Lawrence Pitre’s series of narrative paintings We Are One honors the legacy and diversity of Seattle’s Central District from 1840 to the present day. Eschewing traditional perspective in favor of a flattened and abstracted treatment, Pitre depicts the Central District’s history of African American, Chinese, Jewish, and Filipino communities with vibrancy and intensity.
The alarming rate of urban development and its impact on these longstanding communities, especially the African American community, is at the core of the work. We Are One is a statement about racial injustice as much as it is historic interpretation.
The collection highlights prominent figures and iconic places, including former Seattle city councilman Wing Luke; Sister Gregory, Pitre’s aunt who became a nun at the age of 16; the residents and shacks of Hooverville; and the Gang of Four, a group of four men from different cultural backgrounds who formed a powerful political alliance to combat inequity. He paints the faces of all of these figures in a Cubist style, showing several different outlooks and emotions simultaneously.
“Recognizing the continued struggle and lack of representation of communities of color in the arts has led me here, to help reveal our stories and experiences. The idea behind this series is to express how important diversity really is in a community,” Pitre says. “The inclusiveness behind the work is meant to show that we need each other again. We have to come back together and start standing up for our community as a whole.”
Lawrence Pitre was born in Seattle’s Central District. Much like other children growing up, he searched for an identity—and visual art became that mystical vehicle. After receiving his AA degree, Lawrence transferred to the University of Washington’s School of Art, where he began to cultivate his artistic vision under the direction of Jacob Lawrence.
Upon completion of his BFA, followed by years spent in a government career, he decided to again follow his artistic passion and enrolled in the Masters of Fine Arts Leadership Program at Seattle University. He graduated in 2017.
Pitre sees his artistic endeavors as a way to depict his own struggles, joys, and love for life. He seeks to understand the process of creativity in the way a theoretical physicist seeks to understand the universe.
The show opens on First Thursday, September 6 from 6-8 pm, and runs through the 27th. Gallery 4 Culture is open from 9 am to 5 pm Monday through Friday and located at 101 Prefontaine Place South, Seattle, WA 98104
Image Credit: Lawrence Pitre. 24th Street Market, 2017. Acrylic on Canvas. 30 x 24 inches.
Creative Justice, a arts-based alternative to incarceration for King County youth, expands through partnerships with MOHAI and the Seattle Public Library, providing a conduit for voices of youth leadership. Now in its third year, Creative Justice serves as a model for policy makers of a community based solution to incarceration for moderate to high-risk youth. Instead of jail time, King County youth are supported by a community network that provides tools to develop skills and build the relationships they need to thrive.
Capitol Hill-based artist John Criscitello will exhibit In Code, a new body of work at 4Culture this September. It will feature rock stars, re-imagined album covers, and printed garments. Through the use of traditional media, video, and installation, the show builds on themes of gay identity and the fragile architecture of masculinity.
4Culture, King County’s funding agency for arts and culture, is currently offering project grants to support the cultural activities in our region that make life so vibrant and interesting. The grants support projects that have the arts, heritage and preservation as their core focus. If you (or someone you know) live in King County, is at least 18 years old, and working on a project in one of these program areas, then you are eligible to apply.
