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Portland art blog + news + exhibition reviews + galleries + contemporary northwest art
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Monday 07.31.06 Betty Bowen Deadline Extended  Clearcut by Victoria Haven Visual artists in Oregon, Washington, and Idaho are encouraged to apply for the prestigious Betty Bowen Memorial Award, facilitated through the Seattle Art Museum. Not only is this an unrestricted cash prize (the last few years have seen an $11,000 award), but this is also a great opportunity to have your work seen by SAM curators and Betty Bowen committee members. Past recipients include Victoria Haven, Marie Watt, and Brian Murphy. And here's the best part, they are reviewing digital submissions as well as slides! So, you have no excuse. Here are the details: (more...) Posted by Jenene Nagy on July 31, 2006 at 12:02 | Comments (0) PermalinkSaturday 07.29.06 Weekly Web Round-up 
It’ll have to be a mini round up this week as I’m happily stuck in the studio and can’t tear myself away for long. I’m neglecting everything and everyone and though it feels selfish on some level – I have a family to care for and the laundry is piling up – I'm really not feeling that bad......(more) Posted by Melia Donovan on July 29, 2006 at 12:25 | Comments (0) PermalinkFriday 07.28.06 Your Insider's Guide to the Oregon Biennial  Federico Nessi's Hero #1 The Oregon Biennial opens Saturday night. Here is your insider's guide: (PORT brought you this Oregon Biennial list first) As the curator Jennifer Gately states in her essay, " Those who track the scene here will find relatively few surprises." That probably means you PORT readers...(much more) Posted by Jeff Jahn on July 28, 2006 at 19:45 | Comments (1) PermalinkThursday 07.27.06 Organism launch event Yes, the Organism launch is tonight
at the Wonder Ballroom
(tickets are $20 for day of). Small Sails opens at 8:00, then Pipilotti Rist's,
"Im Not The Girl Who Misses Much" will be presented on two large backlit
screens. It's a major piece and the work that brought her international stardom.
Through the rock-n-roll sound system it should be quite the experience. Then evening
will culminate with an all experimental set by Courtney Taylor-Taylor and other members
of the Dandy Warhols. It will feature an intense 3 drummer rhythm section and some very cool
visuals. Big Thank You's go out to New
Deal Distillery, the Wonder Ballroom, KNRK
for the free publicity and especially Court, the rest of the musicians and those
who made it all happen. See you there, should be stunning. Look for a major update
to the website too...
Posted by Jeff Jahn on July 27, 2006 at 11:12 | Comments (0) PermalinkScott Wayne Indiana's Liz Taylor Piece at Grey I Area 
I would like to defend Scott Wayne Indiana's "The Liz Taylor Piece" which appears in the last week of the concise and expertly curated (by TJ Norris) Grey I Area show at the Guestroom Gallery. Almost universally panned, this particular piece of SWI's presents some interesting aesthetic problems which I would like to explore. Isn't there something special about art that is universally despised? Often it seems like despicable art is that which discards accepted tropes of "the authentic" in favor of convoluted recursions of the acknowledged "inauthentic." I see SWI's enigmatic piece as reverse Warhol, an immediate observation of the slickness, reproducibility, and predatory avarice of transacted / leveled / modulated identity (like Warhol's relationship to Coke) attacked through the simple tactile process of tearing, cutting, and sticking. In defense of this work it is perhaps better to think of the object as the artifact of a performance rather than as a sculpture. The performance "The Liz Taylor Piece" represents is the simple act of touching this book...(more) Posted by Isaac Peterson on July 27, 2006 at 0:00 | Comments (7) PermalinkWednesday 07.26.06 Get a Job  Great opportunity for the smart and savvy. And, it really isn't as far away as you think. Full-time Temporary Photography Instructor for 2006/07 year. Teaching responsibilities will include 18 contact hours of Digital Photography and Darkroom Photography. Other responsibilities will include overseeing darkroom and computer labs and supervising Lab Technician. (more...) Posted by Jenene Nagy on July 26, 2006 at 17:11 | Comments (0) PermalinkHe Still has it after all these years Tyler Green reports that Portland's own Allied
Works Architecture has been shortlisted for the new Clyfford Still museum in Denver.
Cloepfil and Co, will face some very steep competition from David Chipperfield (who makes austere...umm fun) and SANAA (who practices an elegant form of restraint) though.
Posted by Jeff Jahn on July 26, 2006 at 14:04 | Comments (0) PermalinkTuesday 07.25.06 Grey|Area reviewed by Avantika Bawa  sculpture by j.frede Grey|Area, curated by TJ Norris at the Guestroom Gallery in Portland, Oregon is an aptly titled show, which exhibits the work of thirteen West Coast artists. The works in the show include a range of media that either deliberately or unknowingly resist immediate and easy categorization. Instead they confidently straddle established genres, revealing in the process the scope of overlapping territories. By drawing attention to serendipitous details, a tactile minimalism and the often unseen, this overlapped grey area becomes a huge platform that initiates thought and provokes debate. What is it that makes this overlapped space -- this blur -- a space worthy of exploration? This question resonated as I navigated the show... (more) Posted by Guest on July 25, 2006 at 17:03 | Comments (1) PermalinkTramming it up In case you missed it when construction workers put up the tram tower, commissioner
Sam's blog has some nice pics.
Posted by Jeff Jahn on July 25, 2006 at 11:50 | Comments (0) PermalinkMonday 07.24.06 Exhibition Opportunity and FUNDED Opportunity Two interesting Calls for Artists were announced last week:
The Portland Art Center is looking to step up their programming. Artists are invited to submit proposals for both the Main Gallery, located on the first floor, and the Light and Sound Gallery, located on the second. Both galleries boast a selection committee of local notables including David Eckard and Cris Moss. Now that PAC is seeming to settle into its home a bit, this should prove to be an exciting opportunity for many of the local up and comers. Proposals for both galleries are due September 30. Submissions can be sent to: Portland Art Center (Indicate which gallery you are applying for) PO Box 6082 Portland, Oregon 97228 Sadly, as of today, this information and details for applying are not listed on PAC’s web site. Best bet will be to contact them directly. To do so, click here. And now, on to the big money: Hoyt Street Properties is seeking a professional Northwest artist to create permanent original art for the lobby of its newest condominium community- The Metropolitan. Located in the heart of the Pearl District, The Metropolitan will stand at 19 stories and will house luxury condominiums, innovative live/work spaces, and street-level retail space. The total budget for The Metropolitan lobby art project is $25,000. This sum must cover the winning artist’s fees and expenses associated with the project such as: travel, materials, production, installation, tools and supplies, scaffolding, and art movement. The Selection Panel will choose three finalists from the applicant base prior to determining the winning artist. The finalists will be asked to develop site-specific conceptual proposals for presentation to the Selection Panel. These artists will receive a stipend of $3000 for their time and professional effort invested in developing, completing, and presenting proposals. Deadline for proposals is September 1. For more information, click here. Posted by Jenene Nagy on July 24, 2006 at 11:59 | Comments (3) PermalinkSunday 07.23.06 The other Washington posts on the Oregon Biennial It looks like the Oregon Biennial (which opens a week from now) will be getting
some national hype this year... considering the recent
travel article in the Washington Post. You will need to get a password etc...
(ughh). Nothing new here but Portland's own lil Chandra Bocci (who makes Phoebe Washburn
look sooo weak) gets some nice props and pics in it... that's fine, the news is out and Portland's oldish
news is now fresh for the rest of the country.
Posted by Jeff Jahn on July 23, 2006 at 17:26 | Comments (0) PermalinkFriday 07.21.06 It might cool off....right?
Kitchen Sink: Welcome Home, Stranger
If you're not headed towards cooler weather and sticking around town this weekend there's an event taking place in St Johns that might make the heat bearable. 20 artists, 7 bands and 2 DJ’s will infiltrate a vacant house in St. Johns on July 22nd for a one-night-only multidisciplinary arts event titled Kitchen Sink: Welcome Home, Stranger. Invited visual artist's will fill the home’s empty rooms with site-specific installations. Band's in the backyard, performance, short films and a DJ-assisted dance party round out the festivities. Email kitchen.sink.art@gmail for more information. Saturday, July 22 • Doors at 3p, Music at 5p • 5037 N. Princeton $2-5 Donation. Posted by Melia Donovan on July 21, 2006 at 21:11 | Comments (0) PermalinkThursday 07.20.06 Weekly Web Round-up Trash When did trash become so cool? I ask you that question because as I write and edit this piece I am drinking wine out of a can – with a bendy straw. Posted by Melia Donovan on July 20, 2006 at 22:06 | Comments (6) PermalinkWe Will Link You We are waiting on confirmation for a number of cool news items regarding the Portland art scene but I wanted
to point out we have added 2 more blog items to our links page:
Matt McCormick's Action Items (part of the fabulous Urban Honking family)... this is what happens when a noted documentary filmmaker has jury duty. Rob Wilcox's Portland Or US Now... Rob used to be Bob, but now he's making the difficult transition to Rob-dom. Posted by Jeff Jahn on July 20, 2006 at 17:12 | Comments (2) PermalinkWednesday 07.19.06 Organism Emerges 
Details of (PORT's own) Jeff Jahn's latest curatorial concoction have begun to emerge. Organism's nascent aesthetic is one of hyperconnectivity and rampant lateral growth in which different genres and ideas freely intertwine, following the model of neurons forming new and unexpected synaptic connections. For instance, in it's launch event, it creates an interchange between Rock Stars like Courtney Taylor-Taylor of the Dandy Warhols, and video art by Pipilotti Rist. The launch is called Introducing Organism it is a fundraiser, kickoff and exhibit on July 27th at the Wonder Ballroom (tickets are available at ticketmaster the wonder ballroom and by sending an email to organism: Info@artorganism.org Music will be provided by The Dandy Warhols along with Small Sails opening. There will be 1 piece of video art by Pipilotti Rist as well as more info on organism at the event. Tickets are $15 advance $20 day of, $40 VIP lounge (upstairs and includes two free vodka drinks, thanks to Portland's own New Deal Vodka). Organism's website can be found at: www.artorganism.org more details.... Posted by Isaac Peterson on July 19, 2006 at 6:13 | Comments (0) PermalinkMonday 07.17.06 Portlanding about It's been a busy week in Portland with a lot of visual arts coverage:
There was D.K's long article on Henk Pander in The O. The Oregonian also had a Brian Libby review of Tim Dalbow and Michael Henzley's shows in the A&E. John Motley reviewed the Portrait Show in the Mercury. For me Storm Tharp was the obvious master of the genre but Nat Andreini's air guitar video was a nice turn as well. It's a good show, everyone should seek it out if you missed it. Richard Speer reviewed James' Boulton's latest in the WWEEK. Also, yes I'm getting ready to launch Organism (with the help of a very talented and committed team). Tickets have been available since Friday for the launch event + video art screening even. There are a lot of stories coming out on it this week so I will play fair, besides PORT isn't just some PR vehicle for Organism. Still, be sure PORT will fill you in some more in the coming days... it's worth the wait. Posted by Jeff Jahn on July 17, 2006 at 22:46 | Comments (3) PermalinkSaturday 07.15.06 Sometimes a Flower is Just a Flower 
The details of Georgia O'Keeffe's life and complicated artistic and personal relationship with photographer Alfred Stieglitz have inspired scads of biographies and an inance devotion to dissecting the personal life of this iconic Modernist painter. For those who just can't get enough of O'Keeffee, writer and critic Hunter Drohojowska-Philp will give a talk this Sunday at the Portland Art Museum on Georgia O'Keeffe in the 1930s: A Woman Changed. Author of the recently published biography Works Full Bloom: The Art and Life of Georgia O'Keeffe , Drohojowska-Philp will discuss how O'Keeffe's struggle to balance her burgeoning career with her tumultuous relationship with Stieglitz drove her to leave Manhattan and establish herself in New Mexico in the 1930s. Tickets required. Call: 503.226.0973 Lecture •Sunday, July 16th • 2 p Fields Sunken Ballroom • Portland Art Museum • 1219 SW Park Ave • 503.226.0973 Admission: $10 General (includes entry into exhibitions), Free for members Posted by Katherine Bovee on July 15, 2006 at 10:41 | Comments (0) PermalinkAdam Bailey at Portland Art Center  Adam Bailey's Lineage of Harmonic Sensation at The Portland Art Center is the first show to really fullfill the promise of this organization since John Mace's exciting and slightly overcooked rookie show in March 2005. What's more, instead of yet another impossible to categorize group show whose basic premise is to create a turnout, it actually allows one to gauge Bailey as an artist. It's flawed but in the worthwhile ways expected in a big debut. Practically everyone has pretty much demanded more from PAC and it looks like they took it to heart. This is a good start and it made my day to see something I liked at PAC. As I toured the gallery completely alone (just try that at MoMA) I simply enjoyed the visual and aural pulse of the show, despite its shortcomings. This large room sized installation is basically a catalog of experience art media. It includes light as sculpture a la a lesser James Turrell, sculpture that ...(more) Posted by Jeff Jahn on July 15, 2006 at 5:43 | Comments (0) PermalinkThursday 07.13.06 Cancel your plans! Art this weekend! 
Friday and Saturday boast two offerings of note in Portland for art-o-philes and those that love them. Posted by Melia Donovan on July 13, 2006 at 22:17 | Comments (0) PermalinkThe Metrop$20litan Museum The Met is increasing
its admissions price to $20, same as MoMA's dander raising fee. Carol
Vogel broke the story in the NYT's and Tyler Green has been all
over it, here and in
general. In Portland the high admission fee is a big discussion point as well.
Is this the long awaited that the massive super sizing museum building campaigns
that started in the late 90's have wrought? Yes, the Met has expanded but not
recently.
Posted by Jeff Jahn on July 13, 2006 at 12:16 | Comments (11) PermalinkWednesday 07.12.06 Isermann is the Man  Jim Isermann's Untitled (0205), 2005 When in Chicago a few weeks ago I took in Jim Isermann's Untitled (0205) at the excellent Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA). Situated in the lobby on massive white walls the faceted white panels play with light and space, the two most common aspects of experience art. I've seen a lot of Isermanns and I always enjoy them, but somehow this one struck a slightly different but good chord, it was like a visual iceberg. It is bit colder and as uniform as a Sol Lewitt, but soo different in effect because I kept thinking about Rem Koolhaas' buildings and their use of disorientation to heighten the viewer's level of perceptual engagement. One could just say, "you had to be there," for most of these kinds of installations but I think there is a greater need for this sort of space that presents physical questions. These days museum lobbies seem to host a lot of the most interesting work. For me it's like a little ginger to cleanse the palette before more sushi. The process of getting prepared to look at work is an interesting subject in itself for art and for those that think that minimalist (is it even abstraction, or simply refined forms?) is a rejection of engagement with the world couldn't be more wrong. Posted by Jeff Jahn on July 12, 2006 at 13:39 | Comments (0) PermalinkTuesday 07.11.06 Worth the Trip  This month the multi-faceted John Brodie will be showing new paintings, books, and objects at the Glenn and Viola Walters Cultural Arts Center. Curated by Carl Annala, the exhibit also features new work by Joe McMurrian. Both artists create work on intimate and heroic scale; be prepared to be drawn in and impressed. Although it is all the way out in Hillsboro, I think this will be one not to miss. Opening reception TONIGHT July 11 from 6-8pm. Show runs until August 25. John Brodie and Joe McMurrian July 2- August 25 Glenn and Viola Walters Cultural Arts Center 527 E. Main • Hillsboro OR 97123 Posted by Jenene Nagy on July 11, 2006 at 16:53 | Comments (0) PermalinkMonday 07.10.06 Weekly Web Roundup  Time once again for the Weekly Web Roundup....(more) Posted by Melia Donovan on July 10, 2006 at 8:00 | Comments (0) PermalinkSunday 07.09.06 Matt McCormick in The New Tork Times One of our favorite Portlanders, Matt
McCormick got a nice
writeup in The New York Times Friday for his piece in the Uncertain States
of America Show (Portlanders have been getting a lot of coverage there lately
and we also know Roberta really likes Portland's civics). Sure, Matt's "Subconscious
Art Of Grafitti" removal is really old old news here (circa 2001). I wrote about it in
Modern Painters back in early 2004 and Art Forum noted it before that, but more about
Matt's work is always better, especially from Roberta Smith. The thing is his
work holds up over time and as Matt so succinctly put it, "Go Team Portland!"
Posted by Jeff Jahn on July 09, 2006 at 17:45 | Comments (0) PermalinkFriday 07.07.06 First Friday July 2006  Corin Hewitt at Small A Projects Atlas of the Unknown Romanticisms of the Great Outdoors. Features Graham Anderson, Sarah Braman & Phil Grauer, Corin Hewitt, Jessica Jackson Hutchins, Asha Schechter. Curated by Tina Kukielski. small A projects 1430 SE Third PDX 97214 503.234.7993 Opens July 7 from 6 to 9p. Portrait Show Over 35 local and formerly local Portland artists. Includes Storm Tharp, Paige Saez, Sean Healy, James Boulton, Kristan Kennedy and Isaac Peterson. Curated by Levi Hanes. The Hall Gallery 630 SE 3rd ave PDX 971.570.2290 Opens July 7 from 6 to 10:30 p. Closing Reception July 27 from 6 to 10:30 p. Posted by Nicky Kriara on July 07, 2006 at 10:32 | Comments (0) PermalinkWednesday 07.05.06 First Thursday July 2006  Utopian Architecture by James Boulton at Pulliam Deffenbaugh James Boulton • painting A 2003 Oregon Biennial artist, his style is inspired by both abstract expressionism and grafitti culture. Pulliam Deffenbaugh Gallery 929 NW Flanders Portland, OR 97209 • 503.228.6665 First Thursday Opening July 6, 2006. 5:30 to 8p. Ends July 29, 2006. Oxygen Paintings • Joe Macca Focusing on giving breath color, Macca uses thin translucent coats of paint to meditate on moments of pleasure, pain, tension, joy, rage, etc. PDX Contemporary Art 925 NW Flanders Street Portland, OR 97209 • 503.222.0063 First Thursday Opening July 6, 2006. 6 to 8 p. Ends July 29, 2006. more........ Posted by Nicky Kriara on July 05, 2006 at 10:12 | Comments (2) PermalinkMonday 07.03.06 Holiday reading It's a busy holiday time but just in case you need a little more to read:
The latest Visual Codec is out and I penned a review (such archeic terms!) of Horia Boboia's recent show. Also, Matt Stadler published this bit on his favorite painting at PAM. (While we are at it, my fave is Ernst Ludwig Kirchner's Fir Trees) Posted by Jeff Jahn on July 03, 2006 at 17:04 | Comments (1) Permalink |
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