Mission

Our Mission:

The Littman & White Galleries are student-run exhibition spaces at Portland State University. Our mission is to act as artistic platforms for historically marginalized and ostracized voices and perspectives while providing the tools for a critical experience of visual culture through direct exposure to contemporary art programming for students and community members. We envision the Littman & White Galleries as centers for cultural enrichment and visual storytelling, where an indispensable art experience is accessible to all perspectives and levels of education. 

Our Values:

We value the educational experience made available to Portland State students and the broader community through L&W’s contemporary art programming. This includes the invaluable vocational opportunities available to the members of this organization. We value diversity in artists, media, opinions, and voices. We value sustainable work practices to ensure maintenance and security for the future of this organization, but also the natural evolution of a creative workspace. We value the relationships built between the gallery, the university, and the regional creative community.

Our Curatorial Process:

L&W’s curatorial process aims to serve as a catalyst for diversity, creative expression of art and artists, and the active engagement of a student-based audience with exhibitions. We are currently focused on contemporary art practices that aim to bridge art and culture. Common themes L&W curates relate to race, ethnicity, visual culture, and reconnecting communities of color. L&W’s programming is student and community-focused and reflects the unique experiences of our community, local and global alike. The goal of our exhibitions is to present accessible viewing experiences while simultaneously challenging our audience both conceptually and visually. By focusing on emerging and mid-career artists, we aim to present contemporary art narratives outside of a mainstream normative script that can be accessible to anyone.