COMING HOME seeks to uplift.

  • Pop-up Mini-museums: A collaborative space featuring contributions from Hellenic-American Cultural Center and Museum, Japanese American Museum of Oregon, Lan Su Chinese Garden, Oregon Black Pioneers, Oregon Historical Society, Oregon Jewish Museum and Center for Holocaust Education, and Portland Chinatown Museum. 

COMING HOME is part of the Cultural Week of Action on Race and Democracy, a national initiative launched by Race Forward and Americans for the Arts (AFTA). Vanport Mosaic is proud to be one of only 14 organizations selected nationwide to anchor this groundbreaking initiative. As a key anchor project, COMING HOME brings national attention to Portland’s rich and complex history, shining a spotlight on the resilience and activism of Old Town’s communities, who have been shaped by historic racism and cultural erasure.

For more information and to learn more about Vanport Mosaic, visit VanportMosaic.org.

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Note to Journalists: Executive Director Laura Lo Forti and Community Weaver Chisao Hata are available for print, online, and broadcast interviews. If you would like more information on COMING HOME or would like to schedule an interview, please contact Liz Bacon Brownson at media@vanportmosaic.org or by calling 971-212-8034

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Email: media@vanportmosaic.org
About Vanport Mosaic: Vanport Mosaic is a memory-activism platform dedicated to amplifying, honoring, and preserving silenced histories to understand our present and create a future where everyone belongs. The organization's core values include telling stories WITH, not ABOUT, communities. Vanport Mosaic has received numerous awards, including the Oregon Heritage Excellence Award, the Spirit of Portland Award, and recognition from the National Trust for Historic Preservation for using historical places as catalysts for a more just and equitable society. vanportmosaic.org 

More Information about Vanport Mosaic COMING HOME Partners can be found HERE.

More information about the CULTURAL WEEK OF ACTION can be found HERE.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 6, 2024

Vanport Mosaic