Artifact? Fossil? Friend? We may never know. Nevertheless this mysterious bear in Bramhall Square will be a strange and wonderful catalyst of community— the Keeper of the Picnic.
Commissioned in 2021 by the city of Portland and the Parkside Neighborhood Association, the Keeper of the Picnic is the public art component of Bramhall Square’s upcoming renovation — now expected to begin in 2026.
By volume, this enormous sculpture is over 90% imaginary. First-time visitors to Bramhall Square will discover it little bit by little bit as they make their way:
What’s this at the end of the crosswalk? A clue! … a claw? A CLAWED CLUE!? Then who should appear over the rise, as I wandered through the terraces, but the owner of those curled up claws! A MYSTERIOUS COLOSSUS — dozing so peacefully, cozy under thick covers… Hey, is anyone else hungry?
