The Portland Art Museum just acquired a new piece by Sanford Biggers that is showing through this summer before being moved to the Brooklyn Museum of Art (so you New Yorker's should check it out in September).
In the Mark building that hosts the contemporary art collection curated by Bruce Gunther, the new piece is on the 5th floor - its a beautiful blossoming tree growing through a player piano playing a continuous loop of Billie Holiday's "Strange Fruit." The tree is surrounded by dirt taken from one of the wards in New Orleans. Across from the piece is a video installation that shows African American men of all ages/professions climbing a similar type tree. The major theme is about how in the 1800's-1900's African American men were lynched on trees similar to this, and now look at how high these men - doctors, pilots, businessmen can climb.
Its a very inspiring piece. I highly suggest checking it out. On a quiet Thursday the sounds of "Strange Fruit" played throughout the galleries almost like the soundtrack to my life.
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