About the artwork
Iskaka Shamsud-Din
Vanport Mural, 1965
Oil on canvas
Located in Smith Memorial Student Union's south stairwell
This mural refers to the disastrous 1948 flood that destroyed the city of Vanport, Oregon, a largely Black housing project that was home to wartime laborers and returning veterans. Artist Isaka Shamsud-Din's family was among the thousands who lost their homes in the flood when he was a child. Vanport also hosted a college, the Vanport Extension Center, which relocated to downtown Portland and would eventually be renamed Portland State University.
About the artist
Isaka Shumsud-Din is an Oregon artist born in Atlanta, Texas. He earned his BFA and MFA from Portland State University, and served as a DePreist Visiting Professor of Art at PSU (2002-2006). From Portland Art Museum's website: "Isaka Shamsud-Din is known in the Pacific Northwest as a mural artist, art professor, and social commentary artist who critiques the complex history that makes up the African American experience. His large-scale paintings imbue vivid color and bold energy, bringing his characters to life. He collages past and present elements into allegorical vignettes that reflect culture and history. His suggestive work shows both the grace and anguish of the people he depicts." Murals by Shamsud-Din can be found in public spaces throughout Portland.
Learn more about Isaka Shamsud-Din and his work on his website.
Banner image: Photo by Josh Gates.