PORT

First Weekend Picks July 2009

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 09:57:43 -0800

Ty Ennis

NAAU presents the next installation in the Couture series: Ty Ennis' You'll Love It Here: The Lilac City Track Murders '96-'98, a multimedia installation of drawing, photography, and sculpture. Ennis' "preparation for this exhibit has involved one of the most thorough examinations to date of Spokane's most infamous serial killer, Robert Lee Yates. His nearly 2 year endeavor documenting murder sites, scouring of all available literature and fleshing out the lives effected during this capsule of time in Spokane, demonstrate a type of artistic discovery that questions the role art can play in the historical record. By lending a sympathetic and informed eye to the memory of events more so remembered through hard-line fact alone, Ty builds a revisionist history using unique visual and written documents."

Opening reception • 6-9pm • July 3
New American Art Union • 922 SE Ankeny • 503.231.8294

Jennifer Locke presents CRISIS 40, a performance at Rocksbox. The exhibition will remain up through August 2.

Opening performance • 9pm • July 4
Rocksbox Fine Art • 6540 N Interstate • 503.516.4777

The New Faces of the Portland Art Scene

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 15:00:35 -0800

Whether the economy is bubbling or collapsing Portland continues to attract new faces (often with new spaces). With more and more leaders to our ever growing and evolving scene there is most certainly yet another new wave in effect. Here are just a few of the new faces everyone should have on their radar (I'm certain there are many more... it's impossible to keep track of the in flow so feel free to nominate them in the comments).

The attention getting Jhordan Dahl caught our attention as an artist in 2007 at the Affair at the Jupiter hotel in Mark Woolley's bathroom (while still a PNCA student) and her most recent curatorial effort White Noise. She's serious, smart and sweats the details with a lot of edge... setting her apart from most of the softer slacker/hipster wannabe artists we spend a lot of time ignoring. I'd like to go on the record stating there haven't been enough young, independent female curators active in Portland... (a few years ago it seemed overbalanced with to many alpha male efforts.. many of which were more alpha male territorial exercises than concerted curatorial efforts). Let's hope she pulls together a solo show of her own work or another group show this summer.

Justin Bland is a 2008 PNCA graduate who has been very active as a curator of shows like Monster at Appendix Project space and the impressively professional Green Oregon (a much bigger survey like this is in order). In Miami's 2008 art fair he participated in Deitch Projects "Rad Moon Rising: Portland Art Now, curated by Nathan Howdeshell.

Justin Alpern is a 2007 Linfield College grad who has set up his new gallery at 2552 NW Vaughn as the front end of his video production business. The space is excellent for solo shows and though he's just getting started with programming he expects the space will focus mostly on experimental installations and performance by late fall. Right now he's getting his feet wet. Add this to the growing list of new alternative spaces that continue to make Portland's visual art scene exciting.

Christina Olsen joined the Portland Art Museum as their new Director of Education and Public Programs this past spring, coming from the LA's prestigious Getty Center. She's sharp as a tack and her presence is already connecting the museum and community at large to the art scene more with a higher profile series of museum talks and educational outreach programs (that I hear about through my friends with school age children).

Charles Olson, a 2007 U of O intermedia grad who has been putting on some of the best up and coming solo shows in Portland at his Everett Station Loft alt-space Tractor (this space has previously been home to the exceptional Nil and Field galleries which launched a lot of careers). As an artist Olson is a bit of a mad scientist technologist and he's got some big time design world experience... so definitely watch this guy.

Micah Malone is originally from Portland, but he spent a long time on the East Coast honing his chops in grad school then as a executive editor of the online arts journal, Big Red and Shiny for whom he still writes as well as Artforum's website. Micah's one of the most knowledgeable and outright intelligent artists one could hope to meet and I really enjoy our intense impromptu street corner conversations (only my similar conversations with Storm Tharp are as intense). His show of installations at PSU this past winter gave notice to all that he's an inquisitive artistic force. Even more amusingly we look more like brothers than my own brothers do... so occasionally some confounded young gallerist or curator complains that I didn't spend enough time in their gallery (except the fact that I was in Chicago). Thus, before blaming me... know that there are several tall blond people in Portland's art scene who may get bored quickly with your show. (the good news is we are looking, but if we are gonna see it all we will be moving very fast)

Nathaniel Shapiro, his installations at PNCA got my attention and longtime gallerists like Elizabeth Leach and Jane Beebe rather liked his installation at VOLUME, a show I curated last year. He's talented, with a very dry wit and sense of presentation. He's also a member of Oregon Painting Society (OPS) and considered to be one of the most detail oriented artists at work in the scene today (the man has serious skills).

Jason Traeger is probably the most visible member of the rather neopagan/rauschenbergian-combinesque-meets-area 51 inspired Oregon Painting Society. I like his sculpture and installations a lot more than his paintings. His solo show at the Cascade Gallery at PCC Cascade was notable and we'd like to see another even more developed solo installation effort.

Proprietors of the newish Appendix Project Space, Joshua Pavlacky (right) and Zachary Davis were former studio mates while attending Wesleyan University. In 2008 they made the ballsy move of trying to program an interesting alternative space in a reconfigured garage off of Alberta street. Pavlacky has a solo show at another important up and coming alt-space Tractor this month. This is a major strength of Portland where all of the alt-spaces support and develop one another.

Salvatore Reda 's painting, photography, installations and video delves in architecture and video as fantasy and nostalgia. He has exhibited all over the world including the Santa Monica Museum of Art and last years VOLUME. He is currently a full time professor at the Art Institute of Portland and received his MFA from Art Center College of Design in 2001 where he studied with Mike Kelly.

Blake Shell moved here in 2008 and as reported on PORT was just announced as the new director of the Archer Gallery at Clark College. Her own photography is often concerned with stretching image technology and pop culture.

Corey Arnold's photography has found international acclaim and his solo debut in his new home town definitely made a few Portland shutterbugs a little green with envy. I'll stand my ground and contend he is one of the most exciting photographers Ive come across since Justine Kurland. (oh and he's also been on the Discovery Channel's Deadliest Catch) Corey's a really nice guy to boot and Portland's glad to have you.

Modou Dieng not only holds Lucinda Parker's old post as a painting professor at PNCA he is also runs Worksound, an alternative art and music space. A connected international artist, Modou mixes music, culture and assemblage in his paintings and his willingness to experiment with Worksound like Jhordan Dhal's White Noise or my VOLUME shows help do a lot of necessary cloud-seeding for the scene. That cloud seeding usually bears more fruit in later solo shows but the group shows give artists traction. Also, group shows allow artists to develop their ideas amongst their peers.

Peter Burr (a Carnegie Melon grad) came to our attention in 2006 with a duo show at NAAU and since then he's been very active traveling the country with Hooliganship, doing artist residencies and his Cartune Xpres video screenings but a solo show of this often neon hued artist is long overdue.

Arnold Kemp is the new chair of PNCA's MFA in Visual Art (a story PORT broke last week). He has extensive experience as a very connected curator (Yerba Beuna, etc) and as an artist. He's no stranger to Portland either, taking Part in 2007's TBA festival and PSU's PMMNLS lecture series. His presence (along with MoCC's Namita Wiggers) definitely beef's up PNCA's once languishing (now enviable) curatorial expertise quotient. He's definitely very different than the NYU educated MK Guth whom he replaces and it will be interesting to see how what effect that will have on the new program.

First Thursday Picks July 2009

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 09:02:49 -0800

Michael Brophy, "Start"

Michael Brophy presents Silence, an exhibition of recent paintings at Laura Russo.

Opening reception • 5-8pm • July 2
Laura Russo Gallery • 805 NW 21st • 503.226.2754

Amy Stein

Blue Sky is exhibiting Amy Stein's Domesticated, "a series of photographs based on real stories from local newspapers and oral histories of intentional and random interactions between humans and animals." The show "explores our paradoxical relationship with the 'wild.'"

Opening reception • 6-9pm • July 2
Blue Sky Gallery • 122 NW 8th • 503.225.0210

Peter Kreider, "Tetralunal"

OCAC's Hoffman Gallery presents BENT, an exhibition curated by Jeanine Jablonski of Fourteen30. The show features works by Jessica Jackson Hutchins, Peter Kreider and Donald Morgan, who "connect in ways beyond their strength in contemporary craft. The enigmatic physicality of each artwork, their relationships to the human body, as well as the artist's use and response to everyday mundane objects, all became strong ties within the exhibition." The show runs through August 23.

Opening reception • 4-7pm • July 2
Oregon College of Art and Craft • 8245 SW Barnes Rd • 503.297.5544

Fontanelle presents a collaborative installation of new sculpture, collage, and works on paper by Midori Hirose and Joshua Orion Kermiet. Hirose and Kermiet will create "a unique gallery environment based around formal ideas of repetition, intuitive pattern, and tactile shape making."

Opening reception • 6-9pm • July 2
Fontanelle Gallery • 205 SW Pine • 503.274.7668

Wes Mills, "Mondrian's Forest"

Wes Mills is exhibiting Mondrian's Forest at PDX Contemporary. The drawing consist of 40 small, framed works featuring "simple organic forms floating in space and ethereal lines creating contemplative and sometimes tension filled drawings."

Opening reception • 5-8pm • July 2
PDX Contemporary • 925 NW Flanders • 503.222.0063

Links of perception

Mon, 29 Jun 2009 10:21:50 -0800

The NYT's takes on the Walker/MOCA developed Dan Graham show now that it has hit eastern shores.

Sanford Wurmfeld's very interesting painting/installation.

Eva Rothschild's work reminds me of this months show at Tractor.

Needless to say perceptual/kinesthetic experience art is everywhere again. Arguably, the three artists mostly responsible for this renewed interest are Robert Irwin, James Turrell and Olafur Elliason. A lot of interest in Portland for this kind of work as well.

Last chance for Green Oregon

Fri, 26 Jun 2009 12:31:33 -0800

There are a lot of smart shows coming down tomorrow like Anna Gray and Ryan Wilson Paulson's Pearl District debut and the Lesbian Art Show, but Green Oregon at PNCA's Izquierdo Gallery deserves special mention.

Green Oregon on opening night

What's more, Green Oregon is a tightly curated show in a interesting space with some excellent artists like Robert Adams, Patrick Rock, Justin "Scrappers" Morrison, PORT's own Ryan Pierce, Marne Lucas and the region's dean of eco art Bruce Conkle, etc. For me Bailey Winter's painting is the standout. It is anguished over the environment, just plain weird... conjuring both David Lynch and John Wesley and most likely extremely stoned. The effect is troubling, frank, omnipresent and a bit overwhelming... which is exactly like having a discussion about ecology and art the related to it in Oregon. Check it out.

The Manuel Izquierdo Gallery is located in PNCA's 3D Building (825 NW 13th)
and will be open Thursday - Sunday, 1pm to 5PM or by appointment. (hint ring the buzzer)

in a dream of free space

Fri, 26 Jun 2009 09:52:20 -0800

From Jeremiah Zagar's "In a Dream"

This weekend, the Northwest Film Center presents the first of their summer artist spotlights. They're screening In a Dream, a film directed by Jeremiah Zagar about his father, artist Isaiah Zagar. They'll be showing it twice on Saturday and once on Sunday.

Film screening • July 27 & 28
NW Film Center • 1219 SW Park • Whitsell Auditorium

Varnithorn Christopher

Varnithorn Christopher presents Free Space at PSU's MK Gallery. The project is "is a non-curated gallery experiment by based on the belief that everyone is an artist. From Monday, June 29, 2009 to Thursday, July 9, 2009, Christopher invites anyone to come and exhibit their artwork at the MK gallery." A complete catalog will be created at the end of the exhibition.

Exhibition • M-F, 9am-5pm • June 29 - July 9
MK Gallery • 2000 SW 5th Avenue • Art Building, 2nd floor rm 210

calling: photographers and local artists

Thu, 25 Jun 2009 11:12:40 -0800

Newspace is seeking submissions for their first juried members exhibition, showing in September 2009. Current Newspace members working in any photographic theme or process can submit work until July 17. More details can be found here.

Becca Bernstein is seeking submissions for her new project, the Emerson Art Observatory. For one year (start date TBA), she'll be showing rotating works in the ground-floor and clerestory windows of a dedicated art space at 30th & NE Emerson. All mediums and formats will be considered. Works can be for sale, but they don't have to be. Proposals are due by September 30. Get more info here.

Added: Seattle's Crawlspace Gallery is seeking submissions for solo exhibitions, group shows, or curatorial projects. Their current deadline is August 1. Directions and details here.

floating world animation festival

Wed, 24 Jun 2009 11:07:19 -0800

Floating World Comics presents the 3rd annual animation festival at the Holocene, featuring "mind melting video art and psychedelic animation from the secret world of motionography." Visit their website for more info on the 3+ hour line up of Flaspar, Deelay Ceelay, Show Cave Best of Videocation and more.

Animation festival • 8pm • June 25
Holocene • 1001 SE Morrison

Linked

Wed, 24 Jun 2009 10:28:17 -0800

I really liked Michael Kimmelman's piece on the Elgin Marbles in the Times... for once having New York's supposedly chief art critic in Europe pays off. What's more the writing is sharp, with the kinds of critical angles he seems to soften when writing at home.

Lisa Radon's excellent review of Anna Gray and Ryan Wilson Paulson's Pearl District debut speaks volumes to Portland's sizable booklovers crowd.

Jerry Saltz describes a Portland-esque art experiment... 'cept we've been developing this way for years. Here it isn't a single site, it's the way our scene operates and it is different if the art develops this way instead of an episodic situation.

MoCC's Call and Response website gives everyone a chance to respond to the changes we've seen in the Portland art scene over the past decade. I'll be making a presentation on this at another museum this summer as well, so my response was quite brief.

The Strategy of Sur-Distinction

Tue, 23 Jun 2009 11:36:50 -0800

The ever-changing art at Store for a Month

The final week of John Brodie's Store for a Month is kicking off with a lecture by Philippe Le Blanc. "The Strategy of Sur-Distinction: building a cathedral inside the megastore" is loosely based on Le Blanc's work for sale at The Store, I Win, You Lose: The art of Art in capitalist culture. If you haven't made it down to the store yet, don't miss your chance - its last days are Wednesday, June 24 through Sunday, June 28, 12-7pm.

Artist lecture • 7pm • June 24
Store for a Month • 1216 SE Division • 503.235.8029

Entropy is good for art links

Tue, 23 Jun 2009 11:36:28 -0800

Things are tough for art galleries and The New York Times chronicles the shift to a market that favors collectors vs speculators. When I was in New York last March I noticed a vulnerability I've not noticed before... frankly this might be a good thing because though the art market boomed during the past 7 years it has produced little art of consequence. At least Portland galleries have lower rents and aren't used to selling unknown artists for 10K+.

Edward Winkleman discussed the NYT's gallery woes article from his own very personal angle.

In Venice Bruce Nauman surprised no one by being top of the heap.

Jerry Saltz discusses how a phase of art that is dying in Venice might be a good thing.

Bridging some gaps in the discussion

Mon, 22 Jun 2009 11:00:01 -0800

Architect Donald MacDondald's "Refined" Cable Stay design, up for review today

Once again, discussion of the Willamette River Transit Bridge has heated up in anticipation of today's meeting for the final choice of bridge type. In my opinion it isn't bridge type that matters... it is the detailing of whatever design chosen that will determine how usable, environmentally sensitive, pride inducing, and ultimately successful the design will be. To bring everyone up to speed... PORT pretty much started the civic discussion over this bridge with our totally unofficial design competition, later we broke the images of the rather nice hybrid design that now seems out of favor with the committees. Frankly, I like pure cable stayed designs, they have generally cleaner lines and can span longer distances which can make for a smaller environmentally footprint... but the details have to be good and the discussion around them needs to be relevant to produce sensitive designs.

The stakes for this project are huge. In many ways Trimet and Portland's alt-city reputation as a green, civically progressive oasis in America is on the line. It's understandable but should Trimet really try to come in way under budget on what will likely be their most visible project ever? Answer is yes and no of course... If the bridge fails as a pedestrian and cycling bridge it will be seen as a huge waste. If its design is clunky it will be a constant embarrassment. Yet I can see Trimet's penny pinching stance... if this thing costs 15 million more than it is supposed to it will be a lightning rod for critics... do they risk it? Currently only 1 design (the tall cable stay) is sub-par but that can be fixed... and it better be if chosen today.

To catch everyone up more; last week Portland Architecture took on the O's rather stilted analysis of the situation. The problem being that the O (which quite obviously doesn't have an architecture critic but needs one for legitimacy sake) continues to demonize design as an expensive luxury, when in fact it's all about making certain the public is getting the most for their money. Sorry, but Rivera (a fine writer) is totally out of his depth here (though Im glad the O is paying attention). In fact, none of these designs is terribly ambitious in terms of being a truly signature design. Technically, the hybrid was a mildly ambitious design that was more refined than a ballsy solution. It was a pretty sane proposal that still made Trimet uncomfortable price wise. Some have even called the Hybrid bridge a Mercedes but really the more accurate comparison is more like a Honda Accord instead of a Civic or Fit... Granted Rosales' "Hybrid Accord" was a fully loaded model with nice detailing. Hopefully the official architect Donald MacDonald's finished design can equal or better the Rosales details below:

Pedestrian view from proposed "Hybrid" bridge, courtesy Rosales + Partners/Schlaich Bergermann and Partner LP

This bridge will be the first pedestrian and transit only span of its type to be built in this country but the question is will any the revised cable stay design (let's call it the "V") actually well suited to the pedestrian and cyclists who are supposed to use it (more on this below)? Whereas the out of favor hybrid design is specifically tailored to improve the pedestrian and cyclist's experience? This isn't so called "fancy" design folks, it's a basic utilitarian question so characterizing this as a more trivial design consideration isn't sound logic and does a disservice to the community). We should make certain this bridge will be used for the purpose it was built; transit, pedestrians and cyclists.

Also, I can see where Barry Johnson is coming from here... but he's just dead wrong. Size of the bridge towers doesn't matter if it is done well. Size isn't the bogeyman... bad design is. If the towers are inspired they stand out in a good way. The problem is all of the large cable stay towers we have seen have been pathetic designs... so yeah I'm with you Barry if that is what they are going to build (ps that isn't a Rosales designed cable stay you have pictured, he pretty much refused to do any cable stay designs and I suspect Trimet and Rosales were just plain sick of each other... neither side seemed to give much).

Here are my thoughts on the 3 designs:

This cable stay design is very unrefined and clunky, height isn't the problem, it's the bad tower design and details. This could be improved significantly

Standard Cable Stay: I've already stated that this design is just too clumsy... and though this is the leading contender (because of price) we haven't seen any new designs for a tall cable stay. Initial consulting architect Miguel Rosales repeatedly demonized the height of the cable stay designs and put all of his bets on a hybrid cable stay and suspension design and lost out due to cost concerns (though the Hybrid is a good design). I wonder why he didn't design any more refined cable stay options. Also, why are all of the towers either forked or A frames? What about a single elegant center post design like Millau etc? It would be more transparent... but I suspect it would be a lot taller.

Sir Norman Foster's Millau Viaduct, sets the high bar for high-use elegant cable stay design.

Still, if it is an elegant symbol of mass transit and a more environmentally responsible world why not have such a soaringly transparent symbol? It might even save money. Stop yummering over size and focus on quality in a heuristic way. It is entirely possible for a very tall tower to be very sensitive and inspiring... maybe even more cost effective! Good design doesn't have to be more expensive... simply spend a little extra on better detailing and some unique features that improve the basic cable stay design and viola, everyone wins.

Hybrid cable stay/suspension design... a modern, yet anachronistic... but reserved design

Hybrid Suspension / Cable Stay: This is a nice (reserved) European looking option. It is hardly ostentatious as some have called it and a lot is made of the swooping caternary cable between the towers. Frankly, I think the anachronistic look back at the St. Johns Bridge (the 2nd best bridge on the West Coast) doesn't make much sense, but the swooping aspects do soften the bridge's effect on Portland's skyline and blends in with the west hills etc. Rosales originally proposed this design but the now architect of record Donald MacDonald could still do it. Honestly... I can see a more refined cable stay beating it out. Why spend more to be anachronistic... especially if the architects gave changed. I doubt Donald MacDonald has any real feel for this design, its just on the plate because some love it. I merely like it.

Detail of V design "Refined" cable stay option... It's definitely bolder than the "Hybrid" from a distance

Refined Cable Stay: Well I do like this a lot better than the clunky travesty that is the "unrefined" or standard cable stay. "Refined" is code for "shorter towers". But frankly its the fact that the V towers are a lot nicer than the clunky "A" towers that gets my vote. It is also bolder looking than the Hybrid. Still I wonder if this is really is the best option... if Trimet went with the possible "H" towers (also mentioned May 28th) it might lose all of the open airiness and boldness. Also, there is the problem of its appropriateness for pedestrians and cyclists... would their use lanes be on the outside of the cables and wouldn't the leaning umbrella effect provide birds with a platform from which to scatter their droppings upon those users? It's just a concern. If the pedestrian and cycle lanes are on the inside of the V's with the buses and trains it wont be as pleasant either. The separation between the transit vehicles on the Hybrid design and the standard cable stay wins in use terms for pedestrians and bicycles.

Gibbs street pedestrian bridge with "V" design

Also, though I rather like the V tower design... I can see where having something smaller but similar for the Gibbs street pedestrian bridge by the Aerial Tram will create a bit of design confusion in terms of landmarks. Then again that redundancy might be good and by repeating the V design throughout Portland it creates a sense of aggregate uniqueness. Both are intended pedestrian use and the "V" could symbolize victory over the car culture.

My prediction is either a refined cable stay or standard cable stay... and if either is built the art and design community should really press for the best details possible, that's towers and ped/cycle lanes etc.. the whole shebang. PORT readers should contact Trimet with your concerns. Most importantly There will be two design workshops in July on the 2nd and 24th. The art/design community should be out in force for those meetings and we will want more detailed images of the proposed design to consider.

*Side Note: the Columbia River Crossing still requires a major design competition as PORT was first to call for... if there isn't one the project should be stopped momentarily rather than build the wrong bridge. We still need the CRC but it requires a far better level of understanding (from all sides) than I've seen up to this point.

*Update: as anticipated Trimet chooses the refined cable stay V or H option

sediment

Mon, 22 Jun 2009 09:48:44 -0800

Elizabeth McClellan

Appendix presents Sediment, a collection of indoor/outdoor drawing environments by Elizabeth McClellan. Due to size and showing constraints, Outdoor works will be up through June 27th.

Opening reception • 6-10pm • June 25
Appendix Project Space • South alley b/w 26th & 27th on Alberta

ThirtyThousandSeconds

Fri, 19 Jun 2009 11:36:36 -0800

Justin Gorman

Justin Gorman's ThirtyThousandSecons opens this weekend in Milepost 5's MP5³. "This photo documentation project derived from an increasing interest in pedestrian patterns on eight-second avenue and the responsibility of local government to stop or control these patterns..." Work by Anthony Conrad, Kalina Torino, Jessica Weitzel, and Luke Heinrich will also be opening in the Hallways spaces.

Opening reception • 7-9pm • June 20
Milepost 5 • 900 NE 81st • 503.998.4878

Links of reknown

Thu, 18 Jun 2009 11:43:48 -0800

The Tribune has a nice piece on MoCC's Call and Response... with a lot of smart stuff quoted from curator Namita Wiggers. But, define reknowned? ...in my book only Chris Johanson qualifies, though many more major international artists are getting set to move here... (being international isn't enough either, we have lots of internationally active artists in Portland now, for me it's the probability of a solo show at MoMA some day that is the litmus test).

Jessica Stockholder's park installation shows just how good she is. Local artists like Jenene Nagy, Stephanie Robison and Jacqueline Ehlis are all quite influenced by her... and she's actually from the Northwest... so will we ever get a solo show of hers here in Portland?

If there is a critic in Portland who is more interested in sexualized identity politics than Richard Speer, Id be very surprised... case in point is his review of Fontanelle's Lesbian Art Show, a show pretty much designed to polarize reactions.

Blame jetlagg for me missing famous one-time portlander Robert Colescott's death. He was always a favorite of mine and PORT reviewed a this show of his a few years ago at Laura Russo. Our upcoming in-depth interview with Mel Katz also has some interesting banter about the man.