PORT always takes its time with our official "best of" list and because we kicking off this our 5th year with a staff exhibition in the Pearl District (Re: PORT) we aren't going to break any records.

Here's Tyler Green's best of list for 2009 you can compare it to Christopher Knight's list published last month.

Jerry Saltz has picked his shows of the decade. If I wanted to make a similar list, Robert Irwin's Primaries and Secondaries would top the charts and Matthew Barney wouldn't come close.

My favorite non-Portland shows of 2009 would be: Mike Kelley and Michael Smith at Sculpture Center and Kandinsky at the Guggenheim. If I had seen Francis Bacon at the Met I'm certain that would make the list too. What is notable is show's I wouldn't include... like Martin Kippenberger at MoMA. Fact is, most of my favorite viewing experiences of 2009 were in Marfa and land art scattered throughout the Desert Southwest or a about 3-5 shows in Portland that were easily better than most of the solo shows elsewhere. This isn't favoritism I just feel like some of the shows from Portland in 2009 were that good. I'll have that list done ASAP (hopefully Wednesday).