The Portland Art Museum is criticized for a lack of connection with Portland's contemporary artists but the opposite is true. While the previous director hyped blockbuster shows and old Europe's art (and raised more money than anyone thought possible for art in Portland), the Museum maintained a steady acquisition program for art by local artists. Sometimes it knew how to reach out to the local art community, for instance with the free grand opening parties for the Oregon Biennial shows. The Museum also funded experienced contemporary art curators who have crafted a steady stream of local and international shows. Interestingly, the chief curator is also personally focused on contemporary art.
The Museum is deepening its contemporary art program, but also broadening it geographically, by replacing the Oregon Biennial with the Northwest Art awards, accepting artists from Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana and Wyoming.
The Oregon Biennial received as many as 800 entries per cycle, each set of images was reviewed by multiple jurors, resulting in about fifteen to forty artists exhibited. The Contemporary Art Council then voted to purchase one work, though all the included artists found themselves on Museum, collector and gallery radar screens as a result.
The new Contemporary Northwest Art Awards process produced a varied list of 28 semifinalists, all but one from Oregon or Washington. Five, Daniel Attoe, Cat Clifford, Jeffry Mithell, Whiting Tennis and Marie Watt are finalists. One will be selected for a $10,000 prize.
The Museum opens the show tonight and announces the grand prize winner with a formal party. Free! Call the Museum for details. The show will be up until September 14.
The curator will moderate a discussion among the five finalists Sunday June 15, in Whitsell Auditorium, 2PM-3:30. Requires Museum admission.
