Detail of Mike Kelley's City 0000 (2009-2011), all works lent by Nicolas Berggruen Charitable Trust (all photos Jeff Jahn)

There are some artists whose work always seems to exist out of time because it deals in themes drawn from a past that never really seems to leave us, namely the roots of civilization and the nostalgic sense of the individual moving within its matrix of hierarchies and permissions. This is a special class of artist, ones who engage the world almost as if they are cultural anthropologists, often through personal source material.

Mike Kelley was such an artist and similar to Cy Twombly his work always seemed to be a humanistic island unto itself and difficult to place in an art historical lexicon that even today is still driven by timelines and trendy stylistic arbitrage. Instead, with Kelley there was always a persistent melancholy, melded with childhood ideals and notions of adult normalcy and transgression, all suffused with a strong Catholic upbringing whose traditions of syncretism... (more)

RECESS presents How to Immigrate to the United States of America, a new series of video works by Paul Clay.

"How to Immigrate to the United States of America is a surreal and dry-humoured series of video works that questions ownership of national and linguistic heritage and our attachments to geography and place. Creating alternate realities through digital video doctoring, special effects, and 3D renderings, the videos walk with the gringo-latino divide that polarizes perceptions, identities and communities in the USA.

Canadian-Irish American, Paul Clay draws heavily from his experiences in and around Hispanic culture and from his reverence of the natural and digital world. He has written and produced several music albums, one entirely in Spanish. Clay received a Bachelor of Arts in Art from Reed College, Portland, Oregon."

RECESS
Opening Reception: Thursday, June 14 | 7:00-10:00 PM
1127 SE 10th Ave
Regular Hours: June 14th - 31st | Wednesday - Saturday | 1:00-5:00 PM

Ralph Rugoff picks his top ten favorite invisible artworks.

Tyler Green reported that the Corcoran may or may not have 22.5 million more in cash to work with, begging the obvious question... do they still have it?

Politifact rates Sam Adams' claim that only 18% of Elementary School students in Portland are getting an arts eduction as true. This is startling and a major blemish on Portland's ever increasing international reputation as a progressive leader. The thing is, does that truth move Portland voters towards adopting the CAN initiative in November? I'm not so sure. It is a harsh fact but without a much better economic climate I fear November is not the best time for CAN's $35 a year income tax to be put to a vote.

There is something to not putting all of your eggs in one basket and Portland should be adopting a more sophisticated approach to civic funding of the arts even without CAN. For example a city like Houston has an over-arching policy that all arts funding be directed at making that city an "arts hub" on an international level. Portland by comparison has a rather dippy approach, which generally favors process over excellence. It is a comparatively insular approach and causes much frustration amongst an art scene, which is active internationally and thus can compare the realities at home and abroad. There is a schism where Portland doesn't support it's most noteworthy creatives with grants etc... yet the most feel good community art (with little merit beyond that) gets funding. We shouldnt just celebrate community as a blanket term we should be asking "what kind of community?" and "do we reward excellence?"

Hyperallergic chooses 9 artists to watch from Bushwick.

One of the greatest things about Portland's art scene is the way artists, architects, clothing designers etc. all work in close proximity and perhaps nowhere is that better exemplified than in at the annual North Coast Seed building open house. It's a feel good event and though it would have been nice to have a few more of the higher profile artists with their spaces open, it was definitely a worthwhile event.



Photographer Tatiana Wills shares the large, well appointed Studio 106 space with Blaine Fontana, Eugenie Fontana and Scott Hewson


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The North Coast Seed Building, home to some of of Portland's best artist studios

It is time again for one of the best open studio events in Portland, The North Coast Seed Building's annual affair... This year they have germanized its spelling with OPEN HAÜS. Who are you to stand against the fury of their capitalized umlaut? Seriously though, with over 30 studios (some used by the best artists in town) it is a great event. Last year over 400 people attended... and that was without umlauts! So get yer lederhosen on and check this out.

"Participants range from Illustrators to Painters to Visual & Product Designers to Wood Workers to Photographers and Performers. Please join us for food, wine, art and a stroll through the historic North Coast Seed BUILDING and the artists' studios that inhabit it."

North Coast Seed Building OPEN HAÜS
Saturday, June 9th, 4 - 10 PM
2127 N Albina Ave.



... (more Jenene Nagy at PDX and Perceptual Control at Worksound)

Chase Biado's Enter: The Troll at PSU's EXIT MFA thesis exhibition AB Lobby space

This month, there are too many talented people receiving their BFAs and MFAs to mention here. The majority of this will come from PNCA. Although it might seem like an overwhelming constellation, it will be well worth wading through. I recommend starting in PNCA's Swigert Commons at the main PNCA building and working your way outwards. The sparkling diamonds in the rough, though, will come from the BFA show Exit at PSU. Chase Biado will be in the AB Lobby, Andre Fortes and Ross Farrier are in the MK Gallery, and the Autzen features the work of J.P. Huckins, Chloe Womack, Krystal South, and many others. It might be a good idea to start there, because the show will end promptly at 8 p.m.

EXIT | The 2012 PSU BFA Thesis Exhibition | various PSU galleries
Exhibition Dates: Thursday, June 7, 2012 - Monday, June 21, 2012
Opening Reception: Thursday, June 7, 2012, 5 - 8 p.m.
Gallery Hours: Monday-Friday: 10-5 p.m.

PNCA's MFA in Visual Studies Thesis Exhibition
First Thursday reception June 7th 6-9PM | May 21 - June 8th
Swigert Commons | 1241 NW Johnson St.


... (more: Germans at Blue Sky and Victory galleries + Alex Felton at PICA for one night)

The post of the day belongs to Tyler Green who assiduously digs through the longstanding institutional malaise that is the Corcoran. It's obvious from reading the piece how the lack of decisive long range planning has hamstrung the institution's ability to even make short term decisions like programming work. It can never be just the building or just one show... it is game of chess and a series of long term strategic moves, not checkers.

It reminds me how the MoCC faced a similar situation and has made a merger with PNCA work by not hamstringing key staff members like Namita Wiggers (disclosure board members are friends and we did talk privately). In that situation I decided to play the skeptic to give that key staff leverage because allowing your curatorial/fundraising staff to plan effectively is essential... they are the captains that pilot the ship away from deadly reefs. Also, having a board that can make tough decisions is equally key in the long term and it is clear from Tyler's piece that there is a complete disconnect between the board and institutional leadership... I fear it wont end well for the Corcoran. Personally, I hope the National Gallery ends up with the building and perhaps even the collection. Suburbia isn't a good place to move to once you've been in the heart of the nation's capital. I see this as a cautionary tale... an institution has to be always moving forward, with a good board. Recently PICA "learned that lesson", though YU should take heed... by having a board and solid programming rather than opportunistic programming and an undeveloped board consiting of the founders who have admitted publicly that they don't have the "credibility" needed. Without those things you simply don't exist as the Corcoran is about to find out.

Artnet has images and some discussion of the Made in LA Biennial. Overall, it doesn't seem like the work is terribly special and definitely not better than what can be seen regularly in Portland's alternative spaces BUT the presentation of it and the overall vibe of the show is infinitely better than what we saw in last year's CNAA's and the recent Portland2012 effort. The difference is the overall intention of the Made in LA's curatorial team to be relevant (both in the city and abroad). There is widespread dissatisfaction amongst Portland's community of sophisticated artists/collectors with our institutions right now. So, if I sound like I'm annoyed with our institutional curators whose job is to attempt to present the local scene... that's because you simply don't get out enough and it really shows. Hint, try curating a show that strays beyond a white, gray and black color scheme or relies on craft as a crutch rather than a ramp from which the viewer is catapulted into the air. Portland is very exciting as a scene but institutionally isn't keeping up with the better artists (who happen to be getting a lot of national/international looks & attention), instead Portland often navel-gazes at artists it has been over-familiar with for 2 decades and don't excite anybody. In other words, step it up (this feeling is widespread and not just my own). BTW, good on Jarl Mohn for upping the ante in LA... for those who are paying attention will recognize his name from the Judd show we did back in 2010.

Holand Carter reviewed Sue Coe, who turns up in Portland from time to time.

The Guardian interviews Jenny Holzer on the subject of her early work.

And last but not least PNCA released this architectural flythough of the planned renovation of the 511 building by Brad Cloepfil/Allied Works. It's a great fundraising tool methinks. Despite the one person talking on a cellphone in a gallery space!

The design itself has come a long way since its earlier more "museumy" iterations. It seems light filled, with numerous multilevel sight lines and very flexible layouts befitting an art school. It reminds me a little of Toyo Ito's Tama Art University library with all of its arc and light elements, which is a good thing (though it just isn't as bold as Ito's design). I like the flying walkways but the thin ceiling mounted movable wall systems always look cheap and wont be good for installation art, just paintings and works on paper a floor based system is more flexible too. This 511 building (which we were the first to see as a game changer)... along with the Kengo Kuma designed Japanese Garden expansion are very exciting architectural projects for Portland.