December 23-24 NTVTY VIII

Virgin birth of artworks is something artists do all the time. Whoops, where did that come from?

This is also the eighth year a group of artists have interpreted the nativity - www.xhurch.net/photomatrix.html. Each year has a big conceptual theme. A favorite was the alien nativity scene. Jesus was an alien, right?

Transformation and memorial is this year's theme. There is a lot of white in the space and the music schedule is freeform - want to play music - do it!

The Xchurch has a fascinating history. It was a synagogue. In 1948, the Vanport flood displaced African Americans to the Alberta neighborhood. Alberta was one of the small areas allowed for African Americans to buy homes under the Red Line system. It reminds the South African Bantu act of 1913. Apartheid.

The Red Line system was a product of the federal Home Owners' Loan Association project. But in South Africa, the white South Africans out-flanked the government and sold homes in white-only areas to African South Africans. An example is the Johannesburg suburb of Rosebank. We used it as an elections disaster recovery site where all races of election staff would not be questioned. We laid disinformation that the secure disaster site was in Sandbank, a wealthy gated white suburb of Johannesburg.

In 1952, that Jewish congregation sold the Xchurch to an African American Christian church.

But there was an anti-Negro force opposing an African American church there. The brave synagogue overcame it.

Lately it has been a rare artist live-work-perform space, amid Portland escalating rents. I'm sure there are several layers there.

Now it may be converted back to its use as a synagogue by new gen Jews.

Is that an Xxhurch? That's much better than an apartment block.

This is a great opportunity to chat with artists in chill space.

NTVTY VIII https://www.facebook.com/events/222370621638553/ at Xhurch xhurch.net 4550 NE 20th. Map 7PM-9+

December 9 Kill a Volt

Volt Divers is a night of analog synth performers. This month they are Brain Washers = Caustic Touch + Rick Ghastly, Erin April Cooper, Arkham Sunset + Kakiharae, ∆ Cult Group II ∆, Chaos SoahC, Glo Globes, Vaelentine and ∆ Cult Group I ∆. Visuals by Neybuu. 100% of the modest cover, $5, goes to the ACLU. Volt Divers at Lovecraft Bar 421 SE Grand 7PM Sharp-10 $5



The Killjoy Collective has Panteha Abareshi, Tyler Mackie, Katie Piatt, Caitlin Rooney and Hailee Va. Can You Handle Me? www.killjoypdx.com/events/2017/12/9/can-you-handle-me at 222 Southeast 10th Avenue #102B 7PM-9 Free

December 7 Westside Art Openings+

Many of the commercial galleries are continuing last month's show or doing group shows. Some of them are in Miami for Art Basel Miami and adjacent contemporary shows.



The downtown Stumptown Coffee has been known for its art curation for some time. It is also a venue with walls that can accommodate large work. Tonight Wendy Red Star, who shows at very noted venues, opens Grandmothers (I Come As One But I Stand As Ten Thousand.) This project previously showed at the Seattle Art Museum. Wendy Red Star is Crow. This project starts with photographs of Crow women by Richard Throssel made between 1902 and 1911, beginning at age 20. It was the first generation on the reservation in Montana. The photos of Crow grandmothers are superimposed on mirrors so the viewer can join the grandmother of over 100 years. At Stumptown www.stumptowncoffee.com 128 SW 3rd 7PM-9 Free



Blue Sky continues last month's collage portraits by Sylwia Kowalczyk. Added is a museum quality show of Wigs, 1994 and Details, 1996 by Lorna Simpson. The work is loaned from the collection of Jordan Schnitzer. At Blue Sky Gallery www.blueskygallery.org Map 122 NW 8th 6PM-9 Free



Augen has a retrospective of photographer Terry K. Thompson. His monochrome works span portraits, abstract portraits, landscapes and naturescapes. There is also a print show by international names you would recognize, so free art history lesson! At Augen Gallery www.augengallery.com 716 NW Davis early close 8PM Free



The RACC + Open Signal Night Lights series of video projection has Ezekiel Brown from Chocolate Giant. It's on the building wall at 411 NW Park 5PM-9ish



Every First Thursday, the Art Museum is free from 5PM-8. It is a great opportunity to see the year-long project by Libby Warbel We Construct Marvels Between Monuments. Warbel is the creator of Portland's other art museum, the Portland Museum of Modern Art. Portlandartmuseum.org/exhibitions/we-construct-marvels-between-monuments/ at the Portland Art Museum www.portlandartmuseum.org 1219 SW Park 5PM-8 Free



The Ace Hotel has started a First Thursday experimental music event curated by Sounds et al. It pairs well with Veriform's sound gallery First Thursday, but it detracts from people flowing to galleries and it is a very small space. In the Ace Hotel Lobby 1022 SW Stark 6PM-8 Free



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



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



In an exercise of bad planning, the Precipice grant award announcement is scheduled this evening on the East Side. The Precipice Fund created by the Warhol foundation gives small grants to individual artists and alternative spaces. At 15 NE Hancock St 6PM-8 Free

December 2 Tidal Petals

Some of our favorite performers in Portland are Wobbly, the duo and partners Yulia Arakelyan and Erik Ferguson. They have been doing dream like films. Tidal screens tonight. Tidal "is an exploration of the relationship between the rhythm of mechanized breath and the rhythm of the oceans. It is a fantastical film, where breathing masks transform into diving masks, ventilator tubing morphs into costumes, and an ancient diver who calls the ocean home, draws us into his world. We fall, we dream, we dive." Strongly recommended. Screening and discussion by Wobbly www.witd.org/headwaters/2017/12/2/witd-recommends-wobblys-tidal-the-first-cut at 2PM & 8:30 $10



Sarah Meyohas opens an installation Cloud of Petals taking all of Disjecta. At Disjecta, in the shadow of Paul Bunyan www.disjecta.org 8371 N. Interstate Map 6PM-9 Free

December 1 Dust

Johanna Jackson has lived in SF, Portland and LA, doing art. Tonight she opens Dust, sculptures and textile pieces. Some of her hooked rugs are time consuming projects. They contain time. And on the floor they capture dust. Dragging and Ox Through Water performs at 7. Recommended. 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