People, Places, Things: Paul Knauls, Portland

Paul Knauls, known to many as the unofficial mayor of Northeast Portland, stands outside his home. Beside him is a sign created by Molly Sherman and Emily Fitzgerald as part of People's Homes, a social practice project the two have worked on since 2015. “This project investigates home, gentrification, aging and connection between personal and public,” Fitzgerald writes. “We paired five Portland-based artists with five older homeowners in North and Northeast Portland. Each artist made an artwork that reflects the participant’s life, stories, and connection to home, which is displayed on a sign in the front yard of the residence along with a free publication including interviews with residents and artists. This sign, made in collaboration with artist Patricia Vásquez Gómez, displays images from Mr. Knauls’ life in Portland and relationship with his late wife, Geneva. Mr. Knauls lives in my neighborhood, and to this day I visit him and refill his newspaper box.”  

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