I have seen hyenas in the wild. They are a disturbing, opportunistic predator.
A favorite film shows today at noon. It is Hyenas, based on Friedrich Dürrenmatt's the Visit of the Old Lady. The play is often recontextualized to new times and places. This, by Djibril Diop Mambety, it is a tragedy set amid stunning production design in Senegal. Some plot elements parallel critiques of World Bank activities in Africa.
It is said that there are only a few plots. The protagonist leaves town, the protagonist arrives in town. The Visit is the protagonist who left town, and returns to town, for revenge. The final revenge is a small death, but the enormity of contributing revenge is epic.
Playwright Dürrenmatt/Duerrenmatt is known for his tragicomedies. Three stand out. This is the most tragic, though the dialog is subtile and there is scattered humor.
The most humorous of his plays is Romulus the Great. The protagonist is a fictional last emperor of Rome. He encourages its fall to barbarians because he believes it corrupt. In the end, it is revealed the barbarians are invading to adopt the culture of the empire.
In the middle is The Physicists. It is a meditation on the responsibility of scientists and engineers for the commercial application of their individual work. Let's just say this has been one of my projects over years. I have had some successes. But in the play, the dénouement is the utter failure of ethics against commerce.
This is a fine rare film to see.
Hyenas at the Cascade Festival of African Films. At PCC Cascade Moriarty Arts and Humanities Building, Room 104. 705 N Killingsworth. Noon Free
Saturday, February 28, 2015
Friday, February 27, 2015
February 28 Warm, Even, In Real Life
Keith J. Varadi and Rebecca R. Peel are visual artists and curators. Tonight they do readings: Warm, Even. More info on the gallery website. At Adams and Ollman Gallery, the second of two members of the New Art Dealers Alliance www.newartdealers.org, www.adamsandollman.com 209 SW 9th 6PM Free
In person openings are the coin of the creative realm in Portland, like irl///onlineonly at Surplus Space tonight. Tonight is PSU MFA students, accompanied by artist interviews and social media archives. The series rotates weekly through March with artists from different schools each weekend. At Surplus Space www.SurplusSpace.info 3726 NE 7th 6PM-9 Free
In person openings are the coin of the creative realm in Portland, like irl///onlineonly at Surplus Space tonight. Tonight is PSU MFA students, accompanied by artist interviews and social media archives. The series rotates weekly through March with artists from different schools each weekend. At Surplus Space www.SurplusSpace.info 3726 NE 7th 6PM-9 Free
February 27 Urban Outdoor
Outdoor clothing retailer Evo operates a small gallery of art by artists connected to the outdoor industry. It tends to run to urban as does the store vibe. Tonight they have illustration by Stefan Hofmann, half of Spaceraft which produces graphic screened clothing for EVO. At Evo outdoor store, 200 SE Martin Luther King Blvd. 6PM-9 Free
Thursday, February 26, 2015
February 26 Media, Art, Performance
Artist Kristin Lucas works in performance, video and other electronic media. She is fairly prolific. She discusses her work this evening at the art school. At PNCA www.pnca.edu 511 NW Broadway Map 6:30PM
Monday, February 23, 2015
February 24: How I Broke My Brain and Changed My Mind
Josh Berger speaks on brain injury. His own. As a result of a bicycle accident. Yes he was wearing a helmet.
He is a well known brand strategist and designer, you probably know him. His talk tonight is on his journey over the two and a half years since his injury.
A presentation of the Curiosity Club, you can tune into the free live webcast off the Core77 site, see the video archive on the Hand Eye Supply Website or visit the talk and demonstration in person at Hand Eye Supply www.handeyesupply.com/pages/curiosity-club 427 NW Broadway 6PM Free
He is a well known brand strategist and designer, you probably know him. His talk tonight is on his journey over the two and a half years since his injury.
A presentation of the Curiosity Club, you can tune into the free live webcast off the Core77 site, see the video archive on the Hand Eye Supply Website or visit the talk and demonstration in person at Hand Eye Supply www.handeyesupply.com/pages/curiosity-club 427 NW Broadway 6PM Free
Tuesday, February 17, 2015
February 21 On Masculinism
In 1978, structuralists Anthony McCall and Andrew Tyndall created the experimental film Argument. Inspired by Godard and Gorin’s Letter to Jane, it considered the image and expectations of men hidden in a then current edition of the New York Times.
The film was screened with discussions, post, by the audience. It is still relevant, and today's showing includes discussion too.
A longer fascinating explanation is on the project FB https://www.facebook.com/zenazezzaprojects/posts/1541514609461129:0.
At 1857 Hallock & McMillan, 253 SW Naito Parkway. Film noon. $7 general, $5 students, artists, seniors
The film was screened with discussions, post, by the audience. It is still relevant, and today's showing includes discussion too.
A longer fascinating explanation is on the project FB https://www.facebook.com/zenazezzaprojects/posts/1541514609461129:0.
At 1857 Hallock & McMillan, 253 SW Naito Parkway. Film noon. $7 general, $5 students, artists, seniors
Monday, February 16, 2015
February 20 Key Figures
Key Figures is a group show by self-taught artists that are better than average like Chris Bradley, Vaginal Davis, Luc Fuller, Arnold Joseph Kemp, Brian Kokoska, Michael Lazarus, Gladys Nilsson, Misleidys Francisca Castillo Pedroso and Brion Nuda Rosch. At Adams and Ollman Gallery, the second of two members of the New Art Dealers Alliance www.newartdealers.org, www.adamsandollman.com 209 SW 9th 6PM-9 Free
Monday, February 09, 2015
February 11 Be There Salon
The Sum of Its Parts is the first gallery salon by Jeffrey Thomas. The first Portland contemporary art gallery was Arlene Schnitzer's Fountain Gallery which became the Laura Russo Gallery. The second was his.
Thomas was coprincipal, with William Jamison, in that second Portland contemporary art gallery, the Jamison Thomas Gallery. www.jeffreythomasfineart.com 2219 NW Raleigh 6PM-9 Free
Thomas was coprincipal, with William Jamison, in that second Portland contemporary art gallery, the Jamison Thomas Gallery. www.jeffreythomasfineart.com 2219 NW Raleigh 6PM-9 Free
Thursday, February 05, 2015
February 6 Eastside Openings
Building construction is serious and costly business. It is visually rich and understandable on inspection. So it's a ripe situation to make art of.
Tori Abernathy stages a construction intervention in HQHQ Project Space including activist discussions February 24th-26th by the Portland Renters' Assembly.
Tonight and throughout the month the artist injects a tactic of play and the female into the HQHQ construction site in an intervention Make Yourself At Home.
At HQHQ Project Space hq-objective.info 232 SE Oak St #108 6PM-9 Free
Film can be finicky. Add to that uncontrollable accidents. It's a good way to get art. Myles Katherine is prone to using double exposure in a Holga plastic lens camera. Her work is centered on clothing and models in a dream style that works. At Haunt www.hauntstudio.blogspot.com 811 E Burnside Suite #113 6PM-8
Portland does have a map GIS map community. And Portland has a wood craft community. Don Lee combines both vectors into his Woodmaping artwork. In the back of the building, Sarah Landa shows photographs, viewable 24x7. At Redux www.reduxpdx.com 811 E Burnside 6PM-9:30 Free
Black Box has a group black and white photo show. At Black Box Gallery www.blackboxgallery.com 811 E Burnside, Suite 212 upstairs 5PM-8 Free
All at 811 East Burnside Map
Eutectic Gallery has Stoked, wood-fired ceramics. They are fired from our wood here and fired around the world by their wood there. That makes them carbon neutral! Wood-fired ceramics, the first fired ceramics date back to ancient China and Japan. Several Japanese artists visit to present their work. At Eutectic Gallery www.eutecticgallery.com 1930 NE Oregon 6PM-9 Free
We all know the Internet is overcrowded with cats! Carli Davidson has photos, Shake, of dogs doing exactly that, captured by high speed flash. So they might look a little odd, but they are happy for sure. At Pushdot Studio www.pushdotstudio.com 2505 SE 11th Avenue Suite 104 6PM- Free
Ghost Town is a photography show by young photographer Kyle Thompson. At One Grand Gallery www.onegrandgallery.com 1000 E Burnside 6PM-10 Free
Radical Color is a group photography show, just when we need color. At Newspace Photo www.newspacephoto.org 1632 SE 10th Map 6PM-9 Free
Tori Abernathy stages a construction intervention in HQHQ Project Space including activist discussions February 24th-26th by the Portland Renters' Assembly.
Tonight and throughout the month the artist injects a tactic of play and the female into the HQHQ construction site in an intervention Make Yourself At Home.
At HQHQ Project Space hq-objective.info 232 SE Oak St #108 6PM-9 Free
Film can be finicky. Add to that uncontrollable accidents. It's a good way to get art. Myles Katherine is prone to using double exposure in a Holga plastic lens camera. Her work is centered on clothing and models in a dream style that works. At Haunt www.hauntstudio.blogspot.com 811 E Burnside Suite #113 6PM-8
Portland does have a map GIS map community. And Portland has a wood craft community. Don Lee combines both vectors into his Woodmaping artwork. In the back of the building, Sarah Landa shows photographs, viewable 24x7. At Redux www.reduxpdx.com 811 E Burnside 6PM-9:30 Free
Black Box has a group black and white photo show. At Black Box Gallery www.blackboxgallery.com 811 E Burnside, Suite 212 upstairs 5PM-8 Free
All at 811 East Burnside Map
Eutectic Gallery has Stoked, wood-fired ceramics. They are fired from our wood here and fired around the world by their wood there. That makes them carbon neutral! Wood-fired ceramics, the first fired ceramics date back to ancient China and Japan. Several Japanese artists visit to present their work. At Eutectic Gallery www.eutecticgallery.com 1930 NE Oregon 6PM-9 Free
We all know the Internet is overcrowded with cats! Carli Davidson has photos, Shake, of dogs doing exactly that, captured by high speed flash. So they might look a little odd, but they are happy for sure. At Pushdot Studio www.pushdotstudio.com 2505 SE 11th Avenue Suite 104 6PM- Free
Ghost Town is a photography show by young photographer Kyle Thompson. At One Grand Gallery www.onegrandgallery.com 1000 E Burnside 6PM-10 Free
Radical Color is a group photography show, just when we need color. At Newspace Photo www.newspacephoto.org 1632 SE 10th Map 6PM-9 Free
February 6 - March 8 Cascade Festival of African Films
The Cascade Festival of African Films has been running for 25 years. All showings are free! The opening night is at the Hollywood Theater. The rest of the festival is on the PCC Cascade Campus on N Killingsworth. You can see their schedule www.africanfilmfestival.org/calendar/, the description of the films www.africanfilmfestival.org/films/ then plan your free Thursday - Sunday viewing schedule. For free! Did I say it is free! Absolutely! The Cascade Festival of African Film at PCC Cascade Campus www.africanfilmfestival.org/venues/pcc-cascade/ in the Moriarty Arts and Humanities Building, Room 104. Check the website for days and times. Free
Wednesday, February 04, 2015
February 5 Westside Openings
It is still somewhat dark, many galleries are closing early, or promptly.
Words, Words, Words is a group show loosely themed on text placing regional artists beside international artists. Artists represented are Ghada Amer, Lisa Anne Auerbach, John Baldessari, Robert Barry, Pat Boas, Mel Bochner, Andrea Bowers, Peter Downsbrough, Jenny Holzer, Chris Johanson, Barbara Kruger, Michael Lazarus, Glenn Ligon, Bruce Nauman, Melody Owen, Matthew Picton, Jack Pierson, Jaume Plensa, Michelle Ross, Ed Ruscha, Buzz Spector and Lawrence Weiner. At Elizabeth Leach Gallery www.elizabethleach.com 417 NW 9th Map 6PM-9 Free
My Dakota is a landscape photography series by Rebecca Norris Webb. It was made as she was processing a personal family loss. Origins of Emotions by Monika Merva is a minimal exploration of family. In the Nines Gallery Bill Will, always a wry installationist has Love Thy Neighbor. It is about short range missile warfare. There is a theory that if individuals had weapons of mass destruction, they would use them on their neighbors, which is not farfetched. What's next? Drones? At Blue Sky Gallery www.blueskygallery.org map 122 NW 8th 6PM-9 Free
Jeremy Rotsztain shows electric fields, digital paintings and Oculus Rift experiences. Some of the work is generative, created by software algorithms once removed from the painterly hand. It has parallels to the indirect work in social practice art, albeit with less soul, but more visual appeal. At UpFor Gallery www.upforgallery.com 929 NW Flanders 6PM-9 Free
Something is wrong with Yu Suda is the namesake, Yu Suda's work inspired by history brought up to date. At Hellion Gallery www.helliongallery.com in their new space 15 NW 5th. 6PM-10 Free
W+K has large group murals, looking like something from the Pictoplasma conference, big and bright. At W+K www.wk.com 224 NW 13th Map 5PM-9 Free
Ok, Cupid? is a group show on modern love inspired by the world of online lust and romance. At Fifty 24PDX in Upperplayground.com 23 NW 5th 6PM-10 Free
Becoming What Was is a group show by current PNCA MFA students Candace Jahn, Marisa Lee, Kelly McGovern and Micah Schmelzer. At Duplex Collective www.duplexcollective.com 219 NW Couch 6PM-9
Augen has a group show by gallery artists Mark Andres, Sharon Bronzan, Sally Cleveland, Arless Day, Karen Esler, Trish Grantham, Pamela Green, Jef Gunn, Chris Kelly, Jim Riswold, Sara Siestreem and Mary Wells. At Augen Gallery www.augengallery.com 716 NW Davis early close 8
Joe Rudko has Picturesque, minimal work that started as photographs. At PDX Contemporary Art www.pdxcontemporaryart.com 925 NW Flanders Map early close 8PM Free
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 to 9PMish
Words, Words, Words is a group show loosely themed on text placing regional artists beside international artists. Artists represented are Ghada Amer, Lisa Anne Auerbach, John Baldessari, Robert Barry, Pat Boas, Mel Bochner, Andrea Bowers, Peter Downsbrough, Jenny Holzer, Chris Johanson, Barbara Kruger, Michael Lazarus, Glenn Ligon, Bruce Nauman, Melody Owen, Matthew Picton, Jack Pierson, Jaume Plensa, Michelle Ross, Ed Ruscha, Buzz Spector and Lawrence Weiner. At Elizabeth Leach Gallery www.elizabethleach.com 417 NW 9th Map 6PM-9 Free
My Dakota is a landscape photography series by Rebecca Norris Webb. It was made as she was processing a personal family loss. Origins of Emotions by Monika Merva is a minimal exploration of family. In the Nines Gallery Bill Will, always a wry installationist has Love Thy Neighbor. It is about short range missile warfare. There is a theory that if individuals had weapons of mass destruction, they would use them on their neighbors, which is not farfetched. What's next? Drones? At Blue Sky Gallery www.blueskygallery.org map 122 NW 8th 6PM-9 Free
Jeremy Rotsztain shows electric fields, digital paintings and Oculus Rift experiences. Some of the work is generative, created by software algorithms once removed from the painterly hand. It has parallels to the indirect work in social practice art, albeit with less soul, but more visual appeal. At UpFor Gallery www.upforgallery.com 929 NW Flanders 6PM-9 Free
Something is wrong with Yu Suda is the namesake, Yu Suda's work inspired by history brought up to date. At Hellion Gallery www.helliongallery.com in their new space 15 NW 5th. 6PM-10 Free
W+K has large group murals, looking like something from the Pictoplasma conference, big and bright. At W+K www.wk.com 224 NW 13th Map 5PM-9 Free
Ok, Cupid? is a group show on modern love inspired by the world of online lust and romance. At Fifty 24PDX in Upperplayground.com 23 NW 5th 6PM-10 Free
Becoming What Was is a group show by current PNCA MFA students Candace Jahn, Marisa Lee, Kelly McGovern and Micah Schmelzer. At Duplex Collective www.duplexcollective.com 219 NW Couch 6PM-9
Augen has a group show by gallery artists Mark Andres, Sharon Bronzan, Sally Cleveland, Arless Day, Karen Esler, Trish Grantham, Pamela Green, Jef Gunn, Chris Kelly, Jim Riswold, Sara Siestreem and Mary Wells. At Augen Gallery www.augengallery.com 716 NW Davis early close 8
Joe Rudko has Picturesque, minimal work that started as photographs. At PDX Contemporary Art www.pdxcontemporaryart.com 925 NW Flanders Map early close 8PM Free
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 to 9PMish
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