Almost all the galleries are closed tonight because of snow, but the shows are up all month.
Changjiang River waves behind drive the waves ahead. China. It is big. It is changing fast. It has all the communication overlays of, say the United States. Internet usage is higher and social media, mobile everything are thriving. The country is largely optimistic. The family structure is strong. Even so, it is hard to follow China from afar, and on the ground, the view is limited by the geographic extent and shear numbers. And I have to say I find lecturing China as immature.
University of Oregon professor of Contemporary Art History and Theory, Jenny Lin, has gathered a sample of contemporary art across media and geography. They are presented in a deep dive in her courses. And for you they are on display in Portland.
Artists include John Alexander, Chang He, Patty Chang, Chen Fei, Chen Xiaofeng, Chen Yina, Chen Yuan, Gu Zheng, Hai Liang, He Pei, Hu Chengwei, Huang Shizun, Huang Xiaoliang, Ji Tao, Jin Xu, Jing Yi, David Kelley, Liu Jiajia, Liu Jianhua, Liu Jie, Liu Kai, Liu Tao, Liu Wanyi, Liu Yanpeng, Liu Yuanyuan, Luo Dan, Ning Zhouhao, Tong Dazhuang, Wang Wenlong, Wang Peibei, Wu Pengfei, Xie Ying, Xu Yang, Jay Yan, Yan Yibo, Yang Ming, Ye Baoliang, Zhang Wenfeng, Zhang Xiao, Zhang Yujiao and Zi Bai.
The Chinese art world is unimaginatively vast and China is minting large numbers of MFA's per year.
By Whitebox Gallery at the University of Oregon White Stag Building, http://whitebox.uoregon.edu/ 70 NW Couch
Reverse Engineered is a group show by AJ Fosik, Jshea, Souther Salazar, Troy Coulterman, Michael Alm and Yosakay Yamamoto. Tonight the sculpture instance opens. On February 27th, each artist presents 2D companion work at Antler. At Hellion Gallery www.helliongallery.com through the lobby of the arched brick entry, up the stairs and to the back. Very upper floor Japan-style. 19 NW 5th Suite 208. Map 7PM-10 Free
Unless you have been snowed in for some time you know the word selfie. It is the venerable Oxford English Dictionary 2013 Word of the Year. It is also the inspiration for show Self(IE) by artists Lorna Barnshaw, Ian Ingram, TJ Norris, Julie Perini, Jordan Rathus, Samantha Wall and Tyler Wallace. Alicia Eler provides a closing talk for the show March 1. At UpFor Gallery www.upforgallery.com 929 NW Flanders 6PM-9 Free
PNCA has a previously opened An Exhibition That Might Exist, Bean Gilsdorf, recent CCA grad. At PNCA www.pnca.edu 1241 NW Johnson Map
Unveiled Nudes by Robert Hanson, Stephen Hayes, Malia Jensen, Gaston Lachaise, Henri Matisse, Joseph Park, John Sloan, David Smith opens tonight. It accompanies a very interesting project by photographer Chris Rauschenberg of artist studios. At Elizabeth Leach Gallery www.elizabethleach.com 417 NW 9th Map 6PM-9
The late photographer and curator Terry Toedtemeier is noted for his pictures of rocks. But he often included in the image rock's yang to yin, skies. That is the theme of this show of his work, Skies. At PDX Contemporary Art www.pdxcontemporaryart.com 925 NW Flanders Map early close 8PM
We are actively selective and passively selective covering cafe shows. To many moar arts. But we have great hopes for this cafe in a dorm, Glyph. They open their visual shows with Drawing a Blank, paintings by Theodore Holdt and an exhibition in shadow boxes that are the cafe tables Sea of Hooks – Writing Process Ephemera & Broadsides by Lindsay Hill. Both are have a lot of detail worth an extended visit. The new cafe has food items, beer and wine for your everyday pleasures. At Glyph Cafe & Arts Space www.glyphpdx.com 804 NW Couch 7PM-9
Laura Ross-Paul has Urban Forest this month. Ross-Paul is known for strong use of color, yet not overpoweringly so, in oil and water color. Along with Pecker Tracks by Nat Meade. At Froelick Gallery www.froelickgallery.com 714 NW Davis
Augen has a large group show by by Mark Andres, Phil Bard, Bill Brewer, Sharon Bronzan, Laurel Bustamante, Sally Cleveland, Matt Cosby, Jonnel Covault, Ron Cronin, John Dempcy, Karen Esler, James Florshutz, Trish Grantham, Jef Gunn, Yoko Hara, Mary Chomenko Hinckley, Yuji Hiratsuka, Chris Kelly, Stu Levy, Wendy Franklund Miller, Cynthia Mosser, Jim Neidhardt, Trude Parkinson, Gerald Purdy, Jim Riswold, Rita Robillard, Naomi Shigeta, Sara Siestreem, Dharma Strasser MacColl, Morgan Walker, Mary Wells, Mark Wilson and Thomas Wood. At Augen Gallery www.augengallery.com 716 NW Davis early close 8
Longtime Portland artists Henk Pander and Mel Katz have a show this month. At Laura Russo Gallery www.laurarusso.com 805 NW 21st 5PM-8
Compound has Parallel Worlds by Andrea Wan, Betsy Walton and Sandra Dieckmann. At Compound Gallery www.compoundgallery.com 107 NW 5th 6PM-10
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 closing ranges from 9PM-10:30ish
