Announcing... NOW Portland Trienniale in 2015 with a kickoff event February 1st 2013 that will give more details and open a conversation on this multi-location event in the city. The team behind this (some with experience doing the Guangzhou Triennial) has formed a strong coalition with major and mid level Portland arts institutions + international contacts. Here's the official PR:

"A thematic exhibition dedicated to the promotion and dissemination of contemporary ideas. NOW provides a fresh and critical forum to showcase contemporary art from around the globe for six weeks in 2015 in Portland, Oregon.

NOW Portland Triennale is an international exhibition and global platform for contemporary art hosted by the city of Portland in order to bring the rich culture of the Pacific Northwest in conversation with the international creative and intellectual community. NOW will stand as the only international contemporary art exhibition of its size and scope west of the Mississippi, highlighted by six weeks of forums, exhibitions, lectures, and community based events.

In the tradition of other great international exhibitions NOW Triennale aims to cement Portland’s place in the global cultural sphere; with a curatorial model rooted in multiple perspectives, the exhibitions of NOW will share an expansive view of artistic strategies and rigor being practiced around the world.

Portland's creative community has contributed to the branding of this naturally beautiful city and the larger geographic region. From its celebrated culinary movements, advertising and design legacy, the great breadth and integration of its arts with alternative civic visions, Portland has situated itself on the global radar. Do to the unique combination of the city's cultural offerings Portland is in a particularly advantageous position to host an international cultural forum of this scope."

Portland's art scene has gone through a dramatic transformation since I (and thousands of others) moved here in the past 13+ years. This new scene has an international outlook with the contacts to back it up. Portland also happens to be the most happening city in the USA so it makes sense that the city put on a showcase 6 week event like NOW. So instead of waiting for any one Portland institution to create a signature international level showcase a coalition effort will put one on. They will be producing a kickoff event called Not So Quiet February 1st 9-12PM (location to be released shortly).

Here's the PR for the kickoff:

"We are proud to present Not So Quiet, a commencement party for the first phase of a new project conceived by a diverse group of local artists, curators, gallerists, and writers under the direction of Modou Dieng.  Please join us for a special night of varied contemporary art praxes and music on the evening of Friday, February 1, 2013.  Programming for the event will include a dance performance by San Francisco based choreographer and performance artist Renee Rhodes, readings by Portland based writer and poet Matthew Dickman, intellectual stimuli from critical theorist and author Barry Sanders, PhD, unique sonic textures by local duo Golden Retriever, and DJs spinning throughout the evening.  Not So Quiet will also feature the paintings of Jason Traeger, and video works by San Francisco based artist Anne Colvin among other guests.  A $15 cover will grant access to an array of art, poetry, and music complemented by a full bar. Not So Quiet is precisely what this event will be."

NOT SO QUIET includes:

Performance by Renee Rhodes (SF)
Readings by Barry Sanders (PDX) and Matthew Dickman (PDX)
Video by Ann Colvin (SF)
Paintings by Jason Traeger (PDX)
Music by Golden Retriever (PDX)


*Update: Location will be the former Worksound warehouse at 920 SE Adler. You may RSVP on Facebook here or emailing: info@nowtriennial.org

So where is this little Not So Quiet event happening?

Also curious, does anyone know why it is called a "triennale", the Italian word for triennial?

Probably for emphasis on the international nature... most of the cultural words are Latinate anyways