For the month of May and in recognition of Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, the Portland Art Museum’s Learning Department in partnership with BRENDA ARTS is happy to share a short-form BRENDA LAB video on Ōishi Junkyō’s Crayfish and Verse piece in the Museum’s collection. With the sharing of this video, we are also happy to share more about the Museum’s partnership with BRENDA ARTS.
For the past two years, the Portland Art Museum has been in partnership with BRENDA ARTS to create a series of BRENDA LAB videos around works in the Museum’s permanent collection. This partnership has been supported by the Museum’s Artist Fund, the Learning and Community Partnerships Department and an Oregon Community Foundation grant. With a focus on inspiring youth and young adults, these collaborative videos are written, directed and produced through the lens and thinking of Portland-based artist and educator Spencer Garland.
BRENDA ARTS started life as a BIPOC teaching practice which focused on art creation and Black studies-encouraging Black and Brown youth to create new narratives for their communities. BRENDA is shifting focus into becoming a media company which creates content for a new generation of Black thinkers. The students of BRENDA ARTS are an integral part of the content development process. They help make things that represent them.
BRENDA LAB is Bill Nye for Black Art. Staring Spencer Garland, each episode investigates POC arts and culture with a bent on community involvement. Being produced in conjunction with the Portland Art Museum, LAB offers a fun look into some of today’s most exciting artists. Beginning during the height of pandemic closures, this partnership continues to reach audiences through videos on the Museum’s Youtube channel. In addition to these online engagements, the partnership will conclude with an in-person presentation of Garland’s work at the July 15th Animation Art Day for Guillermo del Toro: Crafting Pinocchio.
To watch previous BRENDA LAB episodes, visit the Museum’s BRENDA LAB Youtube Playlist, where you can watch videos on the work of Wally Dion and Ōishi Junkyō, and keep an eye out for future videos.
