Portland's Pioneer Square is now covered in giant vinyl polka dots, thanks to my pal Bill Will. The large-scale installation is titled "Polka Dot Courthouse Square" and encourages safe distancing while gathering in the square, aka "Portland's living room."
Polka Dot Courthouse Square is a series of colorful, 12-foot, vinyl "dots" adhered to the red brick surface of the Square. These dots, spaced 10-feet apart within a structured grid, not only "decorate" our beloved Portland Living Room carpet, but also "set the stage" for performances by a diverse range of Portland artists, musicians, writers, singers, dancers and market vendors – while also welcoming the un-choreographed, open space behaviors of Portland's citizens and visitors. These performances will be captured through still photography and video then promoted collaboratively with installation partners. In a fascinating double entendre, this art installation not only establishes the safe distancing required for public gathering but also encourages activation by others. It creates a wonderful comment on the push me/pull you aspect of the mandated distancing.
You can see the colorful circles on the square on this live cam (not visible in the mid-day sun).
images via Bill Will
