Colored Vision


In Collaboration with Domenic Toliver and Quentin Staples





What does the future look like?
Grounded in the history of gentrification, racist zoning policies, and urban renewal in North and Northeast Portland, this project invites the public to reimagine Portland’s future through the act of coloring photographs. The approach is inspired by Cesar Rodriguez’s Dreams on Hold: Colored Photos by Migrants.

Photographer Quentin Staples captured black-and-white images of sites across Northeast Portland—focusing on places that have experienced significant change or abandonment. Participants were then invited to envision the future of these spaces by coloring in the photographs.

The project was facilitated by Domenic Toliver, Gwen Hoeffgen, and Quentin Staples in two community workshops. The first took place at Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary School with the Black Student Union, a group created by teacher Bre Vance, and co-led by Domenic Toliver and Xavier Pierce. The second was held at the Reclaim MLK Community Art Build, hosted by Don’t Shoot PDX.

In both sessions, participants were asked a central question: What does the future look like? By coloring in Quentin’s photographs, community members were able to reflect on the past and present while collectively imagining new possibilities for Portland’s future.