Kintsugi for Keaton Otis

Here is one of the volunteers working on a memorial to Keaton Otis, who I’ve mentioned a number of times in this journal (click on the tag if you'd like to be reminded). Every month for the past 12 years, in every weather, even during the pandemic, people have gathered at the place where Keaton Otis was killed, the corner of NE 6th Avenue and NE Halsey Street in Portland. 

Now a memorial is being created at that corner: artist Sharita Towne designed an installation based on the Japanese art of Kintsugi, the creation of “precious scars” that make a broken thing more valuable than it was before was broken. The part of the street where Keaton’s mother’s car was stopped, and where Keaton was shot 23 times, is riddled with cracks that are becoming kintsugi. 

Towne and other volunteers didn’t want to be in photographs today, but one lovely person was willing. I could create a whole exhibit of photographs of pieces of the installation—bends, joins, shapes, conjunctions. I am honored to have been asked to document the building of the memorial and to be present as a photographer on September 12, when the memorial will be offered to the public in ceremony. 

P.S. My PCR Test shows I am negative for Covid-19. I am so grateful! The result came just in time for me to go make these photos.