Wednesday, June 26, 2013

June 27 Last Dome

Last Thursday on Alberta came about when street artists were driven from the sidewalks of the previously grimy Pearl District by its newly flush businesses. So artists, the shock troops of gentrification, set up shop on gritty Alberta, along with fire performers, DJ's, musicians and creative neighbors in an inexpensive neighborhood. It grew by word of mouth and grew bars, restaurants, shops and property values. Everyone wanted the benefits, and substantially growing benefits, including benefits to landlords, but no one wanted to pay the costs. We hope the most profitable bars, restaurants and other businesses on Alberta step up to pay to keep the event alive, negotiate with the neighborhood association, and we hope the event can emphasize artists, musicians and performers who are not charged for or controlled in their creative contributions.

Although every aesthetic represented on the street and in the several galleries are not my interest, they have great experimental, social and Portland brand value for the city.

Tonight is Last Thursday on Alberta in which the scattered galleries will be open late and street artists later. Judge for yourself.

NE Alberta Street between 14th and 30th. 6PM-10 Free



Hand Eye Supply launches its Industrious Minds Fellowship with an award to Escape Collective, DIY dome builders. Geodesic domes are the invention of Buckminster Fuller bracketed by his time at Black Mountain College. There are certainly ultra high-end domes, using space grid double or triple layer struts. They are popular at world's fairs, for science museums, to cover stadiums and at Disney. Building a Mars base? Despite being more than 60 years old, they still scream future.

But just about everything not high end, meaning single layer grid, is DIY accessible. Interest in Buckminster Fuller's ideas and DIY domes started in the late 1960's in California. They are a popular wind resistant shelter at the Burning Man desert campout. Major dome makers Pacific Domes sprung from that ethos to make domes for music festivals, brand events and trade shows, like E3. Making the cover can be a challenge, in sheer yardage, seam lengths and loss from triangular cuts. The cover can also be weighty.

Escape Collective, representing a new subculture interested in domes has made one, and now is taking multiple domes to events. That makes them a good matchup with Hand Eye Supply and their extended Core77 network. They are also a good match for events, benefiting from multiple volunteers to assemble them, or disassemble them, bottom up, or top down.

Tonight in celebration, Hand Eye offers an installation by Escape Collective member Kara Jean Caldwell, illustrations and Polaroids by Hill Hudson, dome video by Andy Carlson and DJ & live music by sets and live Pegasus Dream. At Hand Eye Supply www.handeyesupply.com 23 NW 4th 6PM-8 Free