The Streets Of Portland Are Full Of Protest Posters

Photo byDouglas Pilarski

Sparked by the death of George Floyd, protests erupted in cities across the country over the last year. In Portland, protests turned to riots. Protesters were on the streets for more than 200 days straight.

Social justice pushed its way onto center stage. The streets of the Pearl District became the playing field.

Portland has always had a protest culture. The death of George Floyd was the tipping point. Thousands took to the streets to express their anger and distrust of law enforcement.

As people came together to express their feelings, protests turned to riots. Artists took to their medium. The result is real art. Expressing fear, disgust, anger, and endless frustration.

This is the art of protest

Photo byDouglas Pilarski

We know the story. It is so familiar now that many can recite George’s saga. No telling how many impressions it has made in the last year. The video won’t go away. As a graphic image- this one works.

There is more than one George mural in Portland.

In the Pearl District, there are several that stretch across entire buildings. Black-washed plywood with his likeness prominently displayed. Grafitti and pasted messages bring it all together. I will focus on the Pearl District in part 2. Stay tuned.

Photo byDouglas Pilarski

I found the love fist planted in someone’s front garden. I was driving through one of the NE neighborhoods when I spotted it. I stopped to take a picture.

Photo byDouglas Pilarski

Paste-on posters are everywhere. Light posts especially are popular places to host protest artwork. This is one I found outside a coffee shop. Two women are calling you to Protect and Protest. The image itself is striking. I am not clear on the message on this one.

Photo byDouglas Pilarski

Mayor Ted Wheeler hasn’t been the most popular guy recently. Last year he was criticized for every move he made. Protesters even stormed the lobby of the man’s condo building. This bill promotes the effort to recall the mayor.

Photo byDouglas Pilarski

In my research, I found wordings like this on a PDX communist party website that goes as far as quoting Lenin. I did pop in to have a closer look at the protest organization. There was no one at the specified address when I arrived at 12:30 PM. This poster doesn’t list an organization so either the organized effort has petered out or meaningful change has been realized. I have noticed in researching these posters that the demands made are far too general to judge the effectiveness of the efforts. This one is a great example, how exactly do you measure meaningful change? Who measures it and what are the criteria for change? The wording is memorable though. I am not judging here — rather I am celebrating self-expression.

Photo byDouglas Pilarski

This one shook me up. I happened to drive by one morning and saw it out of the corner of my eye. I stopped to read the sign for a brief moment then had to move on due to local traffic. I didn’t make a note of the location so I returned and drove around until I found it.

This one really made me think. Wow! What anguish!
Have a closer look. I welcome your comments.

Photo byDouglas Pilarski

Closed!

Photo byDouglas Pilarski

If your taste in posters goes to getting to the point quickly, this is your poster.

Photo byDouglas Pilarski

The instruction to Defund the Police is in a coffee shop window. Masking tape attaches it to the inside of the glass. I am not sure how an unfunded police force can support a community. The phrase sticks. As it gets burned into the mind of the passersby, is the lasting effect of a belief that law enforcement is no longer needed in our communities.

Photo byDouglas Pilarski

I like this one as artwork. Was it done by a talented young person?

Photo byDouglas Pilarski

The bold lettering grabs you. The fists and swastika make this dark, threatening image come to life.

So there you have it, my first of a series of articles about the art of protest. I am continuing my effort to reach out to the individual artist who creates these images. If you know someone please let me know.

The protests have calmed down somewhat but I expect with so many people involved in a single community, the fight is still on.

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Douglas Pilarski is an award-winning Writer & Journalist based on the West Coast. He writes about luxury goods, exotic cars, horology, tech, food, lifestyle, and business.

You’re welcome to share your thoughts or tell me your story. Email me here. dp1@sawyertms.com

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