Our nighttime weather is trying to tell the plants not yet.
Atelier Yafe hosts a showing of Neptune Frost, a dystopian Afrofuturism musical involving hackers. It was filmed in Rwanda and released in 2021. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=acfBNIXovww
Included in the evening is a discussion of Portland mapping in the service of community placemaking.
This month is the 32nd aniversery of the Rwandan Genocide, still playing out today in warlord control of mining in Eastern Congo, with factions funded by Rwanda. The Portland Rwandan community has events.
At Atelier Yaffe https://www.atelieryaffe.com/ 111 NE Martin Luther King Blvd, enter on Couch 6:30-9 Free
Thursday, April 16, 2026
Saturday, April 11, 2026
April 11 Small Animals
Lily Seika Jones https://www.lilyseikajones.com/ brings narrative illustrations of creatures.
https://www.nucleusportland.com/blogs/future-exhibitions/jones2026 http://www.nucleusportland.com 2916 NE Alberta 4PM-6 Free
https://www.nucleusportland.com/blogs/future-exhibitions/jones2026 http://www.nucleusportland.com 2916 NE Alberta 4PM-6 Free
Friday, April 10, 2026
April 11- 12 Peddling Synths
The Synth and Pedal show is back with an admission price this year. It's https://synthandpedalexpo.com/portland-synth-pedal-expo/. 819 SE Taylor $5-20
Thursday, April 09, 2026
April 10 Distance
I am the distance is paintings by Colorado-based artists, Marius Lehene + Aitor Lajarin-Encin.
At After/Time Collective https://www.aftertimecollective 735 SW 9th Ave #110 5PM-8 Free
At After/Time Collective https://www.aftertimecollective 735 SW 9th Ave #110 5PM-8 Free
Monday, April 06, 2026
April 5 - 2027 Never Sorry
Ai Weiwei is an artist we follow. His autobiography 1000 Years of Joys and Sorrows tells some of his story. He was born in 1957. He was part of an art opening generation which quickly closed in Beijing. Then he lived in New York City between 1981 - 1993. He was a street photographer in NYC, including the Tompkins Square Park police riot and AIDS protests. Especially since his New York experience politics and (the lack of) justice has run through his work.
In 2010, The late Portland Museum of Contemporary Craft bright a traveling show Ai Weiwei: Dropping the Urn (Ceramic Works, 5000 BCE – 2010 CE). Weiwei's father had been an antiques dealer and the son has used antiques and Chinese history as a visual, emotional, and conceptual carrier in many of his works.
Of about 10,000 New York City images, 227 were shown at the Asia Society and published as a book in 2011 around the time of his release from being disappeared in China for 81 days. https://gailpellettproductions.com/ai-weiwei-new-york-1983-1993/
In 2012, the Portland Art Museum brought Allison Klayman's documentary Ai Weiwei: Never Sorry. She is an excellent person and filmmaker to watch. That includes her The Brink on Steve Bannon. I recommend any Weiwei documentary and his own vidio projects. Never Sorry is around but hard to find free with English subtitles. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBWCqFHjqIw
In 2015, the Portland Art Museum brought Ai Weiwei’s Circle of Animals/Zodiac Heads: Gold. Weiwei has created several interpretations of this reprise of famous sculptures stolen from China in 1860. https://archive.orartswatch.org/ai-weiwei-interprets-the-zodiac-for-you/ https://www.pdxmonthly.com/arts-and-culture/2015/05/bring-us-the-heads-of-ai-weiwei-may-2015
Lately Weiwei has focused his lens on refugees of wars of choice in the Middle East. He has also been in Ukraine.
The Seattle Art Museum brought a large retrospective in 2025.
Now opens Circle of Animals/Zodiac Heads (2010) in bronze at the Seattle Art Museum Olympic Sculpture Park. It's up for a while and the Olympic Sculpture Park is always free. Ai WeiWei https://www.seattleartmuseum.org/whats-on/exhibitions/ai-weiwei-circle-of-animals-zodiac-heads at the Seattle Art Museum Olympic Sculpture Park 2901 Western Avenue Map Free
In 2010, The late Portland Museum of Contemporary Craft bright a traveling show Ai Weiwei: Dropping the Urn (Ceramic Works, 5000 BCE – 2010 CE). Weiwei's father had been an antiques dealer and the son has used antiques and Chinese history as a visual, emotional, and conceptual carrier in many of his works.
Of about 10,000 New York City images, 227 were shown at the Asia Society and published as a book in 2011 around the time of his release from being disappeared in China for 81 days. https://gailpellettproductions.com/ai-weiwei-new-york-1983-1993/
In 2012, the Portland Art Museum brought Allison Klayman's documentary Ai Weiwei: Never Sorry. She is an excellent person and filmmaker to watch. That includes her The Brink on Steve Bannon. I recommend any Weiwei documentary and his own vidio projects. Never Sorry is around but hard to find free with English subtitles. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBWCqFHjqIw
In 2015, the Portland Art Museum brought Ai Weiwei’s Circle of Animals/Zodiac Heads: Gold. Weiwei has created several interpretations of this reprise of famous sculptures stolen from China in 1860. https://archive.orartswatch.org/ai-weiwei-interprets-the-zodiac-for-you/ https://www.pdxmonthly.com/arts-and-culture/2015/05/bring-us-the-heads-of-ai-weiwei-may-2015
Lately Weiwei has focused his lens on refugees of wars of choice in the Middle East. He has also been in Ukraine.
The Seattle Art Museum brought a large retrospective in 2025.
Now opens Circle of Animals/Zodiac Heads (2010) in bronze at the Seattle Art Museum Olympic Sculpture Park. It's up for a while and the Olympic Sculpture Park is always free. Ai WeiWei https://www.seattleartmuseum.org/whats-on/exhibitions/ai-weiwei-circle-of-animals-zodiac-heads at the Seattle Art Museum Olympic Sculpture Park 2901 Western Avenue Map Free
Saturday, April 04, 2026
April 4 Northside Openings+
Today some winged feet would be useful with many happenings.
False Front continues. The Westside galleries are open 11-noon to 5 for echo openings.
For your +1, Westside, The Schnitzer collection is a vast archive of mostly multiples. They assemble vast shows from that. What's Not to Love is primarily portraits, local, national, and international. They have a large show of David Hockney at the Portland Art Museum too.
At the Schnitzer Family Collection https://jordanschnitzer.org/exhibitions/whats-not-to-love 3033 NW Yeon Noon-6 Free
For your +2, Westside, Nathan William Lambdin makes polychrome geometric wood sculptures.They are two and a half dimension intended for walls.
At PDX Contemporary Art www.pdxcontemporaryart.com 1825 NW Vaughn Map 3PM-5 Free RSVP by email to info at pdxcontemporaryart.com
Umico Niwa https://www.umiconiwa.com brings her framed journal drawings. Her theme is her trans journey in show titled The disappearance of my testicles, and other such mysteries regarding motherhood. More including her bio is https://ily2online.com/exhibitions/umico. Good addition to the gallery.
At I Love You 2 - ILY2 https://ily2online.com/ 925 NW Flanders 1PM-3 Free
Oregon Contemporary opens their biennial. Artists are Sahar al-Sawaf, Raphael Arar, Wayne Bund, Francesca Capone, Hand2Mouth Theatre, Kerr Cirilo, DeepTime Collective: Amanda Leigh Evans and Tia Kramer, Demian DinéYazhi’, James Enos, Tannaz Farsi, Marcelo Fontana, Ebony Frison, The Black Gallery & Don't Shoot PDX: Taishona Carpenter and Teressa Raiford, Bean Gilsdorf, Stephen Hayes, Jaleesa Johnston, Joe Kye, Ambrin Ling, Katherine Longstreth, Todd McGrain, Mako Miyamoto, Anis Mojgani, Gabby Severson, Stephen Slappe, Ash Stone, and Taravat Talepasand.
At 6, Fifty Clocks Made To Strike Together is a performance by DeepTime Collective, Amanda Leigh Evans and Tia Kramer. Followed by a talk by the curator, TK Smith. The performance requires earplugs which will be available.
At Oregon Contemporary nee Disjecta, in the shadow of Paul Bunyan www.oregoncontemporary.org 8371 N. Interstate Map 5PM-8 Free
Nationale shows Oh Deeear Mee by Amy Bay.
"Many of the paintings begin with simple flower-like shapes that gather within crowded fields. Bay draws loosely from historical decorative sources—particularly French domino papers and early English wallpapers—but treats patterns as flexible rather than fixed. The compositions move between ornamentation, landscape, and abstraction, while suggesting social arrangements that take on a sense of companionship."
At Nationalewww.nationale.us 15 SE 22nd Map 2PM-4 Free
A new photography gallery and darkroom, Franklin Foto, opens Maydays by Steve Rockoff, imaged on the streets in Dublin County, May 2024 and 2025. At Franklin Foto https://www.franklinfoto.org/ 8953 N Lombard 5PM-8 Free
Garth Amundson and Pierre Gour bring Born Remembering, geometric collage. They are faculty at WWU in Bellingham.
At Well Well Projects www.wellwellprojects.com in the Disjecta building 8371 N. Interstate Map 5PM-8 Free
Ben Skiba brings ceramic sculpture Notch for the Heart. It opened yesterday and may be open tonight.
At www.carnationcontemporary.com in the Disjecta building 8371 N Interstate. 5PM-8 Free
False Front continues. The Westside galleries are open 11-noon to 5 for echo openings.
For your +1, Westside, The Schnitzer collection is a vast archive of mostly multiples. They assemble vast shows from that. What's Not to Love is primarily portraits, local, national, and international. They have a large show of David Hockney at the Portland Art Museum too.
At the Schnitzer Family Collection https://jordanschnitzer.org/exhibitions/whats-not-to-love 3033 NW Yeon Noon-6 Free
For your +2, Westside, Nathan William Lambdin makes polychrome geometric wood sculptures.They are two and a half dimension intended for walls.
At PDX Contemporary Art www.pdxcontemporaryart.com 1825 NW Vaughn Map 3PM-5 Free RSVP by email to info at pdxcontemporaryart.com
Umico Niwa https://www.umiconiwa.com brings her framed journal drawings. Her theme is her trans journey in show titled The disappearance of my testicles, and other such mysteries regarding motherhood. More including her bio is https://ily2online.com/exhibitions/umico. Good addition to the gallery.
At I Love You 2 - ILY2 https://ily2online.com/ 925 NW Flanders 1PM-3 Free
Oregon Contemporary opens their biennial. Artists are Sahar al-Sawaf, Raphael Arar, Wayne Bund, Francesca Capone, Hand2Mouth Theatre, Kerr Cirilo, DeepTime Collective: Amanda Leigh Evans and Tia Kramer, Demian DinéYazhi’, James Enos, Tannaz Farsi, Marcelo Fontana, Ebony Frison, The Black Gallery & Don't Shoot PDX: Taishona Carpenter and Teressa Raiford, Bean Gilsdorf, Stephen Hayes, Jaleesa Johnston, Joe Kye, Ambrin Ling, Katherine Longstreth, Todd McGrain, Mako Miyamoto, Anis Mojgani, Gabby Severson, Stephen Slappe, Ash Stone, and Taravat Talepasand.
At 6, Fifty Clocks Made To Strike Together is a performance by DeepTime Collective, Amanda Leigh Evans and Tia Kramer. Followed by a talk by the curator, TK Smith. The performance requires earplugs which will be available.
At Oregon Contemporary nee Disjecta, in the shadow of Paul Bunyan www.oregoncontemporary.org 8371 N. Interstate Map 5PM-8 Free
Nationale shows Oh Deeear Mee by Amy Bay.
"Many of the paintings begin with simple flower-like shapes that gather within crowded fields. Bay draws loosely from historical decorative sources—particularly French domino papers and early English wallpapers—but treats patterns as flexible rather than fixed. The compositions move between ornamentation, landscape, and abstraction, while suggesting social arrangements that take on a sense of companionship."
At Nationale
A new photography gallery and darkroom, Franklin Foto, opens Maydays by Steve Rockoff, imaged on the streets in Dublin County, May 2024 and 2025. At Franklin Foto https://www.franklinfoto.org/ 8953 N Lombard 5PM-8 Free
Garth Amundson and Pierre Gour bring Born Remembering, geometric collage. They are faculty at WWU in Bellingham.
At Well Well Projects www.wellwellprojects.com in the Disjecta building 8371 N. Interstate Map 5PM-8 Free
Ben Skiba brings ceramic sculpture Notch for the Heart. It opened yesterday and may be open tonight.
At www.carnationcontemporary.com in the Disjecta building 8371 N Interstate. 5PM-8 Free
Friday, April 03, 2026
April 3 Eastside Art Openings
Jason Hill and Françoise Weeks bring photographic portraists, the Living Frame. The art is in the props and backdrops. Those include artist-made picture frames held by the models, and artist-made props, both from botanical artist Françoise Weeks. https://www.francoiseweeks.com/ Art and editorial photographer Jason Hill stretches out on the art side with this project. https://jasonhillphoto.com/ One of the models is Portlnd Musicial Esperanza Spalding.
At Souvenir Gallery https://souvenirartspdx.org/ 1233 NE Alberta 5PM-8 Free
New Riso shop and gallery, Riso Studio Arts, brings Kiko Bordeos https://kikobordeos.com/ and Alexis Gallo https://alexisgallo.com/ all the way from Brooklyn for show Keepsakes. They are bright abstracts.
At Riso Studio Arts https://pdx.risostudioarts.com/ 1327 SE Division 5PM-8 Free
Zhanna Tsytsyn https://www.zhannatsytsyn.com/ brings Where Roots Refuse Borders. Her work is colorful schemantic painting. Born in Siberia and growing up in Siberia and the Georgia, the republic/now country, some of her work is inspired by Siberian shamans. She now resides in Vancouver, Washington,
At One Grand Gallery www.onegrandgallery.com 1000 E Burnside 6PM-9 Free
All the Eastside events are at http://firstfridaypdx.org/ and their socials which list many shows and their times.
At Souvenir Gallery https://souvenirartspdx.org/ 1233 NE Alberta 5PM-8 Free
New Riso shop and gallery, Riso Studio Arts, brings Kiko Bordeos https://kikobordeos.com/ and Alexis Gallo https://alexisgallo.com/ all the way from Brooklyn for show Keepsakes. They are bright abstracts.
At Riso Studio Arts https://pdx.risostudioarts.com/ 1327 SE Division 5PM-8 Free
Zhanna Tsytsyn https://www.zhannatsytsyn.com/ brings Where Roots Refuse Borders. Her work is colorful schemantic painting. Born in Siberia and growing up in Siberia and the Georgia, the republic/now country, some of her work is inspired by Siberian shamans. She now resides in Vancouver, Washington,
At One Grand Gallery www.onegrandgallery.com 1000 E Burnside 6PM-9 Free
All the Eastside events are at http://firstfridaypdx.org/ and their socials which list many shows and their times.
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