Bringing together the work of Raychelle Duazo, Lilian Dirrebes, Emma Kates-Shaw & Adam Ponto: Stratum explores the practice of tattooing through the lens of race and gender in an industry dominated by misogyny, racism and colonization. By focusing on the work of those with multiple marginalized identities and those with direct cultural ties to the practice of body modification, we begin to deconstruct how the industry and practice have manifested. We carve out a place for artists who make a transformative place for healing, reclamation of self and ancestry. Stratum seeks to reveal the multitudes that tattooers are capable of as artists, storytellers and activists.
Curated by Leila Haile.
Adam Ponto
Artist Statement
My process examines cultural roots feeding modern society, and the ancient stories that influence our psyches to this day.
Melancholia is a series of reflections and mantras created while surviving with chronic mental illness rooted in cultural and genetic trauma.
Bio
Adam Ponto is a multidisciplinary artist living in Portland. His current focus is centered around tattoos, drawings, and watercolor. His work explores recurring existential and spiritual themes found across human societies. Within each piece there are explorations of fundamental truths and collective healing.
Lilian Ongelungel
Bio
Lilian is a Palauan artist and cultural worker from Portland, Oregon. In the last decade, they've devoted their work to empowering Pacific Islander communities in the Pacific Northwest. While her artistic roots are grounded in painting and illustration, she has also uses other means, ranging from writing and storytelling to tattoo and woodworking, as vehicles for exploring the intersections of Pacific Islander diaspora, queer identity and matrilineal legacy in her works. Outside of creative endeavors, Lilian is a communication professional in the Portland Metro Area and serves her communities in various volunteer capacities.
Raychelle Duazo
Artist Statement
As a queer brown femme who creates, I am constantly trying to make art that reflects the vibrancy, warmth, vulnerability, and power of marginalized communities. I firmly believe we love and understand ourselves (and one another) better when we see ourselves reflected in a positive way.
Bio
Raychelle Duazo is a queer femme Filipina-American illustrator from the Pacific Northwest. Artistically, her specialties include portraits, florals, and typography. Her work focuses on themes of love, heartbreak, grief, culture, diaspora, and identity.