Echoes of Belonging, Public Art Dedication

Gather at Lake Oswego Public Library for the Echoes of Belonging Public Art Dedication, a community event centered on reflection, dialogue, and belonging. 

Echoes of Belonging will become part of the City’s permanent collection, with Lake Oswego Public Library selected as the site for the completed work. Created by artist Sahara Aylanna Defrees, and developed through a collaborative partnership between the City of Lake Oswego, Respond to Racism, and the Arts Council of Lake Oswego, the installation seeks to acknowledge and educate about the history of exclusion and racism in Lake Oswego and the region while inspiring a more inclusive future. Through interpretive panels, interactive elements, and community engagement opportunities, the project invites reflection and dialogue, fostering greater understanding and connection.

For additional information, contact the Arts Council of Lake Oswego at artscouncillo@gmail.com or 503-272-1214.

About the Artist: Sahara Aylanna Defrees is a Black, biracial, queer woman who's an artist, designer and joyful disruptor who believes healing and art belong to everyone. Through their practice, Studio Eden, she works at the intersection of visual art, design, sustainability and social change. Studio Eden exists as an imaginative place - part studio, part sanctuary - where art and design can become tools for liberation and joy. The word "Studio" reflects the breadth of their interactions, a creative space that hosts things from visual arts to design interventions; and "Eden" grounds them in abundance, Earth, connection and the feminine. Creating art is a generative act of resistance and healing that can shift culture, educate, heal communities and amplify voices.