Bust of York
The bust in February 2021
ArtistTodd McGrain[1]
Year2021 (2021)
MediumWood and urethane sculpture
SubjectYork
LocationPortland, Oregon, U.S.
Coordinates45°30′41.7″N 122°35′32.6″W / 45.511583°N 122.592389°W / 45.511583; -122.592389

A 4 foot (1.2 m) bust of York, the only African American on the Lewis and Clark Expedition, was installed in Portland, Oregon's Mount Tabor Park, in the United States, from February to July 2021. The artist stayed anonymous at first,[2] but after the bust was removed he revealed himself as Todd McGrain.[1] McGrain was a student of Darrell Millner, Portland State University professor of history and Black Studies.[3][4] The bust appeared on February 20, replacing the statue of Harvey W. Scott, which had been toppled on October 20, 2020. McGrain did not seek city permission to install the bust,[5][6][7] which McGrain expected to be temporary;[1] on June 11 the city announced that it would remove the bust.[8]

On July 28, vandals tore down and seriously damaged the sculpture. Portland Parks and Recreation removed it,[9][10][11] and the Portland City Council released a statement condemning the vandalism.[12][13] The paper was torn into pieces.[11][10] No individual or group has claimed responsibility for the attack, but Patriot Front, a white supremacist organization that had recently vandalized numerous monuments to African Americans, was suspected. On July 25, three days earlier, the plinth had been defaced with a symbol associated with Patriot Front,[14] and a mural in Portland honoring George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery had been defaced with their name.[11]

After the toppling, signs of support for the bust and other tributes appeared at the site.[15]

The artist has offered to produce a bust of York in bronze, with no charge for his time and effort, although the casting would have to be paid for.[1] As of September 4, 2021, no decision has been made regarding this offer.

Background

Toppled statue of Harvey W. Scott

The bust of York was erected on a plinth which formerly held the statue of Harvey W. Scott, which was toppled and damaged on October 20, 2020. The statue's outstretched right arm broke off.[16]

That statue was by Gutzon Borglum, a prolific sculptor known for his design and initial sculpting of Mount Rushmore and the monument to the Confederacy at Stone Mountain; Borglum is controversial for his Klan involvement.[17] Scott fought against Native Americans as a volunteer in the Puget Sound War. He was strongly opposed to women's suffrage and public high schools.

Between October 2020, when the statue was toppled, and February 2021, when the bust was secretly erected, there was considerable local discussion of what hero should be honored on Scott's plinth.

On October 11, 2020, the Indigenous Peoples Day of Rage, protesters also toppled statues of Abraham Lincoln and Theodore Roosevelt, for their perceived hostility towards Native Americans.[18] Earlier in 2020, Portland statues of George Washington and Thomas Jefferson were also toppled, because they owned enslaved people.[11]

None of these statues will be re-erected. The Regional Arts & Culture Council in 2021 adopted a policy that allows removal of statues whose "subject or impact...is significantly at odds with values of antiracism, equity, inclusion." While no formal decision has been made (as of August 2021), it is presumed that all of these statues would fall in that category.[19]

Description

Printed message

The bald head, looking down, was created by the artist. There is no contemporary image of York nor any description of him, except that he was a large man.

The bust was deliberately made of perishable materials: wood covered in urethane, which was then painted bronze. A sheet of paper resembling a plaque, attached to a sheet of plywood painted to resemble marble,[20] had a printed message:

York

The first African American to cross North America and reach the Pacific Coast.

Born into slavery in the 1770s to the family of William Clark, York became a member of the 1804 Lewis and Clark Expedition. Though York was an enslaved laborer, he performed all the duties of a full member of the expedition. He was a skilled hunter, negotiated trade with Native American communities and tended to the sick. Upon his return east with the Corps of Discovery, York asked for his freedom. Clark refused his request.

The date and circumstances of his death are unclear.

Reaction to the bust

Reaction to the bust has been "overwhelmingly positive".[21] A newspaper described the reaction as "adoration".[20] The bust became a destination.[22] Adena Long, director of Portland Parks & Recreation, described the artwork as "a complete surprise",[7] "a happy surprise".[11] City Parks Commissioner Carmen Rubio said in a press release: "We should regard this installation for both the important piece that it is, as well as a much-needed reminder to city leaders to hasten our work of rooting out white supremacy in our institutions—particularly our city government, where many processes exclude community participation and discourage engagement."[7]

Prior to its destruction, the arts program manager for Portland had said the bust would remain on display until it deteriorated.[20][23]

Vandalism

The plinth in August 2021, following the toppling of the bust

The bust was vandalized three times before it was toppled.[24]

  • In March, 2021, someone wrote "His Blood Is on Your Hands", "Land Back", and "Decolonize" with spray paint.[22]
  • On June 8, 2021, a woman was filmed defacing the plinth with purple paint while shouting that the image of a white man should not be replaced with that of a Black man. With the paint she wrote "love not hate", two female symbols, and an altered male symbol. She tore down the paper plaque. She "appears to say she considers herself the victim of racial discrimination by Black and Hispanic people."[22] She was charged by police with criminal mischief, abuse of venerated objects, unlawful applying of graffiti, and vandalism.[10][2][25]

According to the city's arts program manager, the work is made of wood and urethane and "was always intended to be temporary". There have been discussions to replace with a bronze version.[8]

In July 2021, the bust was toppled, then removed by city workers;[9] the director of Portland's park service said that staff would inspect the bust to see if it was salvageable.[8] Portland City Council condemned the vandalism,[12][13] and locals left signs and other tributes at the site following the toppling.[15]

Media

  • Video of the bust, February 22, 2021.[26]
  • Interview with Oregon Historical Society executive director Kerry Tymchuk, February 22, 2021.[27]
  • Searching for York, documentary, Oregon Public Broadcasting, February 27, 2021. Darrell Millner, Quintard Taylor, and James Hollbrook participate.[28]
  • Jeanette K. Grode spraying paint on the pedestal, June 9, 2021[29]
  • "What Kind of Public Art Do We Want Now?" A conversation with PSU Professor and York historian Darrell Millner, the unidentified York artist, and Kristin Calhoun, Director of Public Art, Regional Arts & Culture Council, August 19, 2021. A transcript is available.[4]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Mesh, Aaron (August 31, 2021). "Sculptor of Mount Tabor's York Bust Reveals His Identity. Todd McGrain is offering to sculpt a permanent bronze bust of York for the site as a donation". Willamette Week. Archived from the original on September 1, 2021. Retrieved September 1, 2021.
  2. 1 2 Mesh, Aaron (June 10, 2021). "Portland Police Cite Woman for Defacing York Bust on Mount Tabor". Willamette Week (Portland, Oregon). Archived from the original on June 12, 2021. Retrieved June 13, 2021.
  3. ↑ Wing, Sage (September 30, 2020). "The York Statue and the value of public art". OPB. Archived from the original on February 1, 2022. Retrieved February 4, 2022.
  4. 1 2 "'What Kind of Public Art Do We Want Now?' A conversation with PSU Professor and York historian Darrell Millner, the unidentified York artist, and Kristin Calhoun, Director of Public Art, Regional Arts & Culture Council" (PDF). Regional Arts and Culture Council, Portland, Oregon. August 19, 2021. Archived (PDF) from the original on August 21, 2021. Retrieved August 26, 2021.
  5. ↑ Rogoway, Mike (February 20, 2021). "Bust of York, member of Lewis and Clark expedition, appears in place of Harvey Scott statue on Mount Tabor". The Oregonian (Portland, Oregon). Archived from the original on February 21, 2021. Retrieved February 23, 2021.
  6. ↑ Yuhas, Alan (February 22, 2021). "Portland Welcomes Monument (Origin Unknown) to Black Man Who Reached Pacific in 1805". The New York Times. Archived from the original on February 22, 2021. Retrieved February 23, 2021.
  7. 1 2 3 Singer, Matthew (February 20, 2021). "Someone Replaced the Toppled Harvey Scott Statue at Mount Tabor With a Monument to York, the Only Black Member of the Corps of Discovery". Willamette Week. Archived from the original on February 21, 2021. Retrieved February 23, 2021.
  8. 1 2 3 Foden-Vencil, Kristian (June 11, 2021). "Portland official says controversial bust of York at Mount Tabor Park will be coming down". OPB. Archived from the original on October 25, 2021. Retrieved February 4, 2022.
  9. 1 2 Foden-Vencil, Kristian (July 28, 2021). "Bust of York toppled in Portland's Mount Tabor Park". Oregon Public Broadcasting. Archived from the original on August 19, 2021. Retrieved July 29, 2021.
  10. 1 2 3 Peel, Sophie (July 28, 2021). "York Statue Atop Mount Tabor Toppled and Partly Shattered". Willamette Week (Portland, Oregon). Archived from the original on 2021-07-28. Retrieved 2021-07-28.
  11. 1 2 3 4 5 Sparling, Zane (July 28, 2021). "Portland's York statue toppled amid 'intimidating' vandalism". Portland Tribune (Portland, Oregon). Archived from the original on 2021-07-29. Retrieved 2021-07-29.
  12. 1 2 Mesh, Aaron (July 30, 2021). "Portland City Council Decries Damage to Bust of York". Willamette Week. Archived from the original on July 31, 2021. Retrieved February 4, 2022.
  13. 1 2 "Joint Council Statement on York Sculpture".
  14. 1 2 Turnquist, Kristi (Jun 27, 2021). "York statue atop Mount Tabor defaced with hate symbol". The Oregonian (Portland, Oregon). Archived from the original on July 29, 2021. Retrieved August 19, 2021.
  15. 1 2 Mesh, Aaron (August 10, 2021). "'Put York Back': Portlanders Leave Messages Where a Broken Sculpture Stood". Willamette Week (Portland, Oregon). Archived from the original on August 10, 2021. Retrieved August 10, 2021.
  16. ↑ Ryan, Jim (Oct 20, 2020). "Statue of Harvey Scott, former editor of The Oregonian, torn down in Mount Tabor". The Oregonian (Portland, Oregon). Archived from the original on October 21, 2020. Retrieved August 19, 2021.
  17. ↑ Bernard, Diane (July 2, 2020). "The creator of Mount Rushmore's forgotten ties to white supremacy". Archived from the original on July 11, 2020. Retrieved February 4, 2022.
  18. ↑ Ryan, Jim; Kavanaugh, Shane Dixon (Oct 12, 2020). "Portland protesters topple 2 statues of former presidents; Trump calls for arrests, federal intervention". The Oregonian (Portland, Oregon). Archived from the original on February 21, 2021. Retrieved August 19, 2021.
  19. ↑ Mesh, Aaron (June 23, 2021). "Portland Protesters Tore Down Statues of Presidents. New Rules May Keep Them Mothballed". Willamette Week (Portland, Oregon). Archived from the original on August 1, 2021. Retrieved August 18, 2021.
  20. 1 2 3 Mesh, Aaron (June 16, 2021). "Here's What Could Happen to the Bust of York Atop Mount Tabor". Willamette Week (Portland, Oregon). Archived from the original on June 17, 2021. Retrieved June 17, 2021.
  21. ↑ Sparling, Zane (February 23, 2021). "'Overwhelmingly positive' – Portland reacts to York statue". The Oregonian (Portland, Oregon). Archived from the original on August 1, 2021. Retrieved August 19, 2021.
  22. 1 2 3 Mesh, Aaron (June 8, 2021). "Video Shows Woman Defacing Bust of York on Mount Tabor With Purple Spray Paint". Willamette Week (Portland, Oregon). Archived from the original on July 7, 2021. Retrieved August 19, 2021.
  23. ↑ Lenthang, Marlene (February 23, 2021). "Bust of York, an enslaved Black member of the Lewis and Clark expedition, appears in Portland. York is described as 'the first African American to cross North America'". ABCNews. Archived from the original on August 24, 2021. Retrieved August 24, 2021.
  24. ↑ "Bust of York at Mt. Tabor Park damaged for the third time". KATU. July 28, 2021. Archived from the original on July 28, 2021. Retrieved July 28, 2021.
  25. ↑ Gaitán, Catalina (June 8, 2021). "York statue defaced months after appearing on Mount Tabor; suspect issued citation". The Oregonian (Portland, Oregon). Archived from the original on June 29, 2021. Retrieved August 19, 2021.
  26. ↑ "Bust of York at Mt. Tabor Park mystifies Portland Parks & Rec". KATU. February 22, 2021. Archived from the original on August 20, 2021. Retrieved August 20, 2021.
  27. ↑ Goodwin, Jon (February 22, 2021). "Bust of York, from Lewis and Clark expedition, now sits at Portland's Mount Tabor Park". KGW. Archived from the original on August 20, 2021. Retrieved August 20, 2021.
  28. ↑ Searching for York, Oregon Public Broadcasting, February 27, 2021, archived from the original on August 27, 2021, retrieved August 20, 2021 – via YouTube
  29. ↑ "Woman cited for vandalizing bust of York on Mount Tabor". KGW. June 9, 2021. Archived from the original on June 12, 2021. Retrieved August 20, 2021.
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