Robert Frank, now 93, started early in industrial photography and fashion. Perhaps that allowed him to move on early from the industrial objectives of commercial work.
At age 31 he started The Americans. It was a two year road trip, 1955-6 of 28,000 exposures; a view of America without hubris. Certainly his personal associations with the Beats placed him with the skeptics of that economic expansion which bypassed so many. Frank has lived an ascetic life and continuously explored new artistic challenges.
This is a two month show: Books and Films: 1947–2017.
It is ephemeral in that the works are printed on non-archival newsprint and will all be destroyed at the end of the show to discourage art collector speculation.
Vogue has an article about the show, naming him the Bernie Sanders of photography. The show is accompanied by a series at the film center nwfilm.org/film-series/robert-frank-frank-perspectives/. It launches January 10 with the documentary Don't Blink about Frank made in 2015, followed by several of his films.
This show is strongly recommended.
At Blue Sky Gallery www.blueskygallery.org Map 122 NW 8th 6PM-9 Free
The Nine Gallery inside Blue Sky 122 NW 8th
MK Guth is known for her ongoing social practice performance body of work. Collaborative Red Shoe Delivery Service brought social practice performance to NYC early. Later projects included connecting hair and memory. In a large Marylhurst show, she introduced social meals with handmade tables, utensils and journals. Instructions for Drinking With a Friend continues that theme, reprising a similar project at her East Coast Gallery. You may sign up in pairs to particpate.
Her work benefits from knowing the concept and narrative over pure instant visual pleasure. But it's worth it to engage.
Also showing Presence/Absence, monochrome abstractions.
At Elizabeth Leach Gallery www.elizabethleach.com 417 NW 9th Map 6PM-9 Free
Reed artist Vance Feldman has Foreverscape, an obsessive pop surrealist mural in panels, continuously expanded since 2009. At Blackfish Gallery 420 NW 9th 6PM-9 Free
Georgina Reskala has Residue of a Vision. She is a recently minted CCA MFA originally from Mexico City, now LA. At PDX Contemporary Art www.pdxcontemporaryart.com 925 NW Flanders Map early close 8PM 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. This month FreeIndira Valey, RON and Location Services. In the Ace Hotel Lobby 1022 SW Stark 6PM-8 Free
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. The first visual show in the series is made of works by intellectually disabled artists in Portland, Ricky Bearghost, Kurt Fisk, Perry Johnson, Elmeator Morton, Lawrence Oliver and Dawn Westover.
Portlandartmuseum.org/exhibitions/we-construct-marvels-between-monuments/ at the Portland Art Museum www.portlandartmuseum.org 1219 SW Park 5PM-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 cold Winter earlier
Damien Hirst is one of the bad boys of art in a number of dimensions. In the Fall he installed "Treasures from the Wreck of the Unbelievable." It is connected to the parafiction movement with examples by Josiah McElheny, the Museum of Jurassic Technology, RTMark and back to Dada. But it also represents a marker in time of the concentration of wealth in the world economy. The accompanying film has dropped on Netflix under the same name. Treasures from the Wreck of the Unbelievable forms an interesting pair with the Robert Frank show.
