Subject | Promised Land |
Artist | David Manuel |
Materials | Bronze, Granite |
Installation Date | 1993 |
Acquisition Context | Commissioned by the Oregon Trail Coordinating Council. Donated to the City of Portland. |
Where was it originally located? | Center of Chapman Square in downtown, directly west of the Justice Center |
Was there engagement when it was created? | No public engagement. The Multnomah Arts Commission advised against accepting the art at the time of its donation. |
What happened to it? | The monument was damaged in 2020. It is currently in storage in need of repair. |
Representative feedback from public comments, testimony and City-led public conversations | “the depiction of subject matter was found to be [an] inappropriate and inaccurate portrayal of the settlers of Oregon, excluding the many other races and religions of those who have come to call Oregon home. It is also insensitive to the history of the indigenous peoples of the area.” - Report on Site Committee I Process in “Metropolitan Arts Commission Special Arts Project Files -- Promised Land Move." City of Portland Archives & Records Center, Portland, Oregon. |
Status | Will be deaccessioned from the City’s Public Art Collection. Additional public engagement on deaccessioning will occur during the 2024 Monuments Symposium. |