Intisar Abioto
Intisar Abioto | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1986 Memphis, Tennessee, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Artist, storyteller |
| Years active | 2007–present |
| Known for | The Black Portlanders project, photography, dance, prose, poetry |
Intisar Abioto (born 1986) is a Portland, Oregon–based artist and storyteller whose work spans dance, photography, collaboration, prose, and poetry. Her creative practice delves into themes of time, space, and belonging within the context of the African diaspora. Abioto has journeyed extensively across North America, Europe, and Africa to capture narratives of individual identity and shared community. Her art reimagines the African folklore motif of flight into modern settings, highlighting the fluidity of migration across geographical boundaries. Alongside her four sisters—each an artist—she co-established Studio Abiotto.[1]
Early life and education
Originally from Memphis, Tennessee, Abioto moved to Portland, Oregon during her young adulthood with her family. Together with her sisters, she contributed to infusing Portland’s cultural scene with creativity rooted in their shared heritage. She holds academic credentials from both Spelman College and Wesleyan University.[2]
Career
From 2007 to 2009, Abioto traveled over 200,000 miles globally with her sisters to collect oral histories centered on youth of color. This initiative drew inspiration from Virginia Hamilton’s book The People Could Fly.[3]
In 2013,[4] she initiated The Black Portlanders project, which began as a tumblr blog before expanding into gallery exhibitions. This endeavor broadens conversations about belonging in Portland while confronting African American displacement linked to historical events such as the Vanport flood and urban redevelopment.[5] It also contests Portland’s reputation as "the whitest city in America" by portraying the city’s diverse identities within its urban fabric.[6]
As a member of the African Diaspora, Abioto employs photography to depict transnational migration experiences to Portland from both intimate and transcendent perspectives. In 2015, she collaborated with the Portland chapter of the National Urban League to create visual accompaniments for a reissued State of Black Oregon report that underscored economic disparities influencing migration trends.[7] Her photographic series honors the history of Southern migration to the Pacific Northwest by presenting multiple portraits per subject, unveiling intricate emotional layers through the interplay between camera, artist, and audience.[8]
Exhibitions
Abioto’s artwork has been presented internationally, including venues such as the Portland Art Museum, Littman Gallery at Portland State University, and the former White Box gallery at the University of Oregon in Portland. In 2019, she participated in an exhibition and performance alongside nine Black artists from Oregon at the Oregon State Capitol in Salem as part of a solo show sponsored by the Governor’s Office.
Awards and honors
- 2018: Community Stories Fellowship awarded by Oregon Humanities Emerging Journalists
- 2019: Women of Excellence in the Arts Award bestowed by the Portland Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta sorority
- 2020: Lilla Jewel Award for Womxn Artists granted by the Seeding Justice Foundation