Portland is an independent film town. A large contributor to that is Peripheral Produce. Soon after filmmaker Matt McCormick moved to Portland from Albuquerque, he wanted a place to show his work, and that of local experimental filmmakers, so he started a film series in 1996 over beers in nightclubs. Then he found that filmmakers needed a way to distribute their work on VHS tapes, so with Vanessa Renwick, he started the Peripheral Produce mail order distribution project in 1998. Later he started the Portland Experimental and Documentary Film Festival that brought international films and filmmakers to Portland between 2001 and 2009.
Fifteen years ago, in 1997, Peripheral Produce showed some films at the Hollywood Theater to benefit the start of renovations. Many of those films were on the Auto-Cinematic Video Mix Tape, Peripheral Produce Compilation #1. Tonight celebrates the remastering and re-release of the Auto-Cinematic Video Mix Tape at the very same renovated Hollywood Theater.
The tape included Miranda July's Atlanta made in 1996. July went on to start her own video chain letter, Big Miss Moviola and Joanie4Jackie (1999) compilation tapes for women filmmakers, and a series of showings across the country.
The original compilation included Slow Gin Soul Stallion by Animal Charm (3:10); Truth in Advertising - Negativland by James Towning (3:17); Airports for Lights, Shadows, and Particles by Scott Arford (8:30); Atlanta by Miranda July (10:55); A $323 Film by Russ Forster (1:00); Love Child by Trouser Shadow Productions - Bryan Konefsky (7: 45); Segment by Matt McCormick (5:33); Le danse d'individuelle by the Olympia Film Ranch (13:00); Warning by Vanessa Renwick (3:48); Ah-goo by Eric Ostrowski (1:42); Battles on the Astral Plane by Jon Raymond (2:07); and Atom & Heave by Julian Andrew-Lawrence (8:00).
The new release adds work by Andrew Blubaugh, Orland Nutt, Ashby Lee Collinson, Jim Blashfield, Chel White, Karl Lind Stephen Slappe, Ben Popp and more.
Tonight you can see the new and old spanning almost 20 years of Portland independent film. See the Auto-Cinematic Video Mix Tape www.hollywoodtheatre.org/peripheral-produce-auto-cinematic-video-mix-tape at the Hollywood Theater 4122 NE Sandy Blvd. One night only 8PM $7
Usually we do not promote music poster shows or sports themed art shows here. That is because they each have their own audience and aesthetics different than, though equally valid, distinct from the art we cover.
But sometimes we make exceptions and this is one. Tonight is a show of Portland artist-designed Timbers posters. The project is a benefit for Harper's Playground. Harper is a young girl with a rare disability. One of her favorite pass times is playing on the swing. So her parents launched a two year project to build a city playground for disabled kids and their parents, Harper's Playground.
Tonight's event is Art Takeover Portland: Operation Harper's Playground www.arttakeoverportland.com where the posters will be on display and for sale. It is at Coava Coffee 1300 SE Grand. Drop by in the day 8AM-6PM or for the event celebrating the project 7PM-10
