Portland's downtown has been injected with a vibrant dose of color thanks to a new colossal mural spanning nearly 20,000 square feet on the walls of the Washington Center. The installation, titled “7 Pillars,” comes from the mind of New Zealand-born artist Askew One, or Elliott O’Donnell, and is described by the artist as emblematic of vital human principles, including love and empathy. In a statement obtained by the City of Portland (PEMO), the City of Portland hails the project as a beacon of economic revitalization, public safety, and community resilience.
The mural project took shape three years ago after artist Askew One relocated to Portland. His daily Instagram posts—featuring artistic interpretations of words such as care, compassion, and dignity—caught the attention of local organizations and soon evolved from digital sketches into a large-scale urban artwork. The initiative carries added significance given its setting: an area once known as the center of the city’s fentanyl crisis has been reimagined as a symbol of recovery and hope. Askew One partnered with the Portland Street Art Alliance and PEMO to complete the mural, representing the largest art project ever supported by the city office, which has funded public art across Portland but never at this scale.
Spearheaded by the partnership between the Portland Street Art Alliance, Menashe Properties, and Metro regional government, the project aims to revitalize a key part of the downtown core. Anne Hill, director of PEMO, praised this collaboration, saying, "This mural breathes life and joy back into a vital part of our city," and expressing gratitude for the collective work that made the project possible. Tiffany Conklin, executive director of the Portland Street Art Alliance, highlighted the mural's symbolic representation of "the transformative power of public-private partnerships" in an interview gleaned from the City of Portland's news release.
The mural has altered the perception of the city corner it adorns. One cannot help but notice the uplifting imagery now dominating the intersection. "The corner of 4th and Washington hits differently now when I pass by — it's impossible not to feel something when you see Elliot's vision come to life on such a key corner in downtown," Lauren Menashe of Menashe Properties told the City of Portland's PEMO. She added, "This mural has become a symbol of what Portland can be, and we hope it inspires more action, creativity, and momentum across our beloved city. We appreciate our partnership with the City of Portland and PSAA in making this possible." The mural's construction was assisted by a host of local artists and members of the street art community who utilized their talents to help Askew One achieve this vivid embodiment of Portland's heart and soul, according to the same news release.
