S E E N

February 10- April 30, 2024

L'Atelier Yaffe's inaugural exhibition, titled S E E N, considers how creative spirits reveal their presence on their own terms. In today's world, to be seen often means to be identifiable through perceptible ways of being. This type of characterization is often based on external contexts which indicate a physical presence or engagement. However, our identities are not limited to the digestible ways of being but usually exceed the perceptible expectations of those we engage with. The artists featured in this exhibition capture what it means to be seen on their own terms, all while rallying viewers to consider what it means to be seen by others in societal spaces. Contributing artists Ibrahem Hasan, Christopher Paul Jordan, Alim Ringgold, Samantha Wall, SHAN Wallace, and Capt. James Stovall V use a range of materials and mediums to emphasize the dynamism of the communities they derive from and the necessity to be seen in order to find the connections between human and cultural narratives. 

S E E N illuminates the underrepresented narratives of these artists, connects the nuanced realities of being Black and Brown, and recognizes the value in what we can see while encouraging what we do not, to matter just as much.

Portland, Oregon