March 1 - Westside art Openings

They are up all month, so some rainy Sat, catch the ones that got away...

Sue Coe makes drawings and paintings that are not nice. Perhaps in the genre of Spiegelman's Maus, the only comic to win a Pulitzer. Auschwitz taken by Spiegelman, RCA grad Coe takes on the dark side of capitalism, meat, AIDS, 9/11, genetic manipulation, animal research, apartheid, racism and war. Active since the early 1980's, Coe shows new work in the Feldman Gallery. PNCA NW 13th and Johnson

Augen shows minimalist prints from some well known proponents of the era: Tara Donovan, Sol Lewitt, Robert Mangold and James Siena. Free art history lesson. Augen http://www.augengallery.com/ 817 SW 2nd

Blue Sky shows photos by Paula Luttringer of Argentina. Between 1976 and 1983, the military dictatorship there imprisoned and killed many. Luttringer, imprisoned herself, images some of the 350 secret prisons of the time, interviews with fifty women imprisoned place a life in some of those now empty places. I have seen this show. The prints are of high technical quality, but the images have a low fi feel. They are often just gritty architectural elements in close medium shot with dim lighting. What carries the show are the stories accompanying the photos. My belief is that art's purpose is to create and emotional response in the viewer. These come close to the zone of relying entirely upon reference to other material guaranteed a response. For instance referencing the Holocaust is guaranteed a response, but isn't there a more subtle way to affect people? Perhaps the artist, having personally experienced some of what she images should be granted dispensation for her approach. http://www.blueskygallery.org/ 1231 NW Hoyt

Filmmaker Matt McCormick has lensed graffiti, nutria and tugboats. To me his documentary style quietly lays out a subtle enigma, allowing the viewer to enter and maybe see the world differently. His latest project "Future So Bright" is the result of traveling the West's abandoned landscapes. McCormick's unsustainable human settlements, built on mined out mines, water that wasn't quite there, railroads that no longer run, blue highways barely now on the map and 25 cent a gallon gas are now decaying back into the landscape. The remains represent the nostalgia of several generations, but the process is not limited to the West, or even America. Worldwide, changes in agriculture and in many countries, shrinking populations, certainly the desire to cohabitate in cities, are driving rural abandon. In Japan, towns are just closing. The same in Italy. Rural Ireland. The former Soviet Union. It will be curious to see whether these abandoned places will continue to be a reservoir of emotion, or just something less than a desiccated curiosity.

Also showing are Adam Sorensen's landscapes. In contrast, Sorenson's paintings are truly bright and imbued with surreal energy. Will Sorenson's forests meet the same fate someday as McCormick's abandoned places? Let's hope not!

At Liz Leach http://www.elizabethleach.com/

417 NW 9th

Usually a printmaker, Sarah Horowitz tonight shows intensely detailed sumi ink paintings "Magnolias". Mastering printmaking's deliberate and time consuming process and sumi's instant enlightenment Zen gesture is a rare feat, Horowitz does it. Also showing are two printmakers from Japan, where the art has been refined by centuries and culture. At Froelick http://www.froelickgallery.com/ 817 SW 2nd

Another history lesson are large metal sculptures by Mel Katz. They are painted not bare, his poppiest yet. At Laura Russo http://www.laurarusso.com/ 805 NW 21

Seattle artist David French is known for enigmatic carved wood objects with obsessive but casually weathered appearing painted finishes. Some of his new work translates these thoughtful, maybe soulful finishes to 2d work. At Pulliam Deffenbaugh http://www.pulliamdeffenbaugh.com/ 929 NW Flanders

The Portland Art Center is doing a good job of presenting sculpture and installation; if you make that work, you know the difficulties of finding venues. They have also carved out a good reputation for sound installations. This month they present Alchemy, by Christine Wallers and Steve Peters, involving processed voices. David Lindsay shows a 14 foot spiral frieze painting, Survey (at the edge of the continent). Lou Mallozzi presents Interval in the Light and Sound space upstairs. At the Portland Art Center http://www.portlandart.org/ 32 NW 5th

Everett Lofts are always recommended even if random.

Rake shows what should be a pretty good group show "All Day Snacking" themed on excess, leisure, consumption. Given China's rise, to say nothing of India, maybe it's time to get that in now. Before the apocalypse too maybe, or that's what some say. Also a landscape show by Dane Wilson involving barcodes. At Rake http://www.rakeart.org/325 NW 6th

Mixed media painter Mantecon imbues her paintings with and intensity that shines through the abstraction. Perhaps her p:ear kids and collaborators have found the same facility. I'm curious to see the work side by side. At p:ear http://www.pearmentor.org/ 809 SW Alder

Sarah Boss and Trevor Gray photograph surfaces close up. Boss' are sometimes more abstract, Gray's concrete. The colors are bright, reminding us that not all is grey here, especially up close. Boss is the creator of the Artist Auditions I, a project to make curating and being curated fun. At

Vino Paradiso http://www.vinoparadiso.com/ 417 NW 10th

Nicholas Knapton shows at Valentines: "After graduating from Portland State University in 1994 with a B.A. in printmaking, painting and drawing I moved to Berlin, Germany, where I involved myself with the thriving art scene and cultural phenomenon of the reunification of Germany. During this time I worked on Wrapped-Reichstag: Project for Berlin from Christo and Jeanne Claude, as well as working as a construction worker, silkscreen-printer and working artist" [how PDX]. Now "I am working in an old net-loft built in 1896 that is situated precariously over the Columbia River in Astoria, Oregon. The building is an adventure in itself and the work I am doing there reflexes this feeling of adventure. The work is daring and bold combining the history and feeling of the building as well as my experiences as a painter working in precarious conditions, be it in Berlin or Astoria, Oregon. This body of work is about the physical activity of painting and drawing. Allowing my creative impulse to flow freely as possible, combining the figure with abstraction, and emotion with technique are some the of goals of my painting. It is work from the fringes of both west and east concentrating on what is juicy and delicious to me as a painter. Materials and sense of place are these juicy and delicious things. Trying to use both as an influence is what helps me decide which direction to pursue." So at Valentines 232 SW Ankeny

Musee16 is a little off the beaten path. It is making its own way with collage art curated from across the US and Europe. The work is somewhat romantic as is the space, it feels like it would not be out of place in some Paris androisment. Tonight it's the Traveling Menagerie, collaborative works by Katherine Brickman and Kate Mitchell and also works by Noe'lle Knight. The space is also showing free films the third Thursdays at 7:45PM Musee16 http://musee16.com/1005 NW 16th at the corner of Lovejoy in the rock block

Often visual and musical creativity are correlated. Perhaps it is the attraction of deep inside time required for creation. Maybe desiring the accolades of audience plays a role too. I wonder how the fancy hall's polite applause or old school moshing would work to mark gallery-goers appreciation? Tonight musicians Adam Zeek, Curtis Knapp of Watery Graves, E*Rock (whose bright drawings are well known from other 811 shows), Hooliganship (who may be making some kind of viewmaster animation totem pole), Lucky Dragons & the Sumi Ink Club, Phil Elverum, White Rainbow and YACHT make visual. Given the musicians schedules, the opening will be both Thursday March 1 and the regular first Friday March 2. Grass Hut 811 E Burnside

This is totally Backspace. A block away is a factory for game characters, objects and levels. Tonight Liquid Development artists show their work to Backspace's hardcore gamers. It's a fascinating look at the imagination in the machine. While this isn't a Superflat, that Portland supports this creative factory is a good thing. Certainly worth seeing out from behind the controller. 115 NW 5th

Artist and writer Harvest Henderson, who created an installation bedroom in which the bedclothes were sewn from hundreds of hand written lists and notes, combines again art and writing. THISENFRANCHISEMENT are six visual works using text. At Stumptown 125 SW 3rd

hard(ly)soft, curated by Amy Zollinger, with artists: Rachel Denny, Stephen Slappe, Cynthia Mosser, Scott Wayne Indiana, Jennifer Anable, Damon Thompson and TJ Norris opens at the Art Institute gallery space.1122 NW Davis

February 28-March 4 - RAW

RAW=Reed Arts Weekend

Students make it happen, no fear; big out of towners mix with big student work and it's free or cheap. You can get some details at http://web.reed.edu/raw/2007/. In addition to the indigenous Reed work, consider these:

Wednesday

Portland mover Tahni Holt presents a 5 channel video installation " Passing Out Heart Game". In collaboration with Videominds' Emily Bulfin and animator Jalal Jamison, each of the screens tells a story related. "The work is a study of the landscapes that contain us and is a meditation on control: resisting the unknown and releasing into this unknown. [It] inhabits the contradictions these opposed actions hold and the treacherous space in-between." Introduction to the work by the artist. Reed Vollum Lounge 6PM Free

Portland painter Arvie Smith explores the myths and stereotypes of black men and women. But real lives are always more complex than any possible stereotype. Tapping his own experiences living in New Orleans and visiting Africa, Smith's larger than life characters seem to inhabit another time, but are we really over that past? Smith speaks about his work in Kaul's Gray Lounge. 6:30 Free

Saturday

"Liza Lou is best known for her expansive beaded landscapes and sculpture. In 1995’s Kitchen, Lou encrusted a 168-foot life-sized 1950s kitchen in dazzling beads. The project took her 5 years and an estimated 20-30 million beads to complete. The result was both visually arresting and a powerful commentary on the injustices and paradoxical dignity of the traditional roles of women, their work and their art. Since then, Lou has continued creating subversive sculpture and performance art with a pop sensibility, including the beaded portraits of 42 presidents, which comprised 2000’s Star-spangled Presidents. In 2002, Lou was awarded a MacArthur “genius” grant. Her work both celebrates and undermines the American dream, revealing through gaudy splendor the unsettling nature of some of this country’s most central traditions. At RAW, Lou will take on religion with the world premiere of a video piece about her upbringing in a highly-religious family." 5PM Eliot Chapel $5 Reed

Saturday and Sunday

Butoh dancers Eiko and Koma have been performing together since their 20's, 30 years. They have performed only with one another. They are married. Children together too. So seeing them move together is something special.

I had the pleasure of working with them a few years back staging two pieces. Eiko is clear, planned, decisive. Koma quiet and reserved, with great wisdom. One previous piece was staged in many cities at riverbank performance spaces. After the audience had gathered, the performers entered the river upstream. Becoming one with a flotsam log, they drifted slowly down river until near the performance site. They slowly left the log and made way through the water to the bank. Emerging slowly they performed an intense improvisation on land for more than an hour. Then they danced slowly back to the water where, in time, another floating branch bore them away from the performance. Downstream boatmen waited to recover them from the water's grip, sometimes hypothermic. The production crew downstream was responsible for saving them, in some East Coast cities, from being drawn into the green seas' tides. The events involved performers in extensive research of each river's ecology. How many performers can say the same? The Portland instance of the piece was arranged the morning of and performed in the Jameson fountain. By the end, the performers and crew were definitely hypothermic, but had experienced a dream together with the audience.

Another performance I saw in North Carolina was staged in and around a huge cave-like bed. The structure was formed by branches barnacled by knotted and shredded sheer fabrics in the manner of Collette's bedroom crossed with a viney dewy jungle. They moved slowly, together and separately, as the bed-cave rotated ever so slowly, in a dialog of embrace and independence. I believe that work was developed over 6 months through a special grant of studio space in their New York City home. That space was one fourth of an upper floor in the World Trade Center. Over that time they, their close friends and their children occupied the space in a deep way which is difficult to imagine.

The result of 9/11 was a redefinition of another piece, performed here. At night the space among the trees was lit by over a hundred candles. The performers emerged from a mound of earth. The sole props were a collection of the long arrows of Japanese archery. In the end, the performers reentered the earth. The piece before 9/11 was intended for the stage and was quite dark, a meditation on how we deal with death in Western society, Japan included. After 9/11, the piece became a quiet meditation on life. It was performed for free at parks all over New York City, a gift.

Tonight's work is "Mourning". Commissioned by the Japan Society, it has not yet premiered. So you will be seeing something special from these McArthur recipients. For the performance, they will be accompanied by John Cage collaborator Margaret Leng Tan on the toy piano.

Sat 7:30PM; Sun 2PM Kaul $10

February 28 - Music & Sue Coe

MPO @ Goodfoot

The Music Population Orchestra is committed to taking 21st century chamber musics to the venues of the people - auris populi. Tonight they sonically occupy their strangest venue yet, the Goodfoot. They open for Trio Subsonic. Get there early for the MPO - they are first; a DJ finishes. 2845 SE Stark St 9PM $5

Artist Sue Coe Speaks

Illustrator Coe deftly avoids the landmines of commercial work surrounding us everywhere with good design. She goes directly to dig at the landmines of war, animal rights, factory farming, genetic engineering, plagues, 9/11 - check her site for an idea. She pulls no punches. In conjunction with a show at the school, Coe speaks PNCA Commons 6:30PM Free

February 24 Mac-N-Cheese & Pancakes @ Reed (and artist authors, and you)

Mathew Stadler has hosted a series, The Backroom dinner talks, at various Portland points, like Ripe, Simpatico, Medoyeff, with some pretty awesome speakers. It becomes a creative vortex with Portland's most creative musicians, a brilliant speaker and the most important ingredient - you, lubed by yum food, and sometimes Mathew's favorite bargain brandy, which if it isn't Cuban, should be - all talking and reinteracting with the speaker, the musicians and the other participants.

This morning (!?), The Backroom lays down an instantiation for all ages. It's Paul Stewart and Chris Riddell, authors and illustrators of The Edge Chronicles. Their very Brit series is a childrens' fantasy, with copious "imaginary" characters, quests and battles. Illustrator Riddell will lead the kids in drawing and show them how he makes his "imaginary" characters. Anacortes musician Karl Blau provides music which I can guarantee won't be insipid.

So drawing for kids; pancakes, talk and macNcheese for all; mimosas for the big kids and OJ for the not yet big kids.

There is a place at the table and no doubt floor sprawling space for 65. So reserve your table or floor spot in advance. - $5, available at http://www.thebackroompdx.com/thebackroom_purchase.html.

It's at the Reed student union at Noon

February 22 Music, Art, Lit

Dark Yoga Music at Valentines

Dark Yoga celebrates with you. It's a CD release with sets by just about every combination of dark yogis and their other projects. Dark Yoga performs with added sax. Brave Priest stretches out psychedelic rock, Mathew McDowell lays down abstract trips and Machete, more abstractica.
Valentines 232 SE Ankeny 8PM on Free


The Personal Account of a Child Soldier in Sierra Leone

Ishmael Beah fled his village at 12, never to see his family again. Gangpressed into the government army at 13, he spent two years in an unimaginably dark surreal world. As a child soldier he killed daily. Free time was spent watching Rambo videos. Rap provided the soundtrack. Sometimes the children were called to fight in the middle of the video, after, they returned to continue as if the killing was a mere intermission. Most of the time they saw this terrible world through an admixture of cocane, pot and other powerful drugs.

At 15, the army gave up his ghost to a UNICEF child soldier demobilization program. At 17 he traveled to the US and enrolled at Oberlin. There he began to write this story.

Beah speaks of his experiences at Powells on Hawthorne. 7:30PM Free


Trish Grantham shows art at Office

Trish Grahtham is one of Portland's hardest working artists. Self organized shows, online sales, Stumptown sandwich boards, ad campaigns. Tonight she shows her work at Office
2204 NE Alberta www.officepdx.com
7-9 free

Kalakendra Declares Success

On the West Coast, in our culture of explorers, the focus is on the front edge of what, in time, may become an adoption curve. What murmers and mutations presage something which later is huge? There can be a tendency to be saddened though when a beautiful thing transforms the culture, then expires.

Instead we should declare success! (and move on)

So it is with Kalakendra. The importance of India on the world stage is not yet as apparent as China, but with roughly a quarter of the planet’s population, pay attention! A few years ago, 20, in Portland, some people created a concert series of classical Indian music and dance. Many Indians live here, working in technology and a myriad of other professions. How would their children learn the ragas?

Over that time they presented over 150 performances including literally the gods of music of the subcontinent such as Nusrat Fattah Ali Kahn, Ravi Shankar, Alla Rakha and Ali Akbar Khan.

Over time too, other performance presenters emerged, teachers of music and dance put down roots, now there are several events a month within the community. Portland is now a stop of the route for touring Indian musicians.

Kalakendra has decided to declare success and dissolve. On April 28, a farewell concert will be held by Pandit Shivkumar Sharma on santoor and Ustad Zakir Hussain on tabla. Interestingly, these two musicians played the inaugural concert for Kalakendra 20 years ago.

The other final performances will be a Hindustani instrumental concert by Pandit Sachdev on bansuri flute and Swapan Chaudhuri on tabla March 3. (These are two giants!) On March 31, a carnatic instrumental concert will be held by Kumaresh and Ganesh on violin, Sivaraman on mridangam and Guruprasad on Ghatam.

details at Kalakendra.org

February 12 - Film at Valentines

Neo spinal tap? Who has not dreamed of rockstaring? Many of you have done it live in person. Maybe band touring, like many things, is better in its retelling than actually living it.

Tonight Valentines reprises that reality, with a film of almost now ancient 1999 rock star reality, on the road.

Radiation focuses on a promoter who in mid tour looses it all in a spiral of chaos. Never happens in real life on the road - right? Shot in Spain, it shows that the rock star life and all its peripheral elements are universal, worldwide.

This is part of a film series in which artists choose a favorite. Tonight's artist is Cat Tyc.

232 Ankeny Valentines 7:30

February 3 Eastside Art Openings

At the 811 Burnside Block

The Grass Hut continues serious shows with "Friends on the Endless Journey", the doodler's show, organized by Luke Ramsay. The artists are Peter Thompson, Luke Ramsey, Justin Williams, Etka, AJ Purdy and Andy Rementer.

Canadian Ramsey and his wife have created an artist residency on BC's Pender Island in which all of tonight's artists have participated. Justin Williams grew up in Japan and has lived in Hong Kong and Singapore. Now he's split between Montreal and Chicago where he recieved the Presidential Scholarship at the Art Institute of Chicago. Etka began to get serious about drawing and painting after she busted up her ankle skating. She got an illustration degree in London, got bored doing commercial illustration and animation so she moved home to Sweden and started a gallery in Gothenberg (same place as the artists who spoke Monday at the PSU lecture series). Andy Rementer and AJ Purdy met in art school in Philly then decamped to the communication research center at Fabrica. Fabrica is the research arm of gentle Italian clothing giant Benetton who were early to incorporate socially enlightened marketing with their Colors project; Fabrica is a sort of neo-Bauhaus, near Venice. Canadian Thompson "rides a comic doodle style that's free, fun and under no pressure to perform or impress the viewer with fancy tricks" notes Ramsey. Much of the work shown are collaborations between two illustrators. www.grasshutcorp.com


Moshi Moshi has gotta side with the ninjas, right? The show is "Ninjas are Sweet, 13 artists answering one question: Why are ninja's so awesome?" We'll have to see what the zombies have to say about that...


Denwave is having a big sale on crosses crafted by one of their units. So if you need some savin'...


Redux has Rebecca Haack - illustration style paintings with touches of wax mediums.



At the New American Art Union, artist Jacqueline Ehlis has curated a group show DO NO HARM vs Step Up. See for yourself the varied work. www.newamericanartunion.com 922 SE Ankeny


Newspace has a group show of work of auction spec, so a good cross section of current photography. www.newspacephoto.org 1632 SE 10th


Press Club has a show of lino cuts opening this evening with DJ sounds. If you are in the neighborhood - 2621 SE Clinton

February 1 Westside Art Shows Open

Shows run all month, generally through the Saturday before the next month's first Thursday. Galleries love to see you on a lazy Saturday. They especially love you as do the artists when you take out that wallet from time to time.



Augen has created a disturbingly sweet paring of photographers Grace Weston and David Emmite. Weston continues her carefully lit tableau of small scenes entitled "Wonder Lust". Imagine photographs of fantastic doll house interiors or a stop action animation set. Emmite shows Field Guide, involving animals and machines.
www.augengallery.com 817 SW 2nd


Elizabeth Leach Gallery shows photographer Dianne Kornberg. Kornberg is known for large format photos of flora and fauna, especially collections or agglomerations in laboratories. I think she needs to return to the energy of earlier work - maybe ask them to pull out a chronosample from the back and decide yourself.
www.elizabethleach.com 417 NW 9th


Quality Pictures opens Picture Ping Pong curated by Elizabeth Huey. Huey created a community on myspace in which friends carried on conversations composed of messages containg almost exculsively images. For many, the familiarity of myspace made for conversations that might not work in real life; the fact that the community was spead across the US, Canada, Paris and Italy also made the myspace medium a well matched vehicle. Forged by picto conversations, many of the artists met for the first time in Miami in December. One of Hickey's theses is that the creative conversation of artists can evolve faster than culture itself. Is myspace the new warehouse? The work is bright and has the 811 (E Burnside) feel - Moshi Moshi and the Grass Hut. A bold demonstration of QCPA's direction(s). NB Portland artists, introduce yourself to the project artists in attendance. Photographer David Hilliard continues from last month. www.qpca.com 916 NW Hoyt


PDX presents a group show by Mary Henry, D.E. May, identical twins separated at birth with their minimalist linear 2d compositions. Perhaps the art that Rabbit at rest would contemplate. Artist Ryan Jeffery shows documentation of a variety of projects including his awesome music box. Filmmaker and performer Vanessa Renwick shows material from her Trojan nuclear plant project last seen in the Museum biennial. PDX Contemporary Art www.pdxcontemporaryart.com 925 NW Flanders Street til 8:30?


The Portland Art Center continues the installations of last month, which are excellent, and adds a new project by Paris artists Eric La Casa and Jean-Luc Guionnet, “Reflected Waves”. In this case, they have gathered sound and light from Melbourne Australia, which in many ways resembles Portland. Close your eyes, listen and dream summer. www.portlandart.org 32 NW 5th until 10


Margaret Stratton transmits emotion laden concepts simply and directly, selectively documenting the remains of material culture. For instance in this work “My Mother’s House” she presents straight b&w photos on a black background of objects from her childhood house. Acquired in their time, they trace the arc of the materiality of middle class life in the 1950’s and 60’s. Her work has a similarity to Belgian Henk van Rensberge’s abandoned places project www.abandoned-places.com, but Stratton brings a variety of conceptual viewpoints, mixed differently for each project. Other bodies of Stratton’s work include World Trade Center, A Guide to Wasteland, Inventory of an Abandoned House, Ancient Ruins: Abandoned Naples, Detained in Purgatory and Notes from the Nuclear Garden. www.margaretstratton.com. At Blue Sky Gallery with photos of companion animals impacted by Katrina. She also speaks for free at the gallery Friday evening. www.blueskygallery.org 1231 NW Hoyt until 9


In the Everett Lofts many a wonderous thing may ensue. Including at the Pony Club #105 "Open to Strangers" a group show; at Kolega 328 NW Broadway a Blackbird Tattoo art show; at Sugar "Black Metal" from blond Norway, documentation of the dark musical subculture by photographer Peter Beste. Mythical tribalism characterizes this cross between metal and the Lord of the Rings. These metaloids weren't playing when they murdered one another and burned 20 churches, including one 800 years old in an attempt to drive Christianity from Nord and reestablish the mythical pagan religions. Everett Lofts - the block of NW Everett, Broadway, Flanders and 6th.


Compound/Just Be Toys shows Illustrious: Deth P Dun, Jack Long, Manny Silva, Monica Canllao, Ogi and RINZEN. Curated by Monica HW Choy. At Compound/Just Be Toys 107 NW 5th until about 9:30


Rake shows work by Rachell J Siegel and Sarah Cruse http://www.rakeart.org 325 NW 6th Ave

The metal sculpture, some heavy, show at Woolley continues. See last month’s listing.
Tonight the East Woolley (Wonder) will be connected by a free bus to Rake (West) www.markwoolley.com 128 NE Russell until 10



Brett Superstar continues his giant robot at the B-Street Gallery at the corner of NW Davis and 13th.


Upper Playground's Portland moonbase shows "The Early Bird", flat art and installation by Morning Breath, in graphic style hoovering pre '60's advertsing imagery and blenderizing it into a strange brew. http://www.fifty24pdx.com/ 23 NW 5th


Vino Paradiso shows "Key to My Heart" by Nubby Twiglet which is a great name. www.vinoparadiso.com 417 NW 10th until late


Paige Saez is known for her large bright abstract paintings and installations; but this month at Valentines she shows photographs and a bright wall piece. 232 SW Ankeny Lights on 6-9PM, open late


Anna Weber shows giant teeth at Motel, grrr. Actually these are models of teeth arrayed like some sort of school dental diorama, cavities repaired and all. Weber also shows photos by Daniel Peterson of herself in costumes of her own construction: "Squirrel", "Rainbow Beard" and "Sloth". An artist to watch? http://www.motelgallery.com/ NW Couch between 5th and 6th across from Ground Control until 9