People and animals move, and it should all be accepted, says Portland artist Olivia Guethling.
Her very large piece in the shape of a bird, “Migrations,” symbolizes movement and will stand (21 feet tall) as one of the highlights of the upcoming Portland Winter Light Festival .
“I wanted to create an installation for migration as a fundamental trait of literally ever being that walks around on this planet,” she said. “You look up at birds, I’m fascinated, ‘Oh my goodness, they just made it here, traveling thousands of miles, with no Google maps?’
“It’s a cool quality of life. You look back to the first cell — there’s always movement in life.”
The ninth Portland Winter Light Festival, Feb. 2-10, will have many cool displays to brighten up the city’s nights (and days). The theme: “What Glows Under Pressure.” It’ll be centered at Pioneer Courthouse Square — it’s where “Migrations” will be — as well as World Trade Center in downtown and Electric Blocks in Southeast Portland.
Many top artists return with installations, and many new artists will be introducing their work to the thousands — maybe 200,000 or so — visitors to the some 170 locations around the metro area, said Alisha Sullivan, Portland Winter Light Festival and Willamette Light Brigade executive director.