Maya Hoover / The Mossy Log
If you have been wandering around Portland and have noticed more crows than usual, you are not imagining things. These statues were created to commemorate the upcoming release of “Wildwood,” an animated film set in Portland and created by LAIKA. This exhibition, titled “Wildwood: Follow the Crows,” is a public art trail scattered throughout the city. The trail includes a total of 30 crows, each standing about six feet tall, and each hand painted by a local artist. This endeavor follows 2024’s “Coraline’s Curious Cat Trail,” an art trail honoring the 15th anniversary of the acclaimed film. Like the Coraline exhibit before it, the Wildwood crows are benefiting the OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital through an auction on Nov. 15.
The Wildwood film is based on Colin Meloy’s 2011 novel “Wildwood,” the first book in the three-part “Wildwood Chronicles” series. The story is centered around the journey of Prue as she embarks on a journey to rescue her baby brother from the grasp of an unknown, enchanted world that exists beyond the bounds of her reality. LAIKA describes the film as “A tale of love, loss, sacrifice, and secrets, and of the magic you can find on your doorstep, if you’re willing to look for it.”
Though the movie will not be released in theaters until Oct. 23, its trailer depicts Prue entering a dangerous magical world in an attempt to rescue her brother. Within the trailer, the crows are depicted as agents of the forest, spiriting away Prue’s brother and instigating her great journey. Portland crows similarly invite viewers to embark on a journey of their own through the city.
The crows of Wildwood around Portland are not solely references to the upcoming film — each individual crow in the exhibit was painted by a local artist, and as such each design has its own meaning. Lil Hobbit Cosmonaut’s “Kindred Spirits,” located next to the Keller Fountain, draws inspiration from Irish myth and Celtic art. Cosmonaut specifically recognizes the relationship between the Choctaw and Irish peoples, honoring the Kindred Spirits sculpture in Ireland. The Irish work was originally created as a show of respect for the Choctaw Nation’s many donations during the Great Hunger, which Cosmonaut mirrors in their piece.
Taking a different approach to her work, Stephanie Hower Derheimer created “Stash,” an homage to the children’s hospital and all of the warmth it has provided to the Portland community. Located behind the OHSU Knight Cancer Research Building, “Stash” is predominantly purple and includes a variety of designs, resembling a quilt. The plaque placed next to the statue notes that Derheimer was inspired by the variety of trinkets and scraps collected by crows in the wild, and referenced this practice by incorporating a variety of images from the OHSU campus into her design.
Though this exhibit was specifically created to benefit the children’s hospital, it has had a variety of other positive impacts on Portland life. While visiting Cosmonaut’s “Kindred Spirits” I met Melissa, a Portland resident of nine years who has been enjoying the existence of a free public art initiative in town. When asked for her thoughts on the impact of this exhibit on the city, Melissa noted the way the crows have encouraged people to get out and explore more.
“If you’re following the trail on the app, it leads you to so many different places that you might not have otherwise been,” Melissa said.
Her final sentiment was one of appreciation, noting that the statues will definitely be missed when they are removed for the auction in November.
During my own journey, I met a wide variety of people – older couples taking photographs, bikers trying to visit every statue in one day, families both large and small laughing and taking pictures of the colorful figures. There was an overwhelming sense of community around every statue I discovered, and though these crows will not exist forever, for now they serve as a reminder of the people and places that make Portland feel connected.
The Wildwood: Follow the Crows exhibit will be on display at its variety of locations through Oct. 30, with all 30 sculptures gathering for a farewell weekend Oct. 31-Nov. 1. The associated app is available on the App Store or Google Play and further event information and maps can be found at OHSU’s foundation site.
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