Intisar Abioto is an artist and explorer working across photography, dance, and writing. As a storyteller, her works capture the many narratives of peoples of African descent across various geographic regions. She is also the curator of the monumental exhibition, Black Artists of Oregon, recently shown at the Portland Museum of Art. 

For her KSMoCA exhibition, Abioto will showcase a photography series that focuses on Black and Indigenous stewards of the land across various landscapes—family farms, gardens, and other rural domains.

The artist talk takes place in the school library. Please stop by the Main Office to sign in and receive a “Visitor” badge.

Sadé DuBoise is KSMoCA’s Winter 2024 artist-in-residence. DuBoise is an acrylic painter, visual storyteller, and orator of Black experience(s) in the Pacific Northwest. Growing up in Oregon—specifically NE Portland—she developed a deep appreciation for nature at a young age, which has greatly influenced her painting practice. DuBoise’s work explores the experiences of multi-racial people, predominantly Black folks and their connectedness to the great outdoors. She considers her work sociopolitical, and seeks to dispel the notion that Black folks prefer urban settings because they fear nature. She does this by painting portraits of Black people, namely Black women, in various outdoor settings that she has personally visited while hiking and backpacking. Her latest series, A Moment Outside, which she created specifically for this residency, consists of 14 small portraits of women in natural settings that capture brief, yet significant moments of being in nature. 

DuBoise is a painter who considers her practice as a sacred place to reflect on her identity, existence, and life experiences. She recently received a BFA in painting from Willamette University/Pacific Northwest College of Art. Her paintings have been exhibited at the Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art and were included in the Black Artists of Oregon exhibition at the Portland Art Museum.

The artist talk takes place in the school library. Please stop by the Main Office to sign in and receive a “Visitor” badge.

We are proud to have the incomparable Mr. Richard Brown as our Fall 2023 artist-in-residence. Mr. Brown is a local photographer and community activist that has been a fixture in the Black community for over 50 years. Not only has he documented the lives of generations of Black Portlanders, he has also worked tirelessly to address issues that affect the Black community.

Mr. Richard Brown is an activist and photographer whose work highlights what it means to be Black in Portland, Oregon. He takes photographs of the Black community, showcasing who they are and what kinds of lives they have.

He has been an activist for many years, and is passionate about helping police build better relationships with the communities they serve.

Mr. Brown has lived and worked in Portland for over 50 years. He began his career taking photographs for The Portland Observer, the city’s oldest Black-run newspaper, showcasing Black community members of all ages and backgrounds. He especially enjoys interacting with students and asking them what they might want to be when they grow up.

He is also very passionate about sharing Black history. One of Mr. Brown’s continuing projects is a weekly newsletter called The Talking Drum. It includes historical facts, current events affecting Black people, and comics created by Black cartoonists and from all over the United States. Mr. Brown also wrote a book titled, This Is Not For You, that highlights his years in Portland, mapping out his activist journey with the city and its people. 

The artist talk takes place in the school library. Please stop by the Main Office to sign in and receive a “Visitor” pass to the school.

Update, 1/17/24: This event was originally scheduled for Thursday, January 18, 2024.

Byron Kim will give an artist lecture in the Martin Luther King Jr. School Library on Wednesday, May 30 at 1:30 PM. The lecture is open to MLK Jr. Students and families, and members of the public. If you are a guest, please sign in at the front office to attend the lecture.