Exquisite Scrolls Project to Raise Funds for Pacific Northwest College of Art Equity and Leadership Scholarships
May 03, 2021
Portland, OR – May 3, 2021 – Featuring 12 collaborative works of art created by over 100 artists, Exquisite Scrolls: Collaborative Drawings for PNCA will be on view from May 5 – 29 at multiple galleries throughout Portland, including Augen Gallery, Blue Sky Gallery, Froelick Gallery, Elizabeth Leach Gallery, Russo Lee Gallery, and UPFOR Gallery.
Conceived and launched by PNCA alum Malia Jensen ’89 in the summer of 2020 - amidst the pandemic and surging social and political movements for racial justice – and then manifested by numerous artists and community members, Exquisite Scrolls seeks to embrace creative ways to make a collective impact while benefiting Equity and Leadership Scholarships at PNCA.
“These collaborations,” says Jensen, “represent a tremendous number of artists, individuals, and galleries who have come together to support PNCA as a vital institution in our extended community. The project is a testament to our creative resilience and the power of artists to act in support of cultural and societal issues.”
The actual process of creating the scrolls is inspired by the Surrealist parlor game “Exquisite Corpse,” in which a shared drawing is created without revealing what the previous contributor has drawn. In Exquisite Scrolls, a 14” x 120” roll of watercolor paper passes from one artist to the next, with each adding their work before covering the image and sending it to the next artist.
“This project is a remarkable gesture of community in support of PNCA and our students,” states MK Guth, director of the Hallie Ford School of Graduate Studies, and an Exquisite Scrolls artist. “These collective efforts will impact the next generation of PNCA artists and designers and demonstrate to our students the importance of participation to influence change.”
The scrolls will be available to purchase via an online auction that will run from May 18-29, with all proceeds benefiting PNCA’s new Equity and Leadership Scholarships, which are geared towards incoming Black students, Indigenous students, and students of color, or students who have demonstrated a commitment to working with impacted communities to end racial injustice.
The Exquisite Scrolls auction site will go live on May 18, and can be found on the Exquisite Scrolls page on the PNCA website.
About Exquisite Scrolls: Collaborative Drawings for PNCA
Conceived and launched in summer of 2020 amidst a pandemic and surging social and political movements for racial justice, and manifested by numerous artists and community members – including “Scrolls Captains” Allied Works Architecture with Chelsea Grassinger, Avantika Bawa, Christine Bourdette, Ryan Bubnis, Charles Froelick, Malia Jensen ’89, Brenda Mallory, Elizabeth Malaska MFA ‘11, Justin Oswald and Miguel Centeno, Mark Palmen MFA ’14 with FO(u)RT Collective, Laura Ross-Paul, and Jess Perlitz with Stelo – Exquisite Scrolls was created as a way to make a collective impact and benefit the Equity and Leadership Scholarships at PNCA.
About Pacific Northwest College of Art
Pacific Northwest College of Art empowers artists and designers to reimagine what art and design can do in the world. Founded in 1909 as the Museum Art School in Portland, Oregon, PNCA offers 11 art and design Bachelor of Fine Art programs, eight graduate programs including Master of Arts and Master of Fine Arts programs within the Hallie Ford School of Graduate Studies, a Post-Baccalaureate program, and Community Education courses for artists and designers of all ages.
###