Who by Fire Digital Program

PORTLAND INSTITUTE FOR CONTEMPORARY ART

Presents

Who by Fire RAY ANTHONY BARRETT

Exhibition Dates July 12th – August 9th, 2025

Hancock Street Entrance

GALLERY GUIDE Untitled (dining table and benches), 2025 Pinewood, joinery, charred top, shellac finish Table dimensions: 120 x 65 x 28.5 inches Bench dimensions: 110 x 11 x 19 inches and 48 x 11 x 19 inches a. Glass chandelier, 2025 Emily Endo b. Indigo dyed linens, 2025 Bridgette Hickey c. Recycled glassware, 2025 Lynn Everett Read (Vitreluxe) d. Floral design, 2025 Alexandria Saleem e. Ceramic dinnerware, 2025 Sam Schrott f. Ceramic vases, 2025 Aubrey Sloan g. Antique silverware, dates variable Sourced by Denise Barrett and MK Guth

Camp Fire Cooking System with Pot Hangers, 2025 Carved cedar wood, paracord Dimensions: 57 x 47 x 41.5 inches Votive, 2025 Assemblage of wood log, book, Cowrie shells, ceramic bowl, votive candle, and incense Dimensions variable Have Mercy, date unknown Found Japanese Yakitori fan, paper, wood Dimensions: 14.5 x 9.5 inches Charred interior of living redwood, 2020 Recycled fabric print Dimensions: 113 x 83 inches

Fledgelings, 2025 Oak feather sticks Dimensions variable Quiver, 2025 Swedish torch, hand drill spindles, seasoned willow, cedar hearth board Dimensions variable Bow Drills, 2025 Rope twisting jig, willow spindles, sandstone bearing block, failed sandstone bearing block, hearth board, leather cordage, hazelwood, Osage orange, paracord Dimensions variable Siberian Fire Lay, 2025 Pinewood overnight fire lay Dimensions: 51 x 78 x 108 inches Untitled, 2025 Charcoal and Sumi ink wall drawing Dimensions: 18 x 9 feet Nourssjo, 2025 Pinewood overnight fire lay, traditionally built by the Indigenous Sámi peoples of Sweden for survival in extreme cold conditions Dimensions: 69 x 87 x 19 inches

Tinder Box, 2025 Assorted tinder, fire lighting materials, and tools a. Pine resin b. Stormproof matches c. Fatwood d. Flint, steel, quartz, chert, char cloth, canvas, and charring tin e. Lighters f. Ferro rod and striker g. Birch bark h. Chaga i. Tinder bundle Dimensions: 33 x 61 x 30 inches

EXHIBITION DATES July 12 – August 9, 2025

GALLERY HOURS Thursdays 5:00 – 8:00 PM Fridays 12:00 – 6:00 PM Saturdays 12:00 – 4:00 PM

OPENING RECEPTION July 12, 12:00 – 4:00 PM Exhibition walkthrough from 12:30 – 1:00 PM Food and refreshments from 1:00 – 4:00 PM

CLOSING RECEPTION AND COMMUNITY POTLUCK August 9, 12:00 – 4:00 PM

EXHIBITION CONTRIBUTORS AND FRIENDS Mirabai Collins (Black Futures Farm), Emily Endo, Arminda Gandara, Daniel Grady (Black Futures Farm), MK Guth, Bridgette Hickey, Malcolm Shabazz Hoover (Black Futures Farm), Shantae Johnson (Mudbone Grown), Prentice Onayemi (Foglight Farms), Nathaniel Price (Revel Meat Co.), Mia Raiah (Black Oregon Land Trust), Lynn Everett Read (Vitreluxe), Alexandria Saleem, Sam Schrott, Art Shavers (Mudbone Grown), Aubrey Sloan, Sharita Towne (A Black Art Ecology of Portland), Paul West (Treetoppa Rib Crib)

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EXHIBITION STATEMENT Rooted in dovetailing practices of artmaking and gastronomy, Ray Anthony Barrett explores themes that emerge through field studies in the landscapes of the American West. Who by Fire returns to fire as one of the most fundamental elements for human survival.

Using only the most basic tools, Barrett engages with fire in a decolonial project of making and maintaining, thinking ahead and looking back for ancestral guidance.

Barrett has sourced the materials for this presentation on trips through the Pacific Northwest and into California. Along the way, he continued his study of bushcraft, made sculpture both on-site at PICA and in the wilds of the West Coast, and spent deep time fermenting, curing, writing, and photographing in and on nature.

cook, and host meals for the collaborators, farmers, and purveyors who have contributed to the project. At these communal gatherings, the artist and attendees will have discussions on futurity through creativity, care for the land, and community. Who by Fire will close with a potluck where all are invited to attend and contribute.

For Barrett, utilizing repurposed and reclaimed materials made through collaboration embodies a holistic philosophy of art that is characteristic to many African, Asian, and Indigenous aesthetic traditions, without hierarchies or divisions between fine art, functional design, or craft, and animated by the art of living, eating, storytelling, spirituality, and dancing.

The communal and food-oriented dimensions of fire starting and keeping are a major focus of the exhibition, which features a collaboratively-designed dining area and space dedicated to fire-based cooking.

The hearth and table are where people come together to share stories and meals, and to take care of one another. Throughout the show, Barrett will design,

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS AND THANKS This project was funded in part by The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, with additional support from MK Guth and Greg Landry.

The curator and artist would also like to thank all of the makers, farmers, artists, and connectors who contributed time, talent, craft, conversation, and food to the project. In addition, they are grateful to the staff and board of PICA for their support, care, and stewardship of the exhibition.

EXHIBITION CONTRIBUTORS AND FRIENDS MAKERS Emily Endo, glass chandelier Bridgette Hickey, indigo dyed linens Lynn Everett Read (Vitreluxe), glassware made with repurposed bottles Alexandria Saleem, floral design Sam Schrott, ceramic dinnerware Aubrey Sloan, ceramic vases

GROWERS AND PURVEYORS Black Futures Farm Mirabai Collins, Daniel Grady, Malcolm Shabazz Hoover Black Oregon Land Trust Mia Raiah Foglight Farms Prentice Onayemi Mudbone Grown Shantae Johnson, Art Shavers Revel Meat Co. Nathaniel Price Treetoppa Rib Crib Paul West

CONNECTORS Arminda Gandara MK Guth Sharita Towne (A Black Art Ecology of Portland)

PICA STAFF Jakob Dawahare Erin Boberg Doughton Molly Gardner Kristan Kennedy Milo Mattern Samantha Ollstein Van Pham Jayne Pugh Elio Quezada Reuben Roqueñi Leslie Vigeant

EXHIBITION STAFF Noah Beckham, Gallery Attendant Jakob Dawahare, Graphic Designer Erté deGarces, Exhibition Designer and Lead Preparator Molly Gardner, Production Manager Kristan Kennedy, Curator Milo Mattern, Preparator Jayne Pugh, Marketing Associate and Editor Elio Quezada, Programs Manager Leslie Vigeant, Director of Marketing and Communications Freddi Wyss, Preparator

PICA BOARD André Middleton | Interim Chair Emily Fusaro | Vice Chair Kevin Washington | Treasurer Cristi Miles | Secretary Nishat Akhtar Andrew Dickson Phoebe Ebright bart fitzgerald Allie Furlotti Peter Gronquist Shelly Kapoor Stephanie Kelly Shawna Lipton Pamela Baker-Miller sidony o'neal Master Artist Michael Bernard Stevenson Jr.

A gift of God May sear unready fingers.

— Octavia Butler, Parable of the Sower