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Write Around PAM: Jason Hill

February 21, 2022
Image Description: Photo of eight Black dancers posing in a multi-level human sculpture on a gray stage in bright white light. Four dancers form a foundation. One in the center with black calf-long leggings and a black tank top stands with legs apart, toes pointed. To the right another dancer wears a red tank top and black leotard. They stand on their left toe with their right leg extended behind. The dancers behind embrace the leg and rest their heads on it. To the left of the central dancer with legs apart is a dancer with bright red leggings. Their left foot is extended behind and right foot forwarded and angled to the right. They lay their head on the center dancer’s shoulder. To the left is a dancer wearing a black leotard and a brightly colored shirt with puffy sleeves. It has multiple rounded rectangles in teal, blue, and red, with white and red accents. The dancer stands on their right leg, left leg bent with toes extended behind their back, with their arms outstretched and fingers gently curved. Behind the line of dancers, a single dancer wearing light gold shorts with black dots stands on their toes, facing the audience with left arm extended, palm out, fingers raised upward, but gently bent. At the right end of the line of dancers is a dancer wearing a black leotard with short sleeves. They stand facing the right with legs apart, toes pointed. They hold another dancer on their left leg. This dancer’s right leg extends over the base dancer’s shoulder as that dancer holds the left thigh and ankle. The dancer looks upward, wearing black briefs and a red sports bra with white sides and white and black striped base, leans to the right, left arm extended, right arm bent at the elbow with palms facing out and fingers gently bent. Behind, a dancer on the ground wearing a black speedo leotard and a large puffy black and red scarf holds the shoulder of the dancer in the full black leotard with their right arm and extends their left arm upward, palm facing forward, fingers extended.
Jason Hill, Lion King, 2019, Pigment-based inkjet print. Courtesy of the artist.

Jason Hill is an artist and educator currently living in Portland, Oregon. He took this photo in winter 2019, during a day in Eugene with the off-Broadway cast of The Lion King. “I am most amazed by the discipline, momentum, and grace of dancers,” he says. “These images are a testament to the power and beauty that these artists possess.” You can see his body of work, titled In My Skin, at the AUX/MUTE Gallery presented by The Numberz FM and the Portland Art Museum through February 27.

Let’s explore how our words can convey the same energy of movement and grace that Hill’s image does. We have two prompts to help you get started. As always, you can choose one, both, or write whatever else comes to mind. Set a timer for 12 minutes and just keep your pen or pencil moving.

Together we leapt… / Reaching higher…

Writing in community is powerful. We are grateful to our longtime partner Write Around Portland for the writing prompts and inspiration. You can revisit past posts and look for continuing posts on alternate Sundays. Please share your work with us!  @writearoundpdx @portlandartmuseum #RespectWritingCommunity #WriteAroundPAM @jasonhill.photo

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