Joan Lundell

Our Portland Story Summer Expo. was a collaboration in graphic and exhibit design with Melissa Delzio, founder of Our Portland Story.  It is a publication of short stories drawn from the memories of Portlanders and illustrated by local artists as a alternative way to share the history of the city through personal encounters.  The Summer Expo exhibit and event series at the Museum of Contemporary Craft created an experiential component to the collection of stories and the Our Portland Story brand.

STRATEGY

We categorized the stories included in the two part book series by themes based on place, object and music.  We then developed programming around each theme, enabling participants to engage with the book while recalling their own encounters with the city. We also created “The Cabinet of Curiosity,” a showcase of peculiar objects associated with the stories to draw in onlookers and ignite curiosity about the project. 

OUTCOME

Over a period of six weeks, museum visitors viewed the exhibit and participated in a variety of program activities centered on stories from the book, including devising their own “perfect place,” joining in improvisational comedy acts, recording their own stories and mapping their memories, thus creating the Our Portland Story experience.

Collaborators: Melissa Delzio, Joan Lundell and the Museum of Contemporary Craft

Website: OUR PORTLAND STORY