Surplus Space

Appropriately, Surplus Space is ending its run today with senseofplace LAB's curation, a title/happening that accurately describes the venue's brief existence. Instead of finely tuned exhibitions I'd characterize its output as a laboratory for inhabiting space with art and functioned almost as a kind of clubhouse. It is a kindred to other experimentally minded alternative spaces like the now closed Recess, Appendix and HQ Initiative and similarly its output tended to be more of a becoming rather than a a presenter of tight fully realized statements. That isn't a slight, interesting art cities like Portland need laboratories where things develop and these spaces need more financial support... and acknowledgement from more established institutions to complete the circle of relevance and patronage. In the past, some spaces like Haze Gallery and the New American Art Union managed to achieve both experimentation and excellence... they remain perhaps the two best programmed spaces in the past 16 years. Other newish spaces like Muscle Beach, S1 and Melanie Flood Projects carry a similar sense of influence and promise as they resemble how another now longish running alt space, False Front, always seem oriented towards putting on a good show. Sometimes a lab can just be a place of experimentation without judgement like Surplus Space... or at least it seemed a tad phobic of being judged as a final product. That's fine.

Thus, let's celebrate the diffuse nature of Surplus Space with its 5 part senseofplace LAB curated egress... here is their description:

1)Commemorative Donations as Installation

senseofplace LAB invites meaningful (to you) contributions that will become the materials for this work. Contributions can take any form, and will communicate and tell your stories.

2) Surplus Space Marker

The Surplus community is invited to design a small marker to be placed in front of the space, to mark the imprint of the gallery on the neighborhood. Markers should be made of materials that can withstand the elements, and be on the smallish side so when they are left outside they will be less likely to be removed. All the markers that are made will be installed in the gallery as part of the installation, and then placed out front as part of a ceremony during the opening.

3)Median as Commemorative Space

Over a period of two days before the opening, senseofplace LAB will invite collaboration to turn the median in front of the gallery into a location to acknowledge the gallery's presence. The space will be 'launched' during an event at the opening.

4)Markings (Surplus)

During the opening, the community will have an opportunity to fill out tags that are printed with 'This is where...' and attached to flags in the gallery as part of the installation.

5)Radial Shadows (Surplus) will be a series of site-responsive shadow drawings.

senseofplace Lab curates Surplus Space | October 31 - ?
Opening October 31 6 - 9PM
Surplus Space
3726 Ne 7th