The House of Sound was a legendary vinyl store and community gathering place at N Williams and Beech. The building housed a barber shop, grocery and beauty shop with roots to a vibrant African American community that thrived in the area, and was severely impacted by the condemnation of neighborhoods to build I-5, the Memorial Coliseum and Emmanuel Hospital. In January 2008 the House of Sound building was torn down, inspiring artist filmmaker Vanessa Renwick. The neighborhood once had a vibrant culture and black music united the family. Renwick has interviewed people in the neighborhood weaving a touching story of the time and change. Her films and recordings form an installation at New American Art Union. For opening night, the Winter Solstice Puppet Collective, accompanied by the Evolutionary Jass Band, presents a performance inspired by a poem of one of China's most revered poets, Tu Fu. Tu Fu, lived between 712 and 770 during the Tang dynasty, a period of incredible creativity and government support for arts. In the poem, written after a period of 5 years unemployment, Tu Fu describes sleeping at the office, too weary to return home through a community disrupted by unrest. At the New American Art Union www.newamericanartunion.com 922 SE Ankeny Opening 6PM-9, performance 7:30. Free
Cut & Paste is an international design competition. There must be some reality TV equivalent, but I am ignorant of that. Teams are given an assignment. Before judges and audience they create their design in real time. The categories for the design challenge are 2D, 3D and motion graphics so there will be plenty of entertainment. You can see examples, including video, at the Cut & Paste website. I'm not sure of the project's characterization of Portland as "the new Bohemia" but I understand the reference. I would prefer "the new Black Mountain College". The Portland Cut & Paste www.cutandpaste.com/events/2009/mar/7/portland/ takes place at the Portland Art Museum Ballroom in the Masonic Temple Building corner of SW Main and Park. 18 and over only. Doors 7PM, competition 7:30. Tickets $15 advance $20 door
