Celebrating the Viaduct Arts
CENTRAL EASTSIDE MURAL DISTRICT
In the fall of 2023, PSAA launched the Viaduct Arts Column Mural Initiative in the Central Eastside. PSAA hired local Portland muralist Hayden Senter to design and paint four inaugural viaduct column murals honoring uniquely Portland institutions at SE Madison & Water Avenue, under the Hawthorne Bridge. The first two columns are the highlight of phase 1 of the Viaduct Arts Column Mural Initiative and pay homage to Portland’s original art columns, the 1940’s era Lovejoy Columns by Tom Stefopoulos.
The third art column celebrates Portland Rose Festival Foundation’s renowned dragon boat races. The final column shares the story of Ground Score Association, Portland’s democratic worker association of dumpster divers, canners, and waste pickers.
With grant support from Travel Portland and a donation from NorthRim, PSAA kicked off the Viaduct Arts Column Mural Initiative with coordination and support from project partners: the Regional Arts & Culture Council (RACC), the Central Eastside Industrial Council (CEIC), and Multnomah County’s Transportation Bridge Division.
THE LOVEJOY COLUMNS
REVIVING A PIECE OF PORTLAND’S PUBLIC ART HISTORY
The first pair of new column murals pay homage to Portland’s historic and lost Lovejoy Columns. Almost a century after the Lovejoy Columns were created, and nearly 25 years after they were lost, a new generation has lovingly recreated these titans of Portland’s art history so they can, once again, stand as touchstones to Portland's shared cultural heritage.
The original Lovejoy Columns were located in NW Portland, along Lovejoy St. (under the old Broadway Bridge ramp) and were painted between 1948-52 by Greek immigrant and master penman, Athanasios “Tom” Efthimiou Stefopoulos. Even though he was a professionally trained and talented artist, Stefopoulos was not able to fully pursue his dream of being an artist after coming to the US, only working sporadically teaching penmanship and painting signs for clients. . Instead, he ended up working most of his life as a watchman in the northwest Portland rail yards for the SP&S Railroad Company.
During idle times working as a watchman in the train yards, Stefopoulos climbed atop the boxcars and painted the columns of the overpass with whimsical images of doves, owls, lions, anthropomorphic trees, mythical gods, and Americana. Although this was technically illegal graffiti (the word “graffiti” had yet to enter the popular lexicon, but it was surely in use in the urban environment), Stefopoulos’ art was appreciated and allowed to remain for decades. To Stefopoulos, these columns must have been an attempt to bring a little bit of his homeland and culture into this foreign land. Stefopoulos was fondly remembered as a quiet and kind man, who frequented the local Greek grocery store on Couch St and the Tacoma Tavern, above which he lived in a small room. Stefopoulos lived a long life, passing away at the age of 89 in 1971.
Some of the Lovejoy Column art was lost throughout the decades, but much of the imagery was surprisingly preserved for over 50 years because it was naturally protected from the elements by the massive overpass. The Lovejoy Columns became an iconic part of Portland’s landscape, a “gritty temple of industry” and a real thrill to find for the adventurous urban flâneur. They were famously immortalized in Gus Van Sant’s movie, Drugstore Cowboy and Elliott Smith’s music video, Lucky Three.
In 1999, when urban redevelopment began to sweep through the area, the 40-acre rail yard and Lovejoy overpass were set to be demolished. Many Portland politicians of the time agreed that these columns were an important cultural and historical asset, but the proper resources were never dedicated to ensure their preservation. RACC was encouraged to add the columns to the city’s official public art inventory. But all efforts failed and most of the columns were lost.
Thanks to extensive lobbying by Rigga, a group of insurgent Portland architects and artists (led by public installation artist James Harrison), ten of the painted columns were cut down and saved. This was a huge and expensive undertaking. Two of the best columns were later re-incorporated into the Elizabeth Loft Courtyard (NW 10th Ave between Everett & Flanders). The designs seen on the columns in the courtyard are just reproductions of the original art sealed away underneath glass. Sadly, these two columns have never been fully restored, even though extensive archaeological documentation was done on the column artwork before they came down. The other 8 original remaining columns lay in ruins and rubble in an abandoned lot near Naito Parkway. The Friends of Lovejoy Columns tried for years to protect the delicate paintings on these 8 columns, but in the end, lack of security and the northwest weather washed away the images.
The Hellenic-American Cultural Center and Museum in Portland hosts an amazing virtual collection; the “Master Penworks of Tom Stefopoulos: Hellenic Artist of the Lovejoy Columns” on their website. You can also listen to a podcast episode the museum created about Stefopoulos here.
Rankin “Vanessa” Renwick documented much of this perilous story in their work-in-progress documentary film “LoveJoy.” The Friends of Lovejoy Columns dreamed of erecting a gravestone for Stefopoulos, who is buried in an unmarked grave in Rose City Cemetery. His story is emblematic of many immigrants who struggled to find their way in Portland. His legacy lives on in the hearts and minds of many Portlanders who appreciate these small, yet powerful pieces of original insurgent public art.
To develop the new homage column mural designs, PSAA searched Oregon Historical Society and the Hellenic-American Cultural Center & Museum archives to gather inspiration. Muralist Hayden Senter developed beautiful collages that incorporated Stefopoulos’ paint marker (aka streaker) imagery from the original columns, inspirational quotes from Stefopoulos, and a portrait of Stefopoulos in his rail yard uniform, standing atop a boxcar amongst wildflowers. Also incorporated into the new mural designs are images of a Great Northern Spokane, Portland, Seattle boxcar from that time period, old Miller Paint cans, railroad nails, weathered wood, and a vintage stop sign.
““Travel Portland is proud to support the Portland Street Art Alliance with a Visitor Experience Enhancement Grant to complete vibrant murals celebrating the city’s artistic legacy. These grants are designed to bring innovative projects to life, enriching the visitor experience and solidifying Portland’s position as a top destination for leisure and business travelers. The Portland Street Art Alliance has been instrumental in placing Portland at the forefront of the arts and culture scene, making it a sought-after destination for those seeking a unique and inspiring experience.” ”
HIGHLIGHTING THE WORK OF OTHER NONPROFITS
The other two columns celebrate fellow local non-profit organizations; Ground Score Association (GSA) and Portland Rose Festival Foundation. With this project, PSAA continued its ongoing partnership with GSA, a democratic workers association of dumpster divers, canners and other waste pickers. The organization creates and fills low barrier jobs in the waste and recycling sector, prioritizing opportunities for folks facing job and housing insecurity.
PSAA muralist Hayden Senter works with Ground Score's Derrick Tanner on one of the murals.
GROUND SCORE ASSOCIATION
PSAA and Hayden Senter worked with GSA to include several of their workers in the design development process. PSAA hosted a design brainstorming session, providing GSA workers prompts to draw from and share ideas around (along with pizza and beverages). The imagery arises from, and speaks to, the communities they work with. GSA representatives provided the muralist feedback on the designs until everyone was satisfied with the final composition. GSA workers then helped the muralist paint their column mural using a paint-by-number system. This was a proud and fulfilling moment for all involved. PSAA provided the supplies and paid the workers for their time.
This column mural helps further PSAA’s mission to create relevant murals designed and painted by the communities we serve and expand upon our work highlighting the lives of people living with housing insecurities in our community.
PORTLAND ROSE FESTIVAL’S DRAGON BOATS
The final column in this series is a tribute to Portland’s famous Dragon Boats and was sponsored by neighboring business owner, NorthRim, a longtime supporter of the work PSAA does in the community. Since 1989, Portland Rose Festival Foundation’s Dragon Boat Races have brought together local, national, and international rowers to compete in the Chinese tradition of dragon boat racing. The races are held on the Willamette River near the Hawthorne Bridge and the new Dragon Boat column mural.
““Painting these four columns in the Central Eastside was a special opportunity for me to be involved directly with the past and present of Portland. Being able to paint a tribute to a muralist whose work was influential to the growth of the local arts community, gave me insight to what Portland was and can be. Having the team at Ground Score collaborate in the process of designing and painting was essential to the social honesty of their mural. Their deep connection with the Central Eastside and eagerness to be a part of it, really helped inspire me to express an actual depiction of the environment. I hope these murals will serve as a hopeful reflection to the houseless communities living in the Central Eastside. I think when people see objects they interact with every day, painted large and with intent, it can bring a deeper sense of connection to their environment and communities.””
Major funding support for this project came from Travel Portland’s Visitor Experience Enhancement Grant program. These grants are designed to fund projects that enhance the visitor experience in Portland in alignment with Travel Portland’s strategic priorities and build on the region’s unique strengths, contributing to establishing the region as a preferred destination for leisure travel, meetings and conventions.
UP NEXT IN 2024
This first phase of PSAA’s new Viaduct Arts Column Initiative was funded with a grant from Travel Portland with additional sponsorship and partner support from Miller Paint, NorthRim, Ground Score Association, Star Rentals, RACC, CEIC, and Multnomah County Bridge Transportation Division.
Phase II of the Viaduct Arts Column Mural Initiative is scheduled for summer 2024 and will feature at least five more columns honoring the spirit of the Central Eastside, Portland, and the Pacific Northwest.
Business and community members are invited to donate to sponsor more column murals and help support the arts - be a pillar of the community! Please email PSAA at info@pdxstreetart.org for more information about how to sponsor a future column mural.
IN THE MEDIA
PROJECT SPONSORS AND PARTNERS
