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Ashland residents invited to discuss potential public art By Morgan Rothborne Dec 27, 2022 12:15 AM A A Ashand residents are invited for a second chance to review a piece of public art proposed for Railroad Park. In the Gresham Room of the Ashland Public Library, at 7 p.m. Jan. 12, the public can join a community discussion with artist Micah Blacklight to consider “Ancestor’s Future: Crystallizing Our Call.” The sculpture features a seated winged figure with a book across its lap listing every name memorialized by the “Say Their Names” grassroots T-shirt installation in Railroad Park. The piece was intended to be a permanent memorial in place of the T-shirt installation, Blacklight explained in his presentation of the piece to Ashland City Council in September. “We all know that T-shirts can only last but so long,” he said. “I wanted to make sure that every name, so far as I could — I went down and documented all of them — is included. In that book, all those names will be etched. That’s what that book is for.” He said the seated figure wears clothing designed to be futuristic to invoke the idea that an ancestor could come back to Earth to witness social change and healing. Colored stones surrounding the piece would be painted by any community members who want to be involved. “Ancestor’s Future” was propelled through the Public Arts Commission and into council chambers through several organizations, including Black Alliance and Social Empowerment, also known as BASE, and Say Their Names Collective. It was unanimously was approved June 17 by the Public Arts Commission and soon after was approved by Ashland Parks and Recreation Commission for a site in Ashland Creek Park. When backers were preparing to bring the piece before City Council, some locals responded the approval process had moved too quickly and been too narrow. There was too little time spent on the public discussion process, they said. Council liaison to the Arts Commission Stefani Seffinger, former arts commission Chair Andy Stallman and former arts commissioner Sandra Friend all sent emails to commission Chair Ken Engelund expressing concern about the lack of public conversation. City Council unanimously approved the sculpture Sept 20, with the condition that at least two community discussions would give residents ample time to contemplate the proposed sculpture. The Jan. 12 panel at the library will be the first of those two discussions. The second event is yet to be scheduled. Ashland Public Arts Advisory Commission will host the free event. Those interested in attending are invited to fill out a digital survey to help organizers plan for how many people will attend and what questions may frame the discussion. The survey is at https://tinyurl.com/2s3jdtrh . For more information about BASE and the proposed sculpture, see baseoregon.org/say-their-names/ . Reach Mail Tribune reporter Morgan Rothborne at [email protected] or 541-776-4487. Follow her on Twitter @MRothborne.