Friday, May 31, 2013

June 2 Song of the Gamelan

Venerable Showers of Beauty presents a special concert with Heni Savitri and Midiyanto. Midiyanto is a musician and puppetmaster long connected to the Venerable Showers. Heni Savitri is a rarely heard outside Indonesia gamelan vocalist. More information at www.vsbgamelan.org/concerts.html. At the First Presbyterian Church 1200 SW Alder 2PM $10-$12

May 31 - June 1 Quiet Creative

The Quiet Music Festival returns quietly. It's the child of artist Chris Johanson, tapping his artistic music networks' deep vibes for your deep listening. This year the performers Friday are Lori Goldston, Money Mark, Heidi Alexander, Tara Jane Oneil, Dragging An Ox Through Water and Michael Henrickson. Saturday is White Magic, Volunteers Park, Peggy Honeywell, Meg Baird, Sun Foot and Michael Henrickson. The Quiet Music Festival www.disjecta.org/exhibitions-events/quiet-music-festival-of-portland at Disjecta, in the shadow of Paul Bunyan www.disjecta.org 8371 N. Interstate Map Doors 7PM, show 8. Tickets at the door: $10 a night, $18 two



We don't usually cover the usual music events, except sometimes when they are connected to art as is the above. But sometimes we make an exception when they are connected to dance. Like the Improvisation Summit of Portland.

Friday's program is: films Bridge & C.A.G.E, musicians Jen Hackworth & Heather Treadway, the John Gross Trio, movers Linda Austin, Gregg Bielemeier and Ken Ollis, Grammies, Eet, Daniel Menche, Taka Yamamoto & Lisa Schonberg, William Hooker, Gulls, the WIMBC Big Band (with Ryan Spangler, Ben Kates, Stephanie Simek, Carson McWhirter, Russel Durham), Dawn Stoppiello & Thollem Mcdonas, HITS and Elphin Elephant. Saturday there are early events then Doug Theriault & Juniana Lanning, movers Jim McGinn, Tere Mathern, Ben Kates, John Savage and Catherine Lee, Battle Hymns and Gardens, mover Noelle Stiles, Marisa Anderson and Christi Denton, 1939 Ensemble, movers Danielle Ross & John Niekrasz, Like a Villain, mover Tracy Broyles & Loren Chasse, Wm. Hooker Ensemble and Golden Retriever. Tickets www.brownpapertickets.com/event/382722. Schedule including Sunday afternoon items www.creativemusicguild.org/improvisation-summit. At Sandbox Studio. 420 NE 9th 7PM $12-40 one-two days, sliding scale

Sunday, May 26, 2013

May 26 PNCA BA Thesis Show Opens

The first piece I collected was from this show. There is a theory that from a collecting standpoint, post the MFA jag is the way to go for safety. But collecting is not about safety, it is about love. Whatever your philosophy, the BFA show represents a summary of the thinking of a large number of artists in a time and place honed by the thesis faculty advisors, social elements and current culture. That PNCA BFA show opens tonight after the commencement. At PNCA www.pnca.edu 1241 NW Johnson Map 6PM Free

Saturday, May 25, 2013

May 25 May Ragas

Yoga Shala hosts a concert of ragas by Michael Stirling and his students. At Yoga Shala 3808 N Williams 8PM Donation

Tuesday, May 21, 2013

May 20-26 Experimental Experiment

The Portland Experimental Film Festival happens throughout this week at various venues. See www.effportland.com

Saturday, May 18, 2013

May 19 Birding

Portland illustrator Trish Grantham has new stuff now. Grantham's work is instantly recognizable to Portlanders. She is an early put a bird on it artist. Some of her work has become signboards by cafes and even material for the big ad agency. Tonight is a reception for Grantham's new work. At Stumptown Division stumptowncoffee.com/trish-granthama-sympathetic-seaart-at-division-may-2013/ 4PM-6 Free

May 18 Radio Rogue Sound Plain High Who

Radio is magic. I'm an engineer, with deep specialization in the field. Even to me it is magic, though not in its mechanics, but in the ethnographies of its application. The first radio receivers were crystal radios. The same principal then, the electrical properties of rocks, is at work today in microchips of ultra purified sand. Artist Stephanie Symek is interested in the magic of radio too. She has made an art installation, Radio Room, of a crystal radio and other artifacts, such as rare earth magnets, of her own construction.

Rogue Waves is geometric op art illustration by Nathanael Thayer Moss. It is a pun; op art is a visual system artifact, not produced by [wave] diffraction.

Safe & Sound? is a video installation and website by Portland community members, journalists and artists Julie Perini, Jodi Darby, Erin Yanke, Amelia Cates, Christopher Hamann and Ian Wallace. Its theme is the power relationship between police and community. The creators also participate in a discussion: Socially & Politically Engaged Art, Sunday, May 19th 4PM-6 in the gallery.

Off the Plain is a group show curated by TJ Norris including artists Ben Buswell, Brooks Dierdorff, Jacqueline Ehlis, Melanie Flood, Ted Hiebert, Harrison Higgs, Tricia Hoffman, Joshua Kim, Heidi Kirkpatrick, Sarah Knobel, Elizabeth Papadopoulos, Richard Schemmerer, Michael Sell, Jennifer Vaughn, Chao Wang, Colleen Woolper and Bea Nettles.

All at Place, www.placepdx.com a gallery on the 3rd floor of the Pioneer Place Mall along with the People's art of Portland and the Woolley Gallery. If the mall appears closed, enter the film theater building adjacent, travel through the tunnel to the Place mall, and take the elevator to the 3rd floor, sometimes the bridge on the 3rd floor is open too. 700 SW Fifth. 5PM-9 Free

At the same location, the Mark Woolley Gallery and People's Art of Portland will likely be eventing.



There is a theory that it is a universal human need to get high. People climb mountains, trees, fly and even go into space to slip the surly bonds of earth. People like to dance too. Combine them and you have aerial dance.

Early aerial dance in Portland was established by Do Jump, with a focus on children's classes. Robert Davidson, a national pioneer in aerial choreography, choreographed a scene for the Portland Center Stage production of A Midsummer Night's Dream. Davidson created a lyrical work informed by Skinner Releasing Technique. A performers in those works spread branches through a series of Portland dance units: Aero Betty, Pendulum and AWOL. It is the brave desire of these performers to get high and our pleasure to be audience to them.

AWOL, Aerial Without Limits, opens their studios this evening for a student performance at a very reasonable price. At AWOL www.awoldance.org 2303 N Randolph, back of building, enter at A-WOL door in gravel lot. Tickets http://www.awoldance.org/2013/05/a-wol-2013-student-showcase/ 7PM $5



In art, annuals, biennials and other periodic competitive group shows are olympics. They are not scored, but they are curated. The curator, with their singular vision, sifts thousands of artists to select a handful. Once upon a time, the Portland Art Museum hosted a biennial group show. It was a bold move: it is unusual for collecting museums to be interested in the local region. They have little incentive to do so in the museum value system. The local focus here was driven by philanthropists the Schnitzers. Arleen Schnitzer had one of the first art galleries in Portland, the Fountain, operating from 1961-1977. Local and regional collectors, the Schnitzers, have been a strong force in encouraging the museum to collect locally and engage the local art community. The Oregon biennial relocated a few years ago from the Museum to Disjecta. In a bold and savvy move, Disjecta has invited an out of town curator, Amanda Hunt, based in LA and operating internationally, to select the 2014 biennial. Her resume is on the Disjecta website.

Tonight there is a reception for Hunt, an opportunity to sense her aesthetic interests in person. She will be introduced by Disjecta curator Summer Guthery, with a short Q&A. At 923 NW Flanders 6PM Free

Thursday, May 16, 2013

May 17-19 Engaging Open Engagement

Social Practice art is relatively new, though it has roots going back. Portland Oregon is a world center for Social Practice Art studies. Today those centers include Chicago, San Francisco and maybe London. So art types come here for the only conference on social practice art. They practice exchanging ideas, likely leading to experiments and classes elsewhere. The conference is packed with talks, panels and meals. Best of all it's entirely free. Most venues are in walking radius downtown. See the entire schedule at www.openengagement.info Friday, Saturday, Sunday 10PM-midnight Free (except Shine a Light at the Museum Friday evening)

May 17 Shine a Light All Over Again

Shine a Light is what happens when social practice artists take over the Museum and create a series of interactive tableau throughout its many galleries. In the courtyard and many spaces in the Masonic Temple Building there is food and drink. It's about as filled as the Museum ever gets and as late night as galleries go. Flirty, friendly and conversational. You can see the whole schedule here: www.portlandartmuseum.org/document.doc?id=103. There is often a waity line for admission, so picking up hard tickets in advance is recommended. The cost is a regular Museum admission, good all day, come early before the crush if you like. Members are free, so by becoming a member, you can save admission. Shine a Light at the Portland Art Museum, a production of the PSU Social Practice Art program www.pam.org 1219 SW Park 6PM-midnight $15, $12 students

Friday, May 10, 2013

May 11 No 5upremacy

Gallery Homeland hosts Activated Complex curated by Julie Perini and Jodie Cavalier. Two completely different artists. It's Trojan Horse, Brian King; Salt Lick, Allison Halter; Human ontology – why we are the way we are, Helli Kontinnen; Transmission, Ernest Wedoff & Tim Ferrell and Uncertainty Principle. At the same time is Happening #5 by the PSU time arts club. Modeled after 1980's NY events organized by Warhol, Portland's happening tonight includes time-based painting by Kaila Farrall-Smith, 16mm film projections by Colin Manning, video Performances via Buenos Aires by Daniela de Sarasqueta, a visit from the Future by Bugenhagen, Soup Purse, Portland Bike Ensemble, Manny & Lyrels. It is all part of the Portland Experimental Film Festival. Wow, just wow. At Gallery Homeland www.galleryhomeland.org in the Ford Building www.fordbuildingpdx.com 2505 SE 11th x Division. Enter through the cafe on the corner if the main doors on 11th are locked. all ages 6PM-9 Free



Vancouver is a suburb of Portland. I'm mystified by it. But this weekend they are hosting a b-boy/b-girl battle, Street Supremacy. It's an all day into evening event. 11 starts preliminary rounds. Noon is a junior-adults battle. 2 is 2on2 all style battles. 6 is the championships and guests Elm & Dancers and Beat Freaks. It is at Skyview High School. Details and directions to the suburbs at the link on the facebook: www.facebook.com/events/329843243802311 11AM-9:30PM $20 attend, $25 to compete, which is a little weird

May 10 Fly Room

New York artist Hayley Silverman presents a performance Fly Room tonight at 9PM Sharp. At Appendix Project Space www.appendixspace.com On the alley between 26th and 27th, South of Alberta. Map 9PM arrive early Free

Thursday, May 09, 2013

May 9-11 Compassion and the Earth

Compassion is a human value learned when we are babies. A little older, many of us apply the principle to the natural environment and all its non-human actors. Yes that is a jump, but it definitely falls into the realm of self actualization. The earth and its environment need a counterbalancing force to the forces of raw short term economic exploitation. It is not clear that we have enough compassion, or even common sense as a species, to balance exploitation and sustainability.

The indigenous nature-based religions of the world have a strong tradition of that balance. Without the tools of the scientific method and with a mystic view of nature, perhaps destructive exploitation did not occur to them. And without vast machinery of industry, their ability to exploit beyond sustainability was limited.

Christianity's "multiply and subdue" passage, coupled with the tools of industry, has resulted, though not necessarily by intelligent design, in a culture of unsustainable exploitation of nature. That is not to say that philosophy is shared by all Christians, or that there have not been Christians with a focus on sustainability. One need only look at the work of Thomas Merton.

Taoism, with strong roots in nature, proposes a balance between man and nature. Modern Buddhism has addressed the question too. This week is a series of talks in Portland and Eugene by the Dalai Lama and others on the application of compassion and spirituality to environmental sustainability.

The events are long since sold out. But each event is being webcast live. Free!

May 9: “Spirituality & the Environment” at the University of Portland 9AM-11:30
Live webcast can be viewed at http://www.dalailama.com/live-portland9am

May 9: “Universal Responsibility & the Inner Environment” at the University of Portland 1:30PM-3
Live webcast can be viewed at http://www.dalailama.com/live-portland9pm

May 10: “Life and After Life” at Maitripa College 9AM-11
Live webcast can be viewed at http://www.dalailama.com/live-portland10am

May 10: “The Path to Peace and Happiness in the Global Society” at the University of Oregon’s Matthew Knight Arena 1:30-3:30
Live webcast can be viewed at http://www.uoregon.edu/

May 11: “Universal Responsibility & the Global Environment” at the Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Portland 9:30AM-11
Live webcast can be viewed at http://www.dalailama.com/live-portland11am

May 11: “Inspiration for the Global Environment” at the Veterans Memorial Coliseum 1:30PM-3:30
Live webcast can be viewed at http://www.dalailama.com/live-portland11pm

The webcasts are also available at http://youtube.com/dalailama or http://www.dalailama.com/liveweb.

All times Pacific time, now GMT-7.

We live in an era of spiritual remix. Each of us today can construct a personal spiritual system from samples of many available. Maybe a little Buddhist compassion for sustainability and the environment is a good sample for each of us to include?

Live, learn, act (compassionately).

Tuesday, May 07, 2013

May 8 Innovation is Free

Quality is free was a realization beginning in the 1960's applied to space manufacturing. Innovation, progressively driven out of American business, is free too. It is just that management does not want to pay for it. Writer Bruce Nussbaum discusses his book Creative Intelligence: Harnessing the Power to Create, Connect, and Inspire. He also speaks at 4 tomorrow at Ziba but reservations are closed. At Ecotrust 721 NW 9th noon-1 Free



Bullseye Glass is a world class manufacturer of glass sheet, powder and rod, right here in Portland. They also operate a gallery and glass art residencies. We don't cover glass art here because it has its own aesthetics and collector base, distinct from contemporary art. Tonight is a rare opportunity to tour the Bullseye factory. The local chapter of the American Institute of Graphic Arts sponsors a tour tonight. You can register at this link. At Bullseye Glass 3610 SE 21st 6PM $10



The first year students of the joint OCAC and PNCA MFA in applied contemporary craft present a show tonight. At the Bison Building, 3610 SE 21st 6PM-9 Free

Sunday, May 05, 2013

May 6 Know the Tube

Getting to Know You (Tube) hosts the video selections shown on the big screen of Jamie Edwards, Julie Perini and Jodie Cavalier. Each artist has selected 10-15 minutes of favorites made by others on YouTube. Getting to Know You(Tube) www.gettingtoknowyoutube.com at the Hollywood Theater www.hollywoodtheatre.org 4122 NE Sandy Boulevard 7:30PM $5

Saturday, May 04, 2013

May 5 Tuvan Throat Singing and Infinite Reproduction In Portland

Tuva is a region in Siberia adjacent to Mongolia. For some it is on the map because the physicist Richard Feynman aspired to visit. Feynman is famous for his brilliance, including uniting previously unconnected physics theories to form quantum electrodynamics using social practice and ethnographic methods. With the bureaucratic and ideological differences between the Soviet Union, now the Russian Republic, and the United States of the 1980's (to now?), he was only granted a visa to visit the day after his death from cancer in 1988 at age 70.

Tuva is internationally known for throat singing. It is an unusual but instantly identifiable method of generating multiple overtones in the vocal tract. In Tuva it is part of land-based spiritual beliefs.

Portlander Enrique Ugalde has visited Tuva extensively, learned Tuvan throat singing, recorded performances, arranged Tuvan throat singing tours in the US, competed in international throat singing competitions and won third best in the world and best foreigner. He is universally acknowledged as the finest throat singer in the world outside Tuva and is a continuous vocal innovator.

He performs worldwide. Portland rarely. Tonight is an opportunity to hear him perform here and now. After he embarks a European and Asian tour.

At Star Theater 13 NW 6th 8PM $10



Noted Portland artist Wynde Dyer, the principal of Golden Rule and exhibitor at Place, Milepost 5 and elsewhere opens images from her China series. Family is all. Dyer taps family experiences in her art-making to strong impact, ask the artist or do your research for more. Opening reception tonight with music. At Stumptown www.stumptowncoffee.com 128 SW 3rd. Early close 5PM-7 Free

May 4 Rockin' Modern Art

(You) New Bad Things (Video) is a show featuring (video) from Chase Allgood, Chase Biado, Matthew Green, Ashby Lee Collinson and Jason Hirata. (video) (art) is nascent in Portland for some reason, maybe it's not painterly, printerly or crafterly enough, or it is too heady. Rock has a good eye for performance and I'm familiar with several of these artists' (good) work along those lines. So this will be a good show to see and a great setting upon opening to discuss (video). Rocksbox is a place for Portland's most contemporary artists to converse and experience art beyond the warm and fuzzy Portlandia genres. Always recommended. At Rocksbox Fine Art www.rocksboxfineart.com 6540 N Interstate Map 8PM-11 Free



Uncontrollable Urge!!! is a retrospective of artist contributors to Mike McGonigal's Yeti journal. They include Fred Tomaselli, Alexander Ross, David Moreno and Saul Chernick from New York; Chuck Nanney from Oakland, David Fair from Baltimore, Kevin Arrow from Miami Beach, James Trotter from Kansas City, from Paris, Hippolyte Hentgen, Geneviève Castrée from Canada, Kinke Kooi from the Netherlands. Portland represents with Jen Olesen, Eric Mast, Marly Beyer, Josh Kermiet, Lori Damiano, Chris Cilla and Shana Cleveland. Visionary artist Anne Marie Grgich, Jimmy Lee Sudduth, Lonnie Holley and the anonymous artist known as “Philadelphia Wireman” are in the show. Classic art vibes from Joe Brainard - New York School poet and painter, flmmaker Bruce Conner and mail artist Ray Johnson. Many are musician multi-artists too - that's the journal's theme. This show is perfect Summer fun band example of what this little museum can put out. At the Portland Museum of Modern Art inside Mississippi Records www.portlandmuseumofmodernart.com 5202 N Albina Map 8PM Free




Friday, May 03, 2013

May 3 Eastside Art Openings

Newspace has S.A.P.E photographs of sapeurs, flamboyantly costumed Congolese who adopt historic styles for France. At Newspace Photo www.newspacephoto.org 1632 SE 10th Map 6PM-9



The Rock and Roll Camp for Girls produces visual art. Who would have known? This wins tonights copywriting award for content: "Music provided by Voices. Voices is a double drummer band featuring Gillian Avina and Cayla Davis. Gillian and Cayla met this summer at Rock and Roll Camp for Girls. Cayla stays busy in her other Portland bands Blind Lovejoy, Break Up Flowers, and Tofurkey Jerky. Gillian has a background playing violin in several orchestras as well as playing in the English band This is the Kit, as well as playing in another Not Enough! band this year, The Juggy River Sisters!" Wow. She Shreds Magazine will also be in the house. At adxportland.com 417 SE 11th x Stark Map 6PM-9 Free



Aidan Koch has a show at Nationale www.nationale.us 811 E Burnside Map 6PM-9



Big show at Redux: April Coppini, Brent Wick, Brett Superstar, Keith Carter, Ryan Berkley, and Wesley Younie. At Redux www.reduxpdx.com 811 E Burnside 6PM-10



Shadows and Light is the new show at Black Box Gallery www.blackboxgallery.com 811 E Burnside, Suite 212 upstairs 5PM-8:30 Free



Art+Music in the form of Dre LeRoca, Penpointred and Erin Mader + Aurei, Enjoy and Realiez. If they have some 3d art up, check it with anamorphic glasses! At Home:Bass www.homebasspdx.com 123 NE 6th 6PM-10 Free



William Rihel opens pilates, an installation which may have nothing to do with the exercise. Also the UO thesis show takes over the rest of the space. At Disjecta, in the shadow of Paul Bunyan www.disjecta.org 8371 N. Interstate Map 6PM-10 Free

Wednesday, May 01, 2013

May 2 Westside Art Openings

Jaq Chartier has Ultra Marine, continuing simple a simple and seductive markmaking strategy started with paintings reminiscent of electrophoresis gels. And Claire Cowie has Unreliable Source, a little bit of everything, illustrations, sculpture and photographs of performance/ costuming. At Elizabeth Leach Gallery www.elizabethleach.com 417 NW 9th Map 6PM-9



Lucas Foglia shows A Natural Order, portraits of individuals in the Southesat of the US living off the grid. It reminds a Northwest series, Community, Skyblue, by Justine Kurland about 10 years ago. Tamara Staples has portraits of chickens from Georgia. Portland is not the only weird place. Both series were gathered by the photographers traveling to the subjects in extended camper van expedition. At Blue Sky Gallery www.blueskygallery.org map 122 NW 8th 6PM-9



Tom Prochaska has Johnson City, paintings in a loose impressionistic style of people and people in landscapes. Along with Gail Tremblay: Reframing images, Conceptualizing Indigenous Art. Tremblay makes basket-like forms from non-traditional materials, like photographic film, itself terminally endangered as a medium. At www.froelickgallery.com 714 NW Davis



Daydreamers is the theme of work by Stella Im Hultberg and Suite Charlie. Perfect for a warm evening of smells, sights and sounds. At Compound Gallery www.compoundgallery.com 107 NW 5th 6PM-10



Monica Choi has curated a group show - In the Process - of illustration work. Buzz Parker has Home Tree Home, light hearted illustrations of tree houses. 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


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 6PM-9/10sh