The New Central Eastside Mural District Continues to Grow with 5 New Murals at All Service Moving

CENTRAL EASTSIDE , PORTLAND

5 new murals under the Belmont Viaduct completed in June 2021.

The Central Eastside Mural District is even more vibrant as Portland Street Art Alliance (PSAA) and local Portland artists Naomi Likayi, NotSik, Hayden Senter, Pono and Habiba Abdul Rahim have completed a large-scale installation painted on the All Service Moving building at 66 SE Morrison, under the Belmont Viaduct. This project was completed with major support from the Central Eastside Together Community Grant Program.

In just the past two years, Portland Street Art Alliance has painted over 53,000 square feet of new murals in the Central Eastside Industrial District. With this initiative, PSAA aims to celebrate the unique creative spirit of the Pacific Northwest’s diverse communities, increase recognition of the importance of the arts in Portland, and further the City’s ambitions to foster accessible spaces for working artists.

Hayden working on his Union Pacific inspired mural at All Service Moving. Photo: Sara Sjol

Artists worked night and day for two weeks in June to paint these new murals, using a mix of spray paint and latex bucket paint, along with a 45’ boom lift and ladders. Portland Street Art Alliance has been working with building management and district representatives for several years in order to get the logistics in place to make this project happen, expanding the Mural District and enhancing Belmont Viaduct coordinator.

Painting in progress in the Central Eastside. Photo: Sara Sjol

With this project, PSAA also launched a new ongoing partnership with Ground Score Association, a peer-led initiative of the non-profit Trash for Peace. This special work program helps folks with housing insecurities gain access to paid work and job training opportunities. Laborers are assisting PSAA with wall preparation and base coat painting and getting paid a living wage for their work.

Habiba working on their first large-scale permanent mural in Portland. Photo: Sara Sjol

This five mural installation was supported by a PSAA-secured grant from the Central Eastside Industrial Council’s Central Eastside Together grant program. Central Eastside Together works to enhance the pedestrian experience, reinforce economic viability and promote Central Eastside’s unique identity through innovative and highly-responsive programs.

Completed murals by PONO and Naomi Likayi. Photo: Sara Sjol

The goal of the Central Eastside Mural District is to create a world-class public art destination in the industrial heart of Portland. The vision of the Mural District includes: 1) empowering regional artists to take new risks and further develop their public practice and portfolios, 2) honoring the district's unique history and enhancing its identity as being a walkable public art destination, 3) preserving space for creative and cultural production in a rapidly changing urban neighborhood, and 3) placing Portland’s Central Eastside on the global map as a hub for innovative and grassroots public art programming.

Not Sik working on their new mural featuring wolves and rabbits. Photo: Sara Sjol

With these projects, underrepresented artists from the Pacific Northwest are supported with project management assistance, permit procurement, painting supplies, and most importantly, livable-wage compensation from PSAA and project sponsors. At a time when Portland is experiencing accelerated redevelopment and demographic changes, especially in the booming Central Eastside, it is important to create and save spaces where artists from around the region can work, grow, and thrive. This initiative strives to ensure that street art is an integral part of the district’s identity as a hub for art innovation, makers, and culture-builders.

ABOUT THE WORK

NAOMI LIKAYI
Ancestral Portal
@mungala_nao

“This mural is based on the first part of my thesis project at Portland State University, as a graphic design student. I wanted to mix my illustration style alongside Kongolese (Angolan/Congo) visual writing systems. These symbols come from ancient Kongolese religions that were meant to bridge communication between mankind's ancestry, creation, and the cosmos. In the mural, you can see six different symbols that represented a new beginning in my artistic practice. My illustration style is very abstract and figurative, so I wanted to carefully choose symbols that would visually mesh with my illustration style but had a lot of impact in terms of my narrative. The heavy influence of spirituality with these symbols and how I feel about the creative process is very connected.”

NOTSIK
Vicious Cycles
@notsikk

“This piece represents all the chaos and evil in this world, and how we are all just some rabbits trying to run, hide, and survive it all. There’s far too many wolves out there who are dying for the chance to eat your heart out.”

HABIBA ABDUL RAHIM
The Watchers: Keep One Eye Open
@habiba_abdulrahim_art

“Keep one eye open" is an idiom that I grew up hearing elders say; it was a reminder to always remain vigilant and watchful. This piece has been a reflection on the person that I want to become and how I am remembered when I am gone. I want to be like the elders that I learned from; they were wise, nurtured, developed and guided, and anchored their families and community. I want to be remembered as someone who stood against injustice and oppression, who fought and never gave up, and was a "Watcher" over her community. May we all be Watchers over our communities.”

HAYDEN SENTER
Seem To See
@chairboy

“Just a glimpse into what I’m trying to find most days. Some sense of grounding to let my brain rest and explore something unfound.”

PONO
Serpent And Centaur
@ponopinto

“This is an image in which the centaur could be any one of us, likely embroiled in our own personal struggles. The serpent loosely represents adversity and strife, perhaps a year’s worth. It’s not quite clear which one is winning the battle, but the centaur is prepared. Oddly enough, the idea isn’t necessarily related to astrology, even though I am a Sagittarius myself!”