Jim Lommasson continues his series Exit Wounds: Life After War - Soldiers' Stories. It is presented in connection with the play, The Body of an American, at Portland Center Stage.
The play is based on the experience of war photographer, Paul Watson, witnessing a death in Mogadishu, Somalia. The extreme highs of combat photography and journalism are accompanied by horrible wounding lows. An example is the story of The Bang Bang Club photographers. Watson has written about his experiences in Where War Lives, A Journey into the Heart of War.
Watson worked with playwrite Dan O'Brien on the play, which is presented in Portland as a world premiere.
The event in Mogadishu was a tragedy, as is all untimely death. It was after the Black Hawk Down incident, a tragic end to an idealistic humanitarian intervention. Watson's Pulitzer-winning images of a lost American serviceman, photographed in the street mob at great personal risk, had an impact on the American psyche. That dissuaded President Clinton from intervening in the Rwandan genocide.
In the time since, journalistic video and stills have been highly controlled in American media through journalistic embedding programs.
Lommasson's project collects photographs made by Iraq and Afghanistan veterans, with their stories. It's an ongoing project. This show is an expansion of his show in 2008 at the New American Art Union.
The show is viewable until November 22. At the Gerding Theater at the Armory, in the Ellyn Bye Studio Lobby. 1128 NW 11th. Opening reception 4PM-7
M K Guth continues her highly successful social practice series, Best Wishes. It's well worth understanding the ideas behind this artist's work and why it's valued outside Portland. The show has long braids with written wishes woven through them. The braids were worn by Guth as participants expanded them with their own woven intentions. The performance lasted for a lunar month in and around Las Vegas. Stephen Hayes also shows his pastoral landscape paintings. At Elizabeth Leach Gallery www.elizabethleach.com 417 NW 9th Map 6PM-9
Marie Watt is a contemporary artist who draws conceptual inspiration from her Native American heritage. She has just moved to New York. It will be interesting to see her work evolve. At PDX Contemporary Art www.pdxcontemporaryart.com 925 NW Flanders Map early close 8PM
The UofO gallery has a group show and solo show this month. The group show, 6/ONE, is Karl Burkheimer, Josh Smith, Ben Ediger, Todd Isaacs, Dan Anderson, and Chris Held. Solo is Laura Hughes who makes light art pieces, tonight mixing video and fluorescent pigments. Recommended. At the University of Oregon White Stag Building, http://whitebox.uoregon.edu/ 70 NW Couch 6PM-9
Corey Arnold is a photographer fisherman. His earlier work focused on crab fishing at sea. His new series, Graveyard Point, is focused on Alaskan salmon fishing, including river fishing, an abandoned cannery and the seasonal fishing life around it. Arnold is one of the best at this style documentary photography. At Charles Hartman Fine Art www.hartmanfineart.net 134 NW 8th Early close 8
Design With the Other 90% Cities exhibit continues at the Museum of Contemporary Craft. There is no admision charge on First Thursday. At the Museum of Contemporary Craft www.museumofcontemporarycraft.org 724 NW Davis
ted to generation sampling. It is surprisingly difficult to do well and Givens does.
Chris Lael Larson has a show of video work Yourself Through Others. He has previously shown his kissing series in which one of the figures is removed by video effects. The work includes video portraits. The color grading and display calibration on all the projects is video electric with almost poppy colors. That contributes well to the overall impact. At W+K www.wk.com 224 NW 13th Map 5PM-9 Free
Stumptown opens The Good Rain, a group photography show by Jake Arcularius, Olivia Bee, Ashby Lee Collinson, Sarah Meadows, Missy Prince, Marie Shelton, Jenny Simmons, Rebecca Thom, John Voves, Kersti Jan Werdal, and Dan Wilson. Reception Sunday at 5. At Stumptown www.stumptowncoffee.com 128 SW 3rd
Sculptor installationist Jordan Tull opens Ecto-Paraprism. It's installed at the AIA office at the corner of Flanders at 403 NW 11th.
Spooky! In honor of Halloween, Grass Hut is putting together a spooky-themed show. Grass Hut in Floating World. www.grasshutcorp.com 400 NE Couch 6PM-9
Hellion has two figurative illustrators, Keegan Onefoot and Christopher Konecki who work a finer line than most of Portland's outsider artists. At Hellion Gallery www.helliongallery.com 19 NW 5th Suite 208. Through the lobby of the arched brick entry, up the stairs and to the back. Very upper floor Japan-style.
Map
Annoyed Grunt is a show by Mr. Kiji from New York, in a superflat, but more simplified graphic style than the original superflat artists. At Compound Gallery www.compoundgallery.com 107 NW 5th 6PM-10
PNCA continues the excellent John Cage-inspired show and the alumni show. At PNCA www.pnca.edu 1241 NW Johnson Map
Arc Volant is an installation by Wid Chambers. It's not often there is an opportunity to take over a whole commercial gallery for an installation, this is one. At Chambers Gallery www.chambersgallery.com 916 NW Flanders Early close 8:30PM
Oregon artist Naomi Shigeta has quiet work with detailed patterns. We hope this artist finds representation beyond Portland. At Augen Gallery www.augengallery.com 716 NW Davis early close 8
A year in painting is a group show of a dozen artists including those represented by the gallery. It's mostly abstract, but different from what we see from Portland artists. At Victory Gallery www.victorygallery.com 733 NW Everett
Everett Lofts are recommended as always. It's easier for you to see them all than for me to write suggestions. Some close as early as 9PM. At the Everett Lofts 625 NW Everett. Bounded by NW Everett, Broadway, Flanders and 6th Map
