Saturday, September 30, 2017

October 1 Crafty Repurposed

Symmetry Breaking is a group show by Emily Counts, Jovencio de la Paz, Jo Hamilton, Anya Kivarkis, Brenda Mallory, Kristen Miller, Emily Nachison and Jane Schiffhauer. The theme of the show, curated by Blake Shell, nee the Clark College Archer Gallery and now Disjecta is the use of craft materials in contemporary art, oh so Northwesterly. Recommended show.

Symmetry Breaking https://events.marylhurst.edu/event/opening-reception-symmetry-breaking/ at the Marylhurst University www.marylhurst.edu/theartgym/ Map 4PM-6 Free

September 30 Tricks Toys and Joys

Marisa Manso has Tricks Toys and Joys. She removes painting from the frame, painting abstracts on low relief shapes and freestanding sculptures, sometimes incorporating illumination. She lives in Seattle, along with guest curator and sculptor, Francesca Lohmann. They have colaborated on shows together. It's fun work of quality by a recent MFA who has been getting good shows in Seattle alt spaces. Tricks Toys and Joys https://www.facebook.com/events/173720679860856/ at OV Project Space 7604 SE Washington 6:00PM-9 Free

Thursday, September 28, 2017

September 29-30 Degenerate Matriarch

Degenerate Art Ensemble are longtime friends with the coolest performance name. Degenerate Art (Entartete Kunst) was the name given by Hitler to modern and experimental art. He set the government, institutions and the public against those artists. Those artists included many viewed today as world changing.

Degenerate Art Ensemble is Haruko Crow Nishimura, choreographer, dancer and vocalist + Joshua Kohl, composer and musician, with collaborators. Their home is Seattle. They present their new piece Diphylleia Grayi, Skeleton Flower. This is the intimate version and we are very fortunate to be able to see it in Portland. Often DAE's works unfold over several years. An example was the Predator’s Songstress piece.

Mizu Desierto is Water in the Desert in Japanese. She is the force of nature in Portland butoh. Her work is often inspired by, and performed, outdoors. She is a master of physical theater and psychodynamic themes. She has a new piece, Matriarch, tonight. A previous piece was Migration.

Degenerate Art Ensemble and Mizu Desierto perform their new works tonight, http://www.witd.org/witdperformance/dae. Advance tickets are strongly recommended for the small theater. mizu@witd.org 503.404.2350. At Headwaters Theater 55 NE Farragut St. #9. The theater is in the back of the building by the active railroad tracks facing Winchell Street. Map 8PM $5-30

Friday, September 22, 2017

September 23 Meat Transformations

Glass art ranges in aesthetics from crafty, to excessively beautiful, to idea-driven contemporary. This show is the third.

Transformations is by artists Ligia Bouton, New Mexico; Kate Clements, Pennsylvania; Emily Counts, Washington; Emily Nachison, Oregon; and Judy Tuwaletstiwa, New Mexico.

They win the copywriting award for the month.

"Mysterious in its creation, common in its application, and utopian in visions of the future, glass is rife with cultural, scientific, and metaphysical meaning. The glass we encounter is largely comprised of sand, soda ash, lime, and metallic oxides. These minerals are combined, melted, and then cooled into a myriad of forms. The recipe is millennia old, but retains much of the magic that likely accompanied its first discovery. Sand is transformed into glass; it is a transformation that borders on the alchemical. A common material is made into something new with unique qualities that require a new category of matter: amorphous solid. [The] artists ... approach glass from diverse perspectives, but it is transformation – be it through meditations on mortality, adolescence, fantasy, or the spiritual - that draws them to this material and connects their work."

The website has a artist statements and photos.

Closing reception and artists' talks at www.bullseyeprojects.com. RSVP requested http://www.bullseyeprojects.com/events/38/. 300 NW 13th 1PM-2:30 Free



Artists Mel Carter, Maggie-Rose Condit, Braxton Congrove, Dakota Gearhart and Elizabeth Mputu present A Situation of Meat. The show is curated by Julia Greenway from Seattle, the 7th Disjecta guest curator. At Disjecta, in the shadow of Paul Bunyan www.disjecta.org 8371 N. Interstate Map 6PM-10 Free

Wednesday, September 20, 2017

September 21 A Life in Waves

Suzanne Ciani is an electronic musician in the post-musique concrète generation. She has won five Grammys for her work. The documentary A Life in Waves traces her exceptional career, including pioneering electronic sound logos.

Her work as an early musician using modular synths is particularly relevant in Portland now. There is a resurgence in modular synths, a synth store, a synth library and synth music classes. There are a large number of women synth musicians and synth classes focused on women at S1. Internationally and historically trans musician Wendy Carlos was a pioneering analog synth artist. Bebe Barron is known for the first electronic score for a studio film. It's a diverse field.

The early electronic musicians had large cluttered studios like electronics labs. Modular synths, based on modular analog computers were introduced in 1963 by makers Moog and Buchla. They packed a large modular library into a small, even transportable chassis, which could be endlessly configured into the musician's own instrument.

There will be a performance on a Buchla (Ciani on Buchla) modular synth before the film.

At Clinton St Theater cstpdx.com/show/life-waves 2522 SE Clinton. Doors 6PM $8 advance, $10 door

Tuesday, September 19, 2017

September 20-23, 26-29 Embryotrophic

Butoh is a Japanese contemporary dance form. It is often improvised, inspired by images from nature. Kokoro Dance are Vancouver BC butoh performers operating for more than 20 years. They are known for their annual Wreck Beach performances. There are videos of Kokoro and butoh. Some performances involve nudity, possibly NSFW.

Vancouver is one of about two handfuls of international butoh cities, hosting a favorite group Dairakudakan recently. The cities would be Portland, Seattle, SF, Boulder, Berlin, Chicago, NYC, Buenos Aires, Tokyo and Kyoto.

Kokoro opens a new stage performance, Embryotrophic Cavatina. When I've seen them, their performances have been theatrical and humorous. The core couple have been working together for many years, like Eiko and Koma, creating a special dialog which is beautiful to watch.

Recommended. Embryotrophic Cavatina by Kokoro Dance kokoro.ca at Roundhouse Community Arts & Recreation Centre
181 Roundhouse Mews, Vancouver, BC. 8PM $25-30

Monday, September 18, 2017

September 19 Type Cast

Portland is home to the C.C. Stern Type Foundry. They have antique machines that make metal fonts and print from them. They are a cult! A new film, Pressing On, tells the story of other printers around the country using antique metal type. At Clinton St Theater cstpdx.com 2522 SE Clinton. 7PM $8 advance, $10 door

Friday, September 15, 2017

September 17 Long Busy

Michael T. Hensley has Long Haul, bright busy mixed media paintings. At Nationale www.nationale.us 3360 SE Division Map 3PM-5 Free

September 16 Perceve Joy

The Killjoy Collective is a project by recent PNCA MFA grads taking action to show women artists. Tonight it's Perceive, photographs by Candace Jahn and paintings by Jill Falk, both also from PNCA. Perceive at Killjoy Collective http://www.killjoypdx.com/events/2017/9/16/perceive-candace-jahn-jill-falk. 222 Southeast 10th Avenue #102B 7PM-9 Free

September 15 Dolphin Secret Grapefruit

We used to mention fashion events when our friends were doing it. Grapefruits Art Space is relatively new. Tonight they are doing art in the form of clothing. Martha Daghlian, founder of umbrella https://www.grapefruitjuiceartists.org/organization and curator, shows ceremonial protective garments along with TravB. At Grapefruits, 2119 N Kerby, STE D. 6PM-9 Free



Experimental musicians Indira Valey, Amenta Abioto, Secret Drum Band and Dolphin Midwives play this evening in above order https://www.facebook.com/events/247348132429565/ at the famous Xhurch xhurch.net 4550 NE 20th. Map 7PM-10 $5-10

Friday, September 08, 2017

September 8 Eastside Art Openings+

Eastside art openings have been lacking getting organized. Here are a few.

The 811 building is always recommended. One interesting event are photos from musician Corrina Repp at the Liza Rietz Showroom.

At 811 East Burnside Map 6PM-8 Free



Stephanie Chefas Projects has David Bray from the UK with Return of the Returner. At Stephanie Chefas Projects www.stephaniechefas.com 305 SE 3rd Ave #202 - the City Sign Building, formerly a low cost artist space Map. 6PM-9 Free



Not East -

Adams and Ollman has an older artist Joan Nelson. They often uncover older or deceased artists. 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-8 Free



Then there is Rainen Knecht with Earth Alien. At the first of two members in Portland of the New Art Dealers Alliance www.newartdealers.org, Fourteen30 Gallery www.fourteen30.com 1501 SW Market Street Map 6PM-8 Free

Wednesday, September 06, 2017

September 7 Westside Art Openings

You can check the usual spots NW Park and Davis, NW Flanders and 9th, and below. They will be fine but no wow this month.



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



PNCA is recommended to stop in. They have long time cycle shows and pop ups distributed throughout the building. PNCA www.pnca.edu 511 NW Broadway Map 6PM-9 Free

Friday, September 01, 2017

September 3 Labor Day

Labor Day is a show by Manuel Arturo Abreu, Carmen Argote, Mierle Laderman Ukeles, Rodrigo Valenzuela and Carmen Winant. It is an up to date show curated by Asha Bukojemsky at a new experimental gallery, the Chicken Coop Gallery.

There is a statement worth reading on the gallery website.

Chicken Coop is shaping up to be the heir to Appendix. Recommended. Labor Day at the Chicken Coop Gallery www.chickencoopcontemporary.com 12400 SE Knapp 6PM-9 Free





September 1 Eastside Art Openings en Bike

The First Friday Eastside art opening pattern is always in flux. Galleries flux and opening schedules flux.

Here is a multi-gallery bikey event. Hope organizers Portland’s Eastside Artwalk and The Street Trust continue it.

Bikes start at Eutectic Gallery opening at 5:30PM. Bikes leave there at 6 and end at Splendorporium. True Measure Gallery, East Creative Collective, Bite Studio and Studio 2507 all participate,

https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=1NASDIX_XcUfoTkj6ETKDi16TILQ&usp=sharing


Eastside galleries opening. https://www.facebook.com/events/1950287668590347/ Start at Eutectic Gallery www.eutecticgallery.com 1930 NE Oregon 5:30PM-9