August 2 Westside Art Openings+

August is the dog days, and in Europe everyone goes on vacation. This Thursday there will be wining and dining, seeing and being seen. Whatever. Many galleries have group shows. But here are some others.



Patrice Lumumba was elected the first prime minister, June 24, 1960, of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, when it became independent. On September 24 he was deposed by Mobuto Sese Seko, in a CIA-sponsored coup. On January 17, 1961, he was executed by Belgian troops, and his body disposed of by the CIA. Three days later, it was dug from the earth and dissolved in acid. He was a great leader and a powerful speaker, but ended up on the wrong side of the great game for control of post colonial resources in Africa. How ironic the struggle of the time, between the United States and its allies, and the Soviet Union and its allies, in the context of today's China move on Africa unopposed.

The story of post colonial Africa is fascinating and surveyed in the book The Fate of Africa, country by country. A dramatic retelling of the last year of Lumumba's life was made into a film. And the documentary, When We Were Kings, provides a portrait of Mobuto against the background of the great boxing match between Joe Frasier and Muhammad Ali in 1974. To diminish crime in the capital around the time of the match, Mobuto arrested hundreds of known criminals. He executed a portion reported between a tenth and a third of them chosen at random, and released the rest. Another report has Mobuto hanging pickpockets on the public streets at the time.

Lumumba's icon status has resulted in streets and squares across Africa named for him. He is still well respected. So many African liberation leaders subsequently descended into corrupt and undemocratic lifetime rule, while the hope for economic advancement promised everyday citizens was tragically foiled. Mobuto himself is a classic example, he used his diplomatic status to bring Congo diamonds to Europe where he amassed a personal fortune estimated at 3-10 billion US dollars, never recovered.

South African photographer Guy Tillim has visited many, and documented everyday life there, in a show of images, Avenue Patrice Lumumba.


Ricardo Teles has Terras de Preto. These Brazilian communities were historic settlements of slaves who escaped to form their own self governing settlements. Here Africans of many cultures formed families and their own new world order.


At Blue Sky Gallery www.blueskygallery.org map 122 NW 8th 6PM-9



The Elizabeth Leach Gallery has two minimalist artists, Julia Mangold, German artist in Portland and Gregg Renfrow from the Bay Area. At Elizabeth Leach Gallery www.elizabethleach.com 417 NW 9th Map 6PM-9



Hellion has comic, graphic novel, illustrators Naomi Nowak and Joëlle Jones. At Hellion Gallery www.helliongallery.com 19 NW 5th Suite 208. Through the lobby of the arched brick entry, up the stairs and to the back. Very upper floor Japan-style.
Map 6PM-10ish



We love Reading Frenzy for very reasonably priced prints from Portland artists. This month they have a Seapower theme show. At Reading Frenzy www.readingfrenzy.com 921 SW Oak 6PM-9



Aaron Yassin makes kaleidoscopic collage of architectural photographs. These are sourced from old and ultra-new Beijing building images. Also curious to see his video versions. At Chambers Gallery www.chambersgallery.com 916 NW Flanders Early close 8:30PM



The 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 Some close as early as 9PM



For your early art pleasure, Body Vox Dance performs excerpts from their works tonight in the park for free. At the Washington Park Amphitheater North adjacent to the Rose Gardens in Washington Park. 410 SW Kingston Avenue 6PM Free



And for late talk and dance music, PICA is having a party. 415 SW 10th 8PM-midnight $5

August 1 Landscape Multiarts

Portland is planning and design central. Redstartstudio is a collaboration that operates at the intersection of landscape design and art. Lauri Twitchell and Peter Suchecki, aka Redstartstudio, talk about their projects this evening. At PNCA www.pnca.edu 1241 NW Johnson 6:30PM-8 Free

July 28 Deep Wallz

Deep is a monthly hiphop dance battle. Tonight they break it down a little differently. All competitors register as individuals. There are about 80. They will be randomly combined into four massive groups. The groups battle, and the surviving groups are then randomly combined into two large crews. That process continues until the last 1 on 1 battle. All battles crowd judged. Exhibitions by Paint Dance, Durante Lambert's Queen, Def Con 5 and The Beat Bangerz. All ages, adult beverages available for adults. At The Slate, 2001 NW 19th #104 6PM-10 $10



We'll be honest, we're more central city-focused. But that doesn't mean there is not cultural innovation further out where larger space is more easily available. St Johns has an art renaissance starting with the Modern Zoo show in the old Columbia Sportswear building, made possible when Columbia moved to Beaverton. Beaverton has Parkour. Portland hiphop dance is highly suburban, same for Maker robot culture. 82nd has a pioneer spot in the Milepost5 plex. Another example is the Lumberyard indoor MBX bike course. It is a training ground for the next extreme sports olympians and a place to ride dry inside. The Wallz is a new space connected with the Lumberyard dedicated to graf art. They will have standalone work for sale and pieces covering the large wall that will evolve. This little art and play complex also has yoga, beer and food. Opening tonight, The Wallz 2700 NE 82nd All ages. 7PM-10 Free

July 26-28 Sound+Vision

May at Nationale has put together a series of three nights of collaboration between musicians and filmmakers.


Thursday is New Skin for the Old Ceremony, eleven shorts about the music of Leonard Cohen. It includes a work by Lucky Dragons. After the film, musicians Neal Morgan (Joanna Newsome, Bill Callahan) + Robin Pecknold (Fleet Foxes) Katie Bernstein (Houndstooth, The Hunnies) + John Gnorski (Houndstooth, Inside Voices) Davis Hooker (A John Henry Memorial, ...Worms) + Laurel Knapp (Privacy) perform their own Cohen-inspired material.


Friday is Primordial Visions:Musical Projections. Rachel Blumberg, Neal Morgan (Joanna Newsome, Bill Callahan), Graeme Gibson (Fruit Bats), Marisa Anderson, and Jason Leonard (Loch Lomond), improvise live scores to the works of filmmaker Sean Pecknold.


Saturday is Beautiful Information, a project of science writer and musician Claire Evans. She has selected science films to be scored live by Jeffrey Jerusalem and Golden Retriever. Included are the films of Jean Painlevé, which were scored a few years ago by Yo la Tengo, who toured them live in dreamy late night performances. You will also see films of insects by Stan Brackhage. Films from NASA and films of mold. This should be a stunning program.


All at the Hollywood Theater www.hollywoodtheatre.org 4122 NE Sandy Boulevard 8PM $8 each night, $15 for all three nights

July 26 Eastern Arts

Goodfoot opens a show of illustration-style work by artists Brin Levinson, Heidi Elise Wirz, Jason Graham and Kendra Binney. Levinson paints post apocalyptic industrial urban landscapes, sometimes with Portland landmarks in the scene. Heidi Elise Wirz works dream-myth themes with figures and animals. Jason Graham is a tattoo artist, so he taps into the images that people also wear on their dermis. Kendra Binney composes an imaginary world of her own making with animals and her trademark wide-eyed figures. Images of the individual works will be up Sunday at www.thegoodfoot.com/gallery/exhibit/84/ At the Goodfoot www.thegoodfoot.com/gallery 2845 SE Stark Map Starts 5PM



Appendix opens S,M,L,XL by Bea Fremderman. It is work inspired by cubicle land. The artist is a recent BFA grad from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. At Appendix Project Space www.appendixspace.com On the alley between 26th and 27th, South of Alberta. Map 7-10ish Free



Ampersand has B-Sides, a group photography show by Corey Arnold, Clayton Cotterell, Todd Hido, Ron Jude, Raymond Meeks, Shawn Records, Tatum Shaw and Alec Soth. At Ampersand Vintage Printed Material www.ampersandvintage.com 2916 NE Alberta, Ste B. Map 6PM-10 Free



Kalina Torino opens a show, Alchemy, her illustration art, tonight. At Screaming Sky www.screamingskygallery.com 1416 NE Alberta Free

July 21 Angels and Crater Places

The YU Contemporary Art center sponsors a tour of the Mt Angel Abbey library. The building and furnishings were designed by Finnish architect Alvar Aalto, it is one of his last works. Details on their website. yucontemporary.org/construction-begins-monday-all-obstacles-overcome-america-will-have-beautiful-aalto/ $10



Caldera is a regional art resource. In Summer, it's an art camp for kids. In Winter, a retreat where artists can operate without distractions. It's also a think tank for big issues. This weekend they offer one of their rare tours. Details at www.calderaarts.org/caldera/july-public-camp-tour/



Place opens collaborative work by Katie Dunbar and Elizabeth J. Armstrong. Shows by Wynde Dyer and a group show of video and photography curated by Mariana Tres continue. At Place, placepdx.tumblr.com a gallery on the 3rd floor of the Pioneer Place Mall along with the People's art of Portland and the Woolley Gallery. If the mall appears closed, enter the film theater building adjacent, travel through the tunnel to the Place mall, and take the elevator to the 3rd floor, sometimes the bridge on the 3rd floor is open too. 700 SW Fifth. 5PM-9 Free

There will likely be shows at Mark Woolley Gallery and The People's Art of Portland opening.

July 20 Sharks in the Balance

In the Balance is a show by Portland artist Jodie Cavalier. She makes minimal sculptures of everyday materials. There is a reception for the show tonight. At the Lodge Gallery in Allied Works, 1532 SW Morrison. Open weekdays 9AM-5PM until July 30. Opening reception tonight 7PM-9 Free



Sharks get a bad rap. They are primitive, curious and sensitive. They are also under pressure for their fins. Caught, fins removed, thrown back to die. Significant populations are endangered, and that problem is growing, growing along with sea depopulation by overfishing we have noted in some previous posts. It really recalls tragic hunting practices of the past such as hunting buffaloes for their tongues, elephants for their tusks and rhinos for their horns.

The PangeaSeed Project and the Beneath the Waves Film Project team to present The Great West Coast Migration. It's a collection of shark-themed art and sea-themed films traveling outsider art spaces to raise awareness. Tonight it is at Grass Hut. Here is the art link: www.pangeaseed.org/2012/07/pangeaseed-presents-the-great-west-coast-migration-art-benefit-for-sharks-and-oceans/ and the film project link: www.beneaththewavesfilmfest.org/2012-festival/. Here is more shark news: www.virgin.com/people-and-planet/blog/say-no-to-shark-fin-soup. It is probably not the greatest fish to eat, many varieties are climax species, so they accumulate mercury in the food chain. A drink and a raffle chance included in the admission tonight. The show continues free Saturday and Sunday only. Saturday is the film festival and bring some vegies to BBQ 7PM-10. At Grass Hut in Floating World. www.grasshutcorp.com 400 NE Couch 6PM-9 $5-10

July 19 Insert Change Starts Here

Insert Change Here is an installation by W+K12 in support of the Portland November levy for arts education. The interaction of state and local education funding, budgets, demographics and a decline an the ability of Americans to read, write and do math have resulted in the elimination of arts education in the Portland area public schools. In November everyone will have an opportunity to vote to bring it back. Participants in the W+K ad agency educational think tank, W+K12, have built an art installation based on coinop vending machines to create a dialog about arts funding.

www.insertchangehere.com Until July 27. At W+K www.wk.com 224 NW 13th Map 5:30-9PM Free

July 17-30 Appendix Online

Appendix Project Space has a new online art program. It allows them to reach an international audience. Rare Earth Sculptures - Cerium is a project by Iain Ball.

Usually we write all original material for these posts. But we are not going to do that for this. I have a science background, so I'm really not a supporter of loosely curated scientific mysticism. There is plenty of great science that can be connected with art.

"Rare Earth Sculptures b. 2011 - a subset of Energy Pangea - is an ongoing project which uses the seventeen rare earth elements as access points for environmental thinking.

In [Rare Earth Sculptures] - Cerium, Ball uses a Hydroshearing (geothermal energy) project taking place within a dormant volcano in Oregon, conceiving of the show as mind space which creates metaphysical undercurrents directed towards hyperobjects distributed through various technological apparatus, minerals and weather patterns. [RES] Cerium becomes a piece of ‘inverted land art’ and the gallery's invitation for a web release is turned into a exploration of nonlocality that points both toward and away from the exhibition space/information space and their wider geological parameters. Cerium uses detritus associated with filtration, transformation and a composite formula resulting in carbon dioxide to create a kind of homeopathic remedy, filtering escalating climate-anxiety as a catalyst towards the ecological thought."

Online at www.appendixspace.com Free

July 13 Hello Spatial Personality

Spatial Personality is a group show of San Francisco and Portland artists Brynda Glazier, Lacy Davis, Lydia Rosenberg, Judith Sturdevant, Julia Sackett, Kara Cadwell, Michelle Ramin and Kevin Champoux. At Worksound www.worksoundpdx.com 820 SE Alder Map 6PM-9



Jaik Falk is an impressionistic painter. The inspiration for this show, Hello Darlin', is the cowboy icon. At Nationale thenewnationale.com 811 E Burnside Map 6PM-9



As you can see over on Portlandart.net, Recess Gallery is sure to have something exciting this evening too!

July 12 Animal Rock

Neil M. Perry is an illustrator of anthropomorphic animals. So that is perfect material to show at a children's toy store. His work Saccharine Lands II, opens at Black Wagon tonight. Perry writes: "Sugar is my biggest vice, it has been since I was a kid. It is the perfect accompaniment to most of my experiences and enhances my enjoyment of everything. Seaside vacations, trips to the cinema, soccer games, all night painting sessions and every date I've ever had would have been less fun without the inevitable sugar fix. In fact the only formative moments in my life where candy wasn't intrinsically involved seem to be those which occurred in 'the wild'. The animal kingdom is infinitely fascinating but like everything else, it's better sugar-coated." His earlier series, Saccharine Lands, has been collected by Salt and Straw, where you can see it. At Black Wagon blackwagon.com 3964 N Mississippi Map 5PM-7



Once upon a time on the pop culture mountain Olympia, Washington, humble gods of rock made history. A big factor was a storage company that didn't object to bands practicing in the storage units. Love Rock Revolution: K Records and the Rise of Independent Music is a book about that period, the early 1980's to the 1990's. K, started by Calvin Johnson, along with fellow label Kill Rock Stars, launched noted and influential artists representing major movements in music of the time. Mark Baumgarten reads from his book at Powells, then later many Portland musicians interpret tunes from the era that influenced them at Valentines. At Powells Books 1005 West Burnside 7:30PM Free and Valentines 232 SW Ankeny 9PM $3?

(there is also a photography opening at Valentines 6PM-8 by Teresa Christiansen, Kaija Cornett, Melanie Flood and Christine Taylor)

July 11 What's Going on in China

China has a significant middle class that is growing. There is a rapid cultural evolution of the Internet-connected generations. In a huge population of only children, the desire to express individuality is strong. By 2015, China will have 500 million people under 30. The family bond is still paramount in Chinese society, so each of those individuals operate in relation to the expectations of parents and grandparents. Tonight is a discussion, All Eyes East, by consumer researcher Mary Bergstrom from Shanghai and Nick Barham from W+K who share their insights on youth marketing in China today. At the UO White Stag Building auditorium, 70 NW Couch. Register in advance at http://events.constantcontact.com/register/event?llr=4vgbozbab&oeidk=a07e616o61a68776a0 6PM Free

July 10 Delta Chop Shop

Delta Chop Shop is Brian Mitchell building motorcycles by hand with all American parts, one at a time, one of a kind. He will bring one of his bikes tonight and explain the process and his philosophy. A presentation of the Curiosity Club, you can tune into the free live webcast off the Core77 site or visit the talk and demonstration in person at Hand Eye Supply www.handeyesupply.com/pages/curiosity-club 23 NW 4th 6PM Free

July 7 Mural Flies at Aerie #3256

Chris Haberman celebrates his new mural at the Hawthorne Eagles Lodge, otherwise known as the East Portland Eagles Aerie #3256. The otherwise plain building of zero architectural significance needs some help. Haberman's mural is a group portrait of sorts, with Portlanders who have had a connection with the neighborhood's history. Celebration the afternoon. Haberman's work also in view inside the lodge. All ages, refreshments and music. At the East Portland Eagles, SE 50th and Hawthorne Noon-3PM Free

July 6 Eastside Art Openings

Artists are the shock troops of gentrification in its residential and commercial dimensions. Their work done, they have largely vacated the neighborhoods West of the Willamette. Some of the most interesting shows have been happening on the East side for some time. The dynamic, energetic, and shifting central East side spaces which show art are organizing and branding as 1F, replacing previous unmaintained or uncurated efforts. It's a collaboration between ADX and Union|Pine. Accompanying the launch is a show at Union|Pine by Kat Bauman, Kate Bingaman-Burt, Will Bryant, Nicolle Clemetson, Alexandria Cummings, Charlie Haughey, Nicole Lavelle, Chloe Miller, Jon Staton and Keegan Wenkman. There is also a show, DesignPartyProgram, at ADX proper. 1F covers SE Grand to 12th and Division to Burnside. At Union/Pine www.unionpine.com 525 SE Pine 7Pm-late Free



Still Life: Objects of Wonder is a group show of still life photographs curated by Todd Johnson. At Black Box Gallery www.blackboxgallery.com 811 E Burnside, Suite 212 upstairs 5PM-8:30 Free


Susan Sage self taught portrait artist working on reused materials. Gifted and a welcome break from Portland's outsider style. At Redux www.reduxpdx.com 811 E Burnside


American Anthology is a show of landscape photographs shot by Christine Taylor. The people in the frame activate otherwise normal landscapes. At Customary Clothing Suite 222


Photographer Jon Duenas, who does a lot of wedding work shows photography at Haunt which is also known for elegant wedding dresses. At Haunt hauntstudio.blogspot.com Suite 113.


All at 811 East Burnside Map



Dialog is the 8th Annual Juried Exhibition at Newspace. This year it was curated by Laura Moya director of Photolucida. Photographers selected are Aaron Blum, Jenny Riffle, Almae Larson, Robert Warren, S. Gayle Stevens, Dick Simon, Alex Potter, Randi Beach, Samantha VanDeman, Pablo Gimenez-Zapiola, Lara Shipley, Lewis Francis, Julie Verdini, Michael Sherwin, Nathan Lee, Megan Roche, Amanda Boe, Kerry Mansfield, Lizz Stringfield, Josef Jacques, Christopher Capozziello, Allyson Klutenkamper, Richard Boutwell, Joni Kabana, Noel Worden, Adam Smith, Joyelle West, Brett Henrikson, Charles Shotwell, Danny Polidori, Jim Leisy, Melanie Howe, Stacie Turner, Chris Gibson, Stepanka Peterka, Nathan Lee Smith, Robert Tomlinson, J.J. Hastings, Reathel Geary and Clarke Galusha. At Newspace Photo www.newspacephoto.org 1632 SE 10th Map 6PM-9



Welcome to the Art World is a show of work by developmentally disabled adults and people with brain injuries. Project Grow has been establishing a Portland foothold in this art world with good results. In Europe and the Bay Area, the work is well established. There is a good argument that the outsider art movement out of Atlanta in the 1980's, a reaction to New York's financial industry-driven art market, tapped some of this material as well. By the Ash Street Arts Program at Boom Bap! 640 SE Stark 5:30PM



A little different show is a show of posters and fliers, an area we rarely cover. It's The Politics of Punk: a Visual History compiled by David Ensminger and Nathan Moore. It's connected to a book, Visual Vitriol, published by Ensminger. At the Red and Black Cafe 400 SE 12 7PM-10



There are also shows at the IPRC, Good Gallery, Land and RedE. Enjoy!

July 5 Westside Art Openings

Augen has a whole stock of minimalist prints. This they make a show of some including from Joself Albers, Donald Judd, Sol Lewitt, Robert Mangold, Frank Stella & others. An art history lesson, for free! At Augen Gallery www.augengallery.com 716 NW Davis early close 8



The Nine Gallery has an installation by Ellen George and Jerry Mayer, Spine. It is entirely of paper, so apropos with trees and paper mills surrounding us. At the Nine Gallery inside Blue Sky.

North Portland Polaroids is a show by Bobby Abrahamson. A new resident of the Portland neighborhood St Johns, Abrahamson shot portraits of neighbors. The original images were made on Polaroid 55 which has been discontinued for a few years. It's a slow film with the equivalent of over 370 megapixels per frame. The monochrome images, with subjects straight posed and no smiles, lends the work and Arbus to Lange feel. I'm not sure about how I feel about the work, I hope it has created enduring positive relationships with neighbors and not the reverse. Here is also hoping some narratives in the subjects' own words accompany the work. Also photos of Philadelphia by Daniel Traub. At Blue Sky Gallery www.blueskygallery.org map 122 NW 8th 6PM-9



Maybe It Takes a Loud Noise? is a new collection of gallery work by Anna Gray & Ryan Wilson Paulsen. At PDX Contemporary Art www.pdxcontemporaryart.com 925 NW Flanders Map early close 8PM



Get Your Flag On is a group show in honor of July Fourth. At Grass Hut in Floating World. www.grasshutcorp.com 400 NE Couch



Graeter is known for lively openings of often urban edge-influenced work. This month's show is a richly themed motorcycle show. Well known urban illustrator collagist Dan Ness and photographer Corey Smith join Anthony-Michel Mautemps, David DeLong and Randell Swann showing bike theme art. The space will also be filled with vintage machines, cycle clothes and a photo booth where you are encouraged to dress 'bike. Events continue throughout the month. At Graeter Art Gallery www.graeterartgallery.com 131 NW 2nd Map 5PM-midnight



Lisa Gronseth has a show, Dubai - دبي, landscape paintings of the new city's skyscrapers. She captures an impression of the light, the promise and the facade of a city built on an ancient civilization and even more ancient fossil energy deposits, modernizing in some ways and in some ways not. At Chambers Gallery www.chambersgallery.com 916 NW Flanders Early close 8:30PM



Too Far Gone is a show of individual and collaborative works by Kenji Nakayama & Dana Woulfe, sign painter and abstract painter respectively. They make their home in Boston. At Hellion Gallery www.helliongallery.com 19 NW 5th Suite 208. Through the lobby of the arched brick entry, up the stairs and to the back. Very upper floor Japan-style.
Map 6PM-10



Reading Frenzy has The Axiom Absurd by Harlan Mahaffy. The gallery describes it better than I: "Inspired by tacky wallpaper from the Victorian era, and its modern digital resurrection, Harlan Mahaffy humbly presents a new take on a familiar aesthetic. At first glance, one's eye is simply pleased to see a nicely matching color palette in this symmetrical, easy-to-swallow format. Yet upon any length of inspection we see that things are not entirely as they should be. There is a malicious hand behind these seemingly decorative patterns. Narratives begin to unfold, symmetrically around the center, then expanding outward across the page with strange implication." At Reading Frenzy www.readingfrenzy.com 921 SW Oak



Cuba can be photogenic, so why not take advantage of that? Portland photographer Jeff Amram has. His show Cuba Architecture Now is at the American Institute of Architects-AIA 403 NW 11th 5:30PM-8:30



The 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

July 4 Born on the 4th of July

RocksBox was born on the 4th of July 5 years ago. This gallery in a house specializes is visual and occasional performance art aimed at challenging the viewer. Rough, raw, offensive in a good way. Many of the artists are from the San Francisco Bay Area where Rock was schooled. Tonight it is Son of a Son Son of a Son Born on the Fourth of July by David Johnson, Joshua Pieper, Ian Treasure and Brian Wasson. The RocksBox openings are always good conversation and the work can be seen otherwise hours on the website and by appointment. At Rocksbox Fine Art www.rocksboxfineart.com 6540 N Interstate 7PM-11 Free



Foco was born on the 4th of July 1 year ago. It's self organized by PNCA students. They continue their show tonight and are in a perfect spot for watching fireworks without a crowd and nasty blues music. At Foco Gallery focogallery.wordpress.com 211 SE Madison 6PM-midnight Free

July 3 Designer Road Trip

The Curiosity Club hosts a special visit tonight by Dave Seliger. Seliger is spending five weeks on an East-West-East road trip visiting design cities to find the country's greatest design innovators. He talks about the journey tonight. And he is writing about it for Core77. A presentation of the Curiosity Club, you can tune into the free live webcast off the Core77 site or visit the talk and demonstration in person at Hand Eye Supply www.handeyesupply.com/pages/curiosity-club 23 NW 4th 6PM Free

June 30 No Deep Empty Words

The St Johns NoFest instantiates for a fifth year with a dozen venues and a hundred performers. Experimental music of all types. All free. www.nofest.net 11AM Saturday - 2AM Sunday Free



Hip hop dance is a dynamic and continually evolving culture. Much stronger event community in larger cities, including Seattle, than there is in Portland. To rectify, Huy Pham has started a monthly series, Deep. This is the fourth. Deep 4.0. It's a 2on2 all styles battle. Crowd judged. Live producers will tag with the DJ's to produce the music the competitors will respond to, with no information in advance on the beats. It's all ages, and parents are challenged to throw down against one another. Musics by Tribe, RCM, Rip City Kingz, New Lineage (Donna Motion, PopnTod + special guest), Ben Vo (solo) and Unseen. Crews include Gerl Snubb & Thizz, Kestra & Bradley Gooding, Yen Boogie & Boogaloo Z, Initial Steps, Victor & Boss, Nicole & Russel, Vast Impulse, Quantumstep, Tigerclaw & Mr Munoz, ATL & Aleckgator, Back 2 Basix, Dre & Logic, First Class, Mini-Monsters Young Hot & B.rad, V & Lawrence from Tribe, Rhythm Bandits, Worn Soles, Mercedes & Her Girl, Alfred & J-Rod, Gaby & Elya, TJ Cruz & Bridgette Corbin, Stumptown Stompers, Mantis & Icon, Wicked FX, Big Snubb & Snubb Deuce, Jay Z & Kanye, Le Femme Fatale, Team Imbalanced, Jung & Alvin, JB & Ryan, Moon Patrol, Big Bro & Lil Sis. All ages, adult beverages available for adults. At The Slate, 2001 NW 19th #104 6PM-10 $10



John Cage. Seminal musician and conceptual performer. He also had a huge partnership with Merce Cunningham, revolutionizing modern dance similarly. Tonight is a special 12 hour performance of an archival recording of Empty Words created first in 1974 by Cage. Bard College is doing a macrobiotic dinner Cage designed for the performance which will be broadcast live, worldwide. Additional music by Josh Quillen "scored for amplified plant materials, water, conch shells, and burning pine cones".

Empty Words by John Cage johncage.org/empty_words.html At http://comm.free103point9.org:8000/wgxc.mp3.m3u 7PM Eastern Daylight Time (UTC-4) to 8AM Sunday (3 hours ahead of Portland) Free

June 29 Placebo

Placebo. It's the interaction between our mind and our immune system. That immune system is built on our genome, but its beauty is that it learns from experience. My allopathic doctor believes much of the heavy lifting in modern medicine's treatment regimes is done by the placebo effect.

Likewise our visual aesthetic of what is good is determined by a mix of neurochemical response built on our genome, the interplay of novelty and familiarity, and the entire corpus of our visual experience.

So placebo is a rich metaphor for response to art and not a slight. Artists combine, by design or subconscious genius, visual and conceptual ideas that activate their own, and viewers, placebo effect. That's the idea of Maggie Casey's show Placebo. Casey was one of the organizers of the Little Field and Appendix spaces in garages off Alberta. She is now at RISD working on her MFA.

Recommended. At the 12128 Labrador Project http://www.12128boatspace.com/ It's moored by Fred's Marina 12900 NW Marina Way, Portland. Map More detailed directions, don't get lost, on the website. 7PM-10 Free

June 28 Last Thursday in Algeria

MSHR plays at Appendix tonight sometime after 9. We covered it in a previous post. It's worth it. Neomystical like Yacht, but more raw sonicly. At Appendix Project Space www.appendixspace.com On the alley between 26th and 27th, South of Alberta. Map 7-10ish Free



Optic Nerve Arts was an early pioneer Alberta business inking skin artfully. Their artists' artworks have outlasted Alberta art. Now they have moved down the street. Welcome to the Edge is their annual show of works on the wall by tattoo artists. At Optic Nerve Arts www.opticnervearts.com 1223 NE Alberta



Delphine Bedient is a multi artist, 2d, sculpture, writing, photography and zineing. She had an opportunity to spend some time in Algeria. She reads about it from her new zine, Algeria: Notes on an Unfamiliar Place. At Reading Frenzy www.readingfrenzy.com 921 SW Oak 7PM Free

June 26 Olfactory Animalic

Julia Barbee is an artist and clothing designer. She operated under the name Frocky Jack Morgan with her deconstructed clothing. She makes perfumes too. Tonight she explains her theory of constructing scent formulations. You can smell the ingredients individually, and then in the blends, to form your own scent theories.

We each have a highly developed olfactory sense with receptors patterned by our genome. There is good evidence we are actually able to distinguish between mirror image molecules. And it is sometimes possible for us to sense a single molecule.

In addition to her perfume formulations, Barbee uses scent and sound as sculptural elements in her artwork. And she is one of Portland's most knowledgeable scent researchers.

"The majority of fragrances are formulated using plant-based or synthetic aromas. However, some perfume houses and manufacturers still use animal-derived notes. These animalic scents can feature ingredients like civet, obtained from the African civet cat; ambergris, a secretion from the sperm whale; and castoreum, a secretion from the Castor beaver. Feeling squeamish yet?

Animalic fragrances, which are often rather pricey because they are more difficult to resource, can range in smell from sweet and woody to furry and leathery to stanky or dirty. As unappealing as that all may sound, when used in small quantities, these types of scents can be described as providing depth, sensuality, and warmth to a scent.

If you're opposed to the use of animal byproducts for whatever reason(s), or the thought of them makes you nauseated, modern fragrances include nods to these sensual, exotic scents, without the real deal. For instance, in lieu of obtaining scent from the musk sacs of the Asian musk deer, synthetic musk, often known as white musk, is used. And while animalic scents are known for being excellent fixatives, or scent boosters, there are other natural ingredients, like resins and woody notes, available to provide a similar effect".

A presentation of the Curiosity Club, you can tune into the free live webcast off the Core77 site or visit the talk and demonstration in person at Hand Eye Supply www.handeyesupply.com/pages/curiosity-club 23 NW 4th 6PM Free

June 24 Summer Brunch

The Research Club presents its last Summer brunch as they jet set into their Portland Passport Project. Presenters are Abe from bePortland, Gus from The Davenport Project, Daniel on digital geography and Christina on Neurobics. Bring food. At the Idealist www.idealist.org 209 SW Oak #600 Noon-3

June 23 PNCA MFA Glass Half Full

PNCA has a mid-program readout of MFA visual studies participants: Christy Bailey, Terri Bradley, Erin Dengerink, Kiel Fletcher, Linden How, Timothy Janchar, John Knight, Matthew Leavitt, Daniel Long, Andrew Lorish, Cristin Norine, Justin Schwab, Edward Trover, Lindsay Williams and Takahiro Yamamoto. It's an opportunity to get acquainted with what is happening in the program. At Disjecta, in the shadow of Paul Bunyan www.disjecta.org 8371 N. Interstate Map 6PM-9 Free

June 22-23 Seattle to Portland

DAIPANbutoh presents two nights of premieres. Friday is Sheri Brown with Divided By Zero, Diana Garcia-Snyder with MA:13 and Danse Perdue with Mother of War Part 1: the Visitation". Saturday is Joan Laage's Chopin Dances, Helen Thorsen with Higher Ground and Mary Cutrera performing Can't Sleep Clowns Will Eat Me. All at Velocity Dance Center 1612 12th Ave, Seattle 8PM $20


Meanwhile in Portland, Hand2Mouth Theater has organized the Risk Reward Festival with performers from Portland, Seattle, Vancouver, BC and Los Angeles. By Hand2Mouth Theater www.hand2mouththeatre.org At Artists Repertory Theatre 1516 SW Alder 7:30PM $20

June 22 Magical Realism in Visionary Landscape

Magical realism in Northwest art is a thread from today going back in time. Another name is Northwest visionary art. Today it is MSHR and Bruce Conkle. Morris Graves. Of course, the first art here was magical realism in the form of Northwest petroglyphs.

Tonight you have the opportunity to go back in time on that thread to the mid 20th Century, in the work of the late Carl Hall. He came to Oregon at age 21, and one of his paintings was acquired by the Whitney at age 26. He taught for many years in Salem, passing in 1996.

It's an art history lesson. Opening at the Murdoch Collections murdochcollections.com 2219 NW Raleigh Map 5PM-8 Free



Gallery Homeland, which is now distributed across continents and countries, including the country of Texas, opens a show of exchange between Portland, Marfa and Houston, Southern/Pacific. At Gallery Homeland www.galleryhomeland.org in the Ford Building www.fordbuildingpdx.com 2505 SE 11th x Division. Enter through the cafe on the corner if the main doors on 11th are locked. 6PM-9 Free

June 21 Art Philosophy Talk

Metaphysics has been a tool for me. I've dug deep enough to bend it to my uses but no deeper. Others go deep, deep, deep into philosophy. One is Thomas Zummer, who has personally studied with Foucault, Derrida, Eco, Ricoeur and Searle. He is an artist, as well, with notable exhibitions internationally. You can see his bio here. He's able to apply those philosophical experiences to pop culture semiotics, for instance to monsters. It's quite amazing that PNCA is bringing him to speak and a small retrospective of his work, "works I should have done" to exhibit in the Feldman. At PNCA www.pnca.edu 1241 NW Johnson Map 6:30PM Free

June 20, 28 July 1 OcularYoniAuralLinga

The Oregon Painting Society is one of Portland's greatest art collectives. Many of their 2d, 3d and installation works include a sound track, some performed live. More of that is needed from all artists. Brenna Murphy and Birch Cooper from Oregon Painting Society have their own unit, MSHR. MHSR taps into neo-mysticism in performance installations, combining driftwood with lasers and touch sensitive sound synths.

We do not give the copywriting of the month award to art press releases that run to academic art speak. They are like descriptions of DJ's. But we like a muscular one which is actually descriptive. Though I'm not sure what a laser feedback corridor is.

"The duo harnesses elemental forces to nurture ecstatic cybernetic ecosystems. Their sculptural human-electronic interfaces offer visitors interactive ocular/aural experiences within an augmented reality of mirrored glowing sand glyphs, sonic ancestral rainforest codes and misty laser feedback corridors. In two presentations, MSHR will ritualistically engage a trans-dimensional organic synthesizer to unfold earthly doors to terrestrial transcendence."

MHSR's work is significant in the context of Quantenexperimente by Anton Zeilinger at Documenta.

MHSR has been at residence at Appendix with their Earthly Door project and they have three readouts. Wednesday is a performance at 9 to honor the solstice. They will be open Last Thursday, performance at 9. July 1st, they will have a screening of video art influences at 9. Highly recommended.

At Appendix Project Space www.appendixspace.com On the alley between 26th and 27th, South of Alberta. Map 7-10ish Free

June 16 Production Place

Wynde Dyer commences a new project, Production and Reproduction, tonight. Monday through Friday, 9 to 5, she will create a series of paintings. Next she will have the paintings reproduced by assistants. Finally, the paintings will be reexecuted in Dafen, China, a town dedicated to making art copies.

Let's Get Physical, A Kinesthetic Aesthetic is a show of photography curated by Mariana Tres. Included are Rachel Ellison, Chicago; David Horvitz, NY; Lilly McElroy, LA; Elaine Miller, Chicago; Heidi Schwegler, Portland; and Type A from NY.

The Black Gallery, a media space continues the Experimental Film Festival Portland show: Fissure Vents, curated by Grand Detour.

All at Place, placepdx.tumblr.com a gallery on the 3rd floor of the Pioneer Place Mall along with the People's art of Portland and the Woolley Gallery. If the mall appears closed, enter the film theater building adjacent, travel through the tunnel to the Place mall, and take the elevator to the 3rd floor, sometimes the bridge on the 3rd floor is open too. 700 SW Fifth. 6PM-9 Free

In the same place, Mark Woolley Gallery has wall releafs in slate, metal and hydrocal by David Reager and Broken/Reassembled by Jill Torberson, sculptures, collage and mixed media boxes. At Mark Woolley Gallery www.markwoolley.com.

The Peoples Art of Portland has a landscape group show and illustrations by DKNG Studio - Dan Kuhlken and Nathan Goldman. At the People's Art of Portland www.peoplesartofportland.com

June 15-16 Let's Get Quiet

Quiet Music. In it's repertoire Portland has it. And the label Hush has been a proponent. The Quiet Music Festival continues that vibe. It's a two day affair curated by artist Chris Johanson. Musicians from Portland, Brooklyn and the Bay Area include Grouper, Sonny Smith, Sam Coomes, Carolyn Pennypacker Riggs, Dan Sasaki, Lichens, Vetiver, Scout Niblett, Ural Thomas, Kevin Thomson and Strawberry Smog. At Disjecta, in the shadow of Paul Bunyan www.disjecta.org 8371 N. Interstate Map 8PM $8 one day, $15 both - advance or $10/18 door

June 14 Video Immigration

How to Immigrate to the United States of America is a video work by Paul Clay. Clay uses live footage and game engines to make his work. At RECESS recessart.com at Oregon Brassworks Building, 1127 SE 10th Map 7PM-10

June 13 Appendix Online

Appendix is normally in a garage with itinerant shows. Some of their organizers went East making a right coast gallery. Now Appendix launches an geographically independent online show. Div/Contour, by Joe Hamilton. It starts noon today. View at www.appendixspace.com through June.

June 12 Paint It

Your bike. Ben Falcon talks tonight about how to paint a steel, titanium, aluminum or carbon fiber bike frame. Bike finishes are beautiful, but require many steps, each dependent on the one before being done with care. That's why the finish will last the life of the bike! Ben paints the Cielo line by Chris King. A presentation of the Curiosity Club, you can tune into the free live webcast off the Core77 site or visit the talk and demonstration in person at Hand Eye Supply www.handeyesupply.com/pages/curiosity-club 23 NW 4th 6PM Free

June 10 The Song of Sol Lewitt

Songs On Conceptual Art is a social practice project by Crystal Baxley and Stefan Ransom. Sol Lewitt knocked around the NY art world in his 20's, including doing graphic design for work. That allowed him in his early '30's to lay down many of the early roads in minimalism and conceptual art. One of his strategies was to create algorithmic instructions for wall drawings to be executed by others. The exhibitor or collector would have the right to execute the piece, a revolutionary abstraction of art, making and ownership. It's also a forerunner to social practice tactics.

Inspired by Baldessari Sings LeWitt, Baxley and Ransom selected musicians to create compositions on the 35 units of Lewitt's koan-like manifesto Sentences on Conceptual Art.

The result, a collection, Songs on Conceptual Art, drops tonight. The musicians contributing are Lucky Dragons, Brendan Fowler, Dragging an Ox Through Water, White Rainbow, Jib Kidder, Crazy Band, Bobby Birdman, Karl Blau, Dunes, SAFE, Jackie O Motherfucker, Jordan Dysktra, ARP, Deer or the Doe, Caspar Sonnet, Secret Circuit, White Fang, Larry Yes, Spencer Moody, Sun Foot, Crystal, Stefan, The Polyps, Rob Walmart, DAVIS HOOKER, Wanda and Wonder, Jake Ransom, Megazord, John Rau, Art Husband, Giggles, Boron, 90 Billion Raindrops, LA Ladies Choir, Deep Fried Boogie Band, and Cross Country Club.

Tonight in celebration many perform, including Dragging an Ox Through Water, White Rainbow, Sun Foot, Spencer Moody, Rob Walmart, Caspar Sonnet, John Rau, Jordan Dysktra and Jake Ransom.

The musics will be released in edition of 350, a double 12 inch, for $35. Also released as a download free.

Songs on Conceptual Art www.songsonconceptualart.com at Holocene www.holocene.org 1001 SE Morrison 8PM $5

June 9 Seeds Activate!

One of Portland's large artist studio complexes, the Seed Building, opens for visitors once a year, this evening. There are over 40 studios in three buildings connected by a warren of stairways and corridors. At the North Coast Seed Studios www.pdxseedstudios.com 2127 N Albina 4PM-10 Free

June 8 Hairlines

We are social visual creatures. Hair is a strong factor in appearance. That is why butoh dancers shave it off, to focus attention on the movement of the body, rather than social styling. Kansas artist Molly Murphy, like Portland artist Ashley Sloan, has selected hair as a topic of illustration. She is visiting artist at Albina Press, opening tonight. It is a good subject for drawing too, it's inherently all line! Albina Press openings are always fun and chill. The space was originally an art gallery, and quite excellent, before it was a coffee shop. It has had consistently great curators since. At Albina Press, 4637 N. Albina Ave x Blandena Map 6PM-8 Free

June 8-9 Thirteen Summers of Improvisation

I think Thirteen Summers will be a beautiful project. It's paradoxical because the powerful narrative stands just outside the door of an experimental installation and live musical performance with no words. It is there but it is not there.

Timothy Treadwell spent 13 Summers living in the Alaska wilderness and filmed it. He was passionate about the largest of his co-inhabitants which are hunted for sport, ursus arctos horribilis, the grizzly bear. He believed they should be protected and respected as are whales, dolphins and elephants. He pushed his edge in interacting with the animals as an equal. In the end it didn't work out. But in a way it did. His footage was made into a movie by the noted director, Werner Herzog. That film is Grizzly Man.

Grizzly People maintain Treadwell's archive of video and stills. They have provided Portland's Cinema Project material for multiple screens to accompany an original soundtrack performed live. Thirteen Summers is the result.

A presentation by the Cinema Project and the Creative Music Guild. Thirteen Summers is the opening at 7PM Friday of a night of improvised music and accompaniments that continues with a different program Saturday evening - the Portland Improvisation Summit. Both evenings involve movement improvisation too. At Bamboo Grove Studio 134 SE Taylor (enter on 2nd on the loading dock) Film opens a performance Friday that goes late. See the Improvisation Summit website for full details. 7PM $15 (both nights $20)

June 7 Westside Art Openings

Elizabeth Leach has a show of prints by Elsworth Kelly, a pioneer in minimalism beginning in his late 20's, in the 1940's. These are more obviously more recent, but worth a look. The Museum will also be putting on a major show beginning this month. At Elizabeth Leach Gallery www.elizabethleach.com 417 NW 9th Map 6PM-9 Free



Jenene Nagy has new 2d work at PDX. Measure is geometric charcoals. At PDX Contemporary Art www.pdxcontemporaryart.com 925 NW Flanders Map early close 8PM Free



A group show at Butters includes sculptors Vanessa Calvert and Brenda Mallory. Calvert combines upholstery forms and materials in a lush non-functional strategy. Mallory is known for sculptures made of arrays of similar organic units. At Butters Gallery www.buttersgallery.com 520 NW Davis, 2nd Floor Free



Stumptown has a group show by Project Grow artists QT Buggs, David Crittendon, Forrest Hellum-Willits, David Lechner, Olga Shchepina, Alvina Ternes, Dillon Vacheresse and Jamond Williams. The artists participate in Project Grow, a creative studio and community supported agriculture farm in NE Portland. The project was conceived by social practice artists and many continue to participate themselves. At Stumptown www.stumptowncoffee.com 128 SW 3rd. Early close 7PM Free



Caldera Arts is a long running inspiration for the power of arts and the outdoors. This summer camp gives kids who would otherwise not have a chance to focus on their arts a space to work in the company of professional artists. Tonight they show their work. At W+K www.wk.com 224 NW 13th Map 5PM-8 Free



The constellation of the evening is the PNCA thesis show occupying the atrium and some of the upstairs spaces in the main building. There is work in the Stevens Building up Johnson too. It will take some time to see it all, don't discount returning for a more leisurely viewing school hours. In an odd scheduling decision, the show will be taken down beginning Friday night. At PNCA www.pnca.edu 1241 NW Johnson Map Free



Another show with certain gems is the PSU BFA thesis show. It is distributed across 4 spaces. The Art Building Lobby Gallery has Chase Biado. The MK Gallery upstairs in the Art Building has Ross Farrier and Andre Fortes. In Neuberger, the Autzen Gallery has J.P. Huckins, Nicole McCormick, Rhiannon Rasmussen-Silverstein, Krystal South and Chloe Womack. In Smith Union, the Littman Gallery has Claire Hickox, Vanessa Robertson-Rojas, William Wheeler, Shannon Wolf and Andrew Yepello. At Portland State University check the map at www.pdx.edu. Early show 5PM-8 Free



Chickfactor is a music fanzine and website operating from 1992 to now. In its early days, Gail O'Hara, the project's creative mastermind, hosted musicians and artists from the Olympia independent music explosion couch surfing her NY apartment in the years around 2000. She made a candid record of Northwest festivals and of her friends visiting the city, as the community found itself and made history. This is a show of some of those photographs of musicians like Lois Maffeo, Nikki McClure, Sarah Dougher, Corin Tucker, Rebecca Gates, Scott Plouf, Calvin Johnson, Carrie Brownstein, Janet Weiss, Stella Marrs, Tae Won Yu and many others. O'Hara went on to a noted career in music photography and now makes Portland home. At Reading Frenzy www.readingfrenzy.com 921 SW Oak Free



PICA will be open in the evening. Alex Felton shows a mix of previous work alongside that of local collaborators in his PICA residency. The large video installation on the second floor by Glen Fogel may be operating. At PICA 415 SW 10th 3rd Floor 7PM-10 Free



Christine Clark is a Portland sculptor and member of the Nine Gallery, a long running space for installations. She has made sculptures of wire, hay, concrete, wool and steel. In form, it runs to abstract organic shapes in neutral colors. Excellent work. She opens Herded at the Nine Gallery inside Blue Sky tonight.

Also Dorothee Deiss has As If Nothing Happened, photographs made along the route of the former Berlin Wall, now a bike path. Gay Block has About Love, portraits spanning almost 40 years. At Blue Sky Gallery www.blueskygallery.org map 122 NW 8th 6PM-9 Free



Hellion has Michinori Maru and Sayuka Bloodstone. At Hellion Gallery www.helliongallery.com 19 NW 5th Suite 208. Through the lobby of the arched brick entry, up the stairs and to the back. Very upper floor Japan-style. Map Free



Compound has Taking My Life Back by Drew Tyndell, Derek Bruno and Benjamin. It's geometric work selected by their new curator Molly Georgetta. At Compound Gallery www.compoundgallery.com 107 NW 5th Free



The 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 Free

June 6 little things

Cay Horiuchi is a recent graduate of the PNCA MFA program. Sometimes artists enter a post-MFA funk, but Cay is doing the opposite, with a post-MFA new body of work, little things. She is known for an exploration of dream machines at PNCA, Static, we noted here. Her new work is at the Lodge Gallery in Allied Works 1532 SW Morrison. Open weekdays 9AM-5PM until July 1. Opening reception tonight 6PM

June 1 Eastside Art Openings

Half Dozen closes its current brick and basement space, L/R, tonight. They have been consistently good here, in LoBu, and in the Everett Lofts. We wish them the best in their next adventure. The closing show is Drone Kitsch by Carl Diehl. It is a good candidate for copywriting of the week: "pulling from UFO lore for inspiration, playing on themes of technological anxiety, imagining nostalgic objects from an estranged futurity." At Half/Dozen Gallery www.halfdozengallery.com 722 E Burnside (enter on 8th) 6PM-9 Free



Union|Pine has Double Exposure, a group photo show from Mikola Accuardi, Holly Andres, Nina Bakos, Jaclyn Campanaro, Brendan Coughlin, Jon Duenas, Jay Fitzgerald, Parker Fitzgerald, J.R. Furbus, Randall Garcia, Laura Leon, Maryann Parrone, Jeremy Pelley, Boone Rodriguez, Alicia J Rose, Matt Schulte, Tatum Shaw, Christine Taylor, Kimberly Warner and Patrick Richardson Wright. At Union/Pine www.unionpine.com 525 SE Pine 7Pm-late Free



Manchus is consistently presenting video. Tonight they open Three-Way Migration by Christine Taylor. Taylor is a noted photographer, so exciting to see her video projects. At Manchus Clothing www.machusonline.com 542 E Burnside 6PM-9 Free



Black Box has Mirror, Mirror, a varied portrait show, curated by Holly Andres. Some are quite striking. At Black Box Gallery www.blackboxgallery.com 811 E Burnside, Suite 212 upstairs 5PM-8:30 Free



Nicholas P Wilson is a photographer focused on Portland fashion and portraits. He has his first solo show tonight at Haunt. Then he graduates from high school. He is one of those great photographers in your high school class. At Haunt hauntstudio.blogspot.com 811 E Burnside 7PM-9 Free



Redux has illustrator Brooke Weeber. At Redux www.reduxpdx.com 811 E Burnside 6PM-9:30 Free



Nationale has swirly glitter clouds by Rikki Rothenberg. This swirly artist is also cofounder of Portland movement performance group Woolly Mammoth Comes to Dinner. In conjunction with her exhibition, Rothenberg and Seattle performer Allie Hankins do a movement work in the gallery on Saturday, June 23rd. At Nationale thenewnationale.com 811 E Burnside Map 6PM-9 Free




Newspace has Growing Up, by Daniel Farnum - meditations on the Midwestern landscape. Also a show of work by the instructors at Newspace. At Newspace Photo www.newspacephoto.org 1632 SE 10th Map 6PM-9 Free



The Ford Building opens many of its varied studios this evening, on all the floors. Gallery Homeland will have their video show powered up and sponsors an experimental music concert. At Gallery Homeland www.galleryhomeland.org in the Ford Building www.fordbuildingpdx.com 2505 SE 11th x Division. Enter through the cafe on the corner if the main doors on 11th are locked. 6PM-9 Free



Pushdot has landscape photographs from childhood Norway, primarily stark waterscapes by Joanne Fielder. They were made on occasion of grieving for the loss of her mother.

June 1-3 ADX is 1

Coop shop and creative center ADX is one year old today. They are launching a prototyping and manufacturing service for Portland creative entrepreneurs. Friday is a reception. Saturday is a show of member projects and a talk at 2PM on prototyping and taking products to market. Sunday is a barbecue. You can check their website for details. At adxportland.com 417 SE 11th x Stark Map Free

May 31 Alberta Madness

The first full on Last Thursday of the season is tonight. The street will be closed, be kind to the neighbors.


Flight 64 has Secret Beasties, etchings by Martha Daghlian and Megan Hanley printed from copper plates. Both draw inspiration from organic lifeforms. At Flight 64 Print Studio www.flight64.org 2934 NE Alberta Behind Bella Faccia Pizza on the NE 29th-30th Alley. Map 6PM-9 Free



Seth Nehil has Children's Games, a video installation at 1422 NE Alberta.



Screaming Sky has Mystic Critters, by Tripper Dungan 3d anaglyph paintings, meaning in plainspeak, you need red and cyan filtered glasses to see the effect. Fun! Also work by noted outsider artist Klutch, creator of the Vinyl Killers series. Often worth stopping by Antler next door. At Screaming Sky www.screamingskygallery.com 1416 NE Alberta Free



Coral reefs are a critical part of our ocean ecosystem that grow slowly and are sensitive scaffolds for a myriad of life. Pollution, changing temperatures, acidification, anchors and fishing with explosives kill them. So this project, a community-crocheted coral reef analog falls squarely into the globally socially conscious social practice art paradigm. By Portland artist and sea researcher Colleen Flanigan. View in the Emerson Space Case emersonspacecase.blogspot.com NE 30th and Emerson Map



Appendix will be closed tonight. But Ampersand is always worth a visit.

May 30 - June 9 The 1 Festival Movement

This would fall under modern dance, theater, performance and improvisation. It's a mix of in town and visitors. Included are Elizabeth Huffman, Damaris Webb, Mark Hayes, Eric Hull, Cindy Tennant, Luciana Proaño, Portland Playback Theatre, Kristine Anderson, Matthew Nelson, Rachel Slater, Eowyn Barrett, Ed Alletto, Christine Bonansea, Vanessa Skanze, Anet Ris-Kelman, Sara Zalek, Kat MacMillan, Alan Sutherland, Stephanie Lanckton, Wobbly, Aura Fischbeck, Emily Gregory, Mindy Dillard, Mary Rose, Emily Stone, John Johnson, SubRosa Dance, Laurence Kominz, Qaos, Noah Peterson, Bill Ratner, Beth Lorio, PDX Dance Collective, Keyon Gaskin, Adriana Butoi, Micah Perry and the Portland Experimental Theatre Ensemble. Descriptions of the performances and performers are on the website www.the1festival.com/services/the-line-up/ At the Headwaters Theater, by www.witdpresents.com 55 NE Farragut St. #9. The theater is in the back of the building by the active railroad tracks facing Winchell Street. Map Times and admission on the website

May 30 Recycling

Ampersand opens works on paper by Heather Cavalieri and John Hundt. Cavalieri incorporates found paper into her handmade papers, it's recycling! Hundt is a collage artist, that's recycling too. At Ampersand Vintage Printed Material www.ampersandvintage.com 2916 NE Alberta, Ste B. Map 6PM-9 Free



It goes well with the show Chat with Flowers by Salem artist Christian Alborz Oldham, who exhibits primarily outside the region. Oldham's strategy is digital sampling from internet sources. He is known for graphic design for music projects. The show is open tonight and June 1-3. At Appendix Project Space www.appendixspace.com On the alley between 26th and 27th, South of Alberta. Map 7PM-10 Free

May 22-27 Let's Get Experimental

Portland has a new Experimental Film Festival. One was created by Portland filmmaker Matt McCormick. Artist and filmmaker Gretchen Hogue then assumed responsibility for it. Now version 2.0 has been created by Grand Detour. They continue the tradition of including video installation in the program with a show opening tonight at Gallery Homeland 6PM-9, then regular gallery hours. You can see the whole schedule and the distributed venues at www.effportland.com. Some events, including the gallery show are free.

May 19 Le Mall

The Mall galleries open their new shows tonight.

At Place, placepdx.tumblr.com a gallery on the 3rd floor of the Pioneer Place Mall. Also the People's art of Portland and the Woolley Gallery. If the mall appears closed, enter the film theater building adjacent, travel through the tunnel to the Place mall, and take the elevator to the 3rd floor, sometimes the bridge on the 3rd floor is open too. 700 SW Fifth. 6PM-9 Free

May 18 Shapes and Smiles

Who can argue with shapes and smiles? Not me. This is graphic work by Josh Kenyon and Colby Nichols operating under Jolby opening at Albina Press on Albina tonight. At Albina Press 4637 North Albina 6PM-8 Free



Graduates Kathy Bradshaw, Amanda Brennan, Heather Bromer, Jody Dunphy, Sheri Earnhart, Larissa Hammond, Killeen Hanson, Andrew Lonnquist, Swapna Ketcham, Karl Ramentol, Amber Roelfs, William Rueck and Jacob Tietze of the joint PNCA and OCAC MFA in art oriented craft and design open their thesis work this evening. At 902 SW Morrison 6PM-9 Free

May 18-20 Open Engagement

Open Engagement is Portland's international conference on social practice art. The conference is organized around politics, economies, education and representation. Not sure where the discussion of quality comes in. You can scan the schedule at the website and participate. It's free. And recommended. www.openengagement.info At PSU. All day to late. Free!

May 18-21 The Art of the Walk

The art of the walk is not unknown to art. We are not talking about silly walks, we are talking about serious walks. Canadian artist Janet Cardiff has made site specific audio walks. And Portland artist and curator Tori Abernathy has created Atmospheres. Atmospheres is an augmented reality audio experience for walkers. They will experience sounds captured in the inner Southeast industrial area and replayed in layers triggered by the location of the walker as they move. The samples, gathered over 2 years, are selected for the walker by the piece using GPS technology.

Those two years of experiences in a metaphysical way can be thought to reside in the place, whether captured or not, in a personal way. It is the same with each place and with each person. That it is mediated by space technology is another poetic layer. Interestingly the work runs along with many current explorations of experiencing data such as the Vibrant Data Project.

To participate in Atmosphere, visit the website http://www.doodle.com/n43t9b9d4phqp7ks and make a reservation for one or more of the five available experience mediating devices. Then arrive for your time and head out for a half hour or more on your walk.

The initiation point is at Recess Gallery recesspdx.blogspot.com at Oregon Brassworks Building, 1127 SE 10th Map noon-5PM Free

May 17 CHAD

Anyone who claims to not hate Powerpoint is lying. Some people really hate it, like Edward Tufte, all but blaming it for the fall of Western civilization. In his essay, The Cognitive Style of Powerpoint, and in seminars, he faults the design of the software with some serious mishaps, such as the loss of the space shuttles Challenger and Columbia. It is not far fetched to argue the use of Powerpoint in the military and government provides prima facie support to Tufte's case.

In a coda, I just learned that engineer Roger Boisjoly passed in January. Boisjoly was the engineer who discovered the design problem that resulted in the total loss of the space shuttle Challenger in 1986. Boisjoly tried to stop the launch, presenting his arguments in a fated Powerpoint the night before, but was overruled by Morton Thiokol and NASA management. It has been theorized that NASA was anxious to launch the first teacher into space in time for president Reagan's state of the union speech scheduled later that same day. As a whistleblower, post the loss, he was subject to intense pressures, resulting a nervous breakdown. But he was awarded the Prize for Scientific Freedom and Responsibility by the American Association for the Advancement of Science and dedicated the rest of his career to teaching engineering ethics.

Artist David Byrne has explored Powerpoint in art. There have been several Portland performance art projects using Powerpoint. The latest is a series CHAD, organized by artist, inventor and writer, Mykle Hansen.

His CHAD series is likely to be humorous bordering on ridiculous. Presenters include palindrome champion Mark Saltveit, on the science of non-science Justin Hanes, global inspirationist Lance Banks, pro-lifist Carrie Twoterm, and a channeler of the great Carl Sagan.

CHAD may be had www.thisischad.com at the Jack London Bar 529 SW 4th Ave in the basement of the Rialto Poolroom 8PM $5-10

May 16 Dreaming Mermaids

The Little Mermaid is a Hans Christian Andersen fairytale. Mala Morska Vila is a Czech New Wave film interpretation with live actors from 1976. This beautiful surrealist version will be scored by Goodnight Billygoat, Wooden Indian Burial Ground and Blood Beach "with their twinkling orchestral pop", "their spacious and trippy rock landscapes" and "theremin-heavy psychedelia", respectively. It is part of the always a treat Fin de Cinema series of classic subtitled films with live soundtracks by Portland bands. At Holocene www.holocene.org 1001 SE Morrison. 8:30PM $5

May 15 Mr Weiwei is Never Sorry

It is no secret we have a sense of humor, particularly in how we formulate our headlines. Many artists have a sense of humor too, and some are serious about it. One is Ai Weiwei, Chinese contemporary artist. Mr Weiwei was reported an easy going partier and prankster in his NY days between 1981 and 1993. In that period, he was influenced by the experimental NY art scene, AIDS activism, and watched the events of 1989 unfold at home from afar.

Returning to China after, he collaborated in producing and presenting controversial experimental art in Beijing. He continued his father's interest in Chinese antiques, supporting himself as an antique dealer. Repurposing antiques in the service of conceptual art was a theme of his early work. Dropping a Han-Dynasty Urn in 1995 is a record of Weiwei dropping a 2200 year old antique vase which shatters on the ground. It is a simple yet richly barbed commentary on history and culture, especially as Chinese dominant ethnic group takes its name from that dynasty. The beauty of the work is that the urn might cost less than $5000 to purchase, while photographs of the work, in an edition of 8, are currently valued at over $150,000 each.

Mr Weiwei was in the right place at the right time to ride the Chinese art boom in China, as well as internationally. He used that platform more wisely than many superstar contemporary artists, to take on from within, flaws in a culture and a country.

If you are familiar with contemporary Chinese culture, it is by no means monolithic. But young and educated Chinese play the edge of rebellion, or at least question state controls, as an element of their identity, or as pure human response. It's common to present that publicly and certainly privately using the long established custom of euphemism in the Chinese language. So "jumping the wall" is commonly found in Weibao posts, meaning the writer is presenting information found by evading the Chinese Great Firewall, which blocks Internet content deemed controversial to the government. Today Mr Weiwei does not exist in Chinese search engines.

Individuals standing out is also a potentially dangerous transgression in Chinese culture. And the large security bureaucracy is bound to move inexactly in its sworn mission to minimize disruptions, especially in the years around the leadership transition. That would be now.

In the past, artists' and art school professors' commentary on society was ignored. Their audience was educated and small. They did not operate in the press and they were not visible internationally. Ai Weiwei broke the mold. His work was political, but only in a way that art insiders could understand. But he became very well known and wealthy as a result of museum shows in the West. The press followed, and Mr Weiwei was swept up in the cultural security apparatus. This, in turn, inflamed the Western press and the art world. An artist being mentioned by name by Secretary Clinton is unusual, to say the least. Not only can water float a boat, it can sink it also. The fact that Ai Weiwei's Western supporters are influential is a danger. And the fact that Mr Weiwei's revolution has been televised by his blog and Twitter is a new postmodern condition.

The film explores a series of projects Mr Weiwei has made around the Sichuan earthquake of 2008, in which an estimated 70,000 Chinese died. The artist focused on gathering and publicizing the names of more than 5,000 school children who were killed. Each was an only child. It is the heaviest burden for their families, and something that can not be fully understood in the West. The numbers and names of the individuals lost has never been released by the central government. China's building boom has resulted in much shoddy construction, dubbed tofu dregs construction, including schools destroyed by the earthquake. Although the event did open the society to public compassion and relief efforts unseen previous, the door of responsibility and transparency has not been similarly moved.

The social practice art project has resulted in an ongoing battle by the artist with the provincial government, who built the schools, and their building contractor patrons. It may be the artist's most dangerous project. The film covers the work and its subsequent exhibition in Munich, So Sorry.

Mr Weiwei has a piece from the project in the current Art HK show, soon to be Art Basel-Hong Kong. The work consists of 123 framed letters received from government agencies by Mr Weiwei in his request for information about the collapse of school buildings in the earthquake. On the back of the wall on which they are hung, are the names the artist and his collaborators have gathered, of 5,196 students who perished.

Mr Weiwei is unique in having a very large body of followers, supporters and volunteers surrounding his art projects in China. The war between Mr Weiwei and the state has escalated with Mr Weiwei's Shanghai studio workshop being bulldozed and the artist imprisoned for almost 3 months in 2011, both covered toward the end of the film. Though not its intent, the film represents the next escalation.

If you have been following the journey of Mr Weiwei, or are curious, you have a special opportunity this evening. Ai Weiwei: Never Sorry is a new documentary about the artist, his work, and his influence in the art world. It shows tonight at the Portland Art Museum. The director, Alison Klayman, spent several years with Mr Weiwei filming, and provides an intimate portrait of the man. The production values and editing are top notch. The film returns August 3 to the Living Room Theaters. You can obtain a free ticket at this web link. At the Whitsell Auditorium of the Portland Art Museum 1219 SW Park. 7PM Free

May 15 Curious Big Smut Passport

Curiosity Club is back with a talk on structures by someone who had an opportunity to meet Mr Structure himself, Buckminster Fuller. At Hand Eye Supply www.handeyesupply.com/pages/curiosity-club 23 NW 4th 6PM Free



Big Art Group. Who can argue with a brand like that? They are in residence at PICA, interviewing Portlanders to prepare a TBA piece in September based on the three part tragedy The Oresteia. All very heady. Talk at PICA. 415 SW 10th Ave, Suite 300. 7PM-8:30 Free



Portland has many bike cultures. One of our "keep Portland weird" efforts are bike film festivals, including romantic and erotic bike movies. Bike Smut is a three night movie series on that theme. It's Spring! The series is May 15,22&29 At the Clinton Street Theater 26th and SE Clinton 9PM Age 18+ $7 (discount with password)



The Research Club is plotting a transition to action through its Passport program, an app for social networking around art events and groups. To promote and form that idea, they have a performance at Valentines. Details at www.portlandpassport.org. At Valentines 232 SW Ankeny 7PM-late $5

May 14 On Curation

Curator Mary Jane Jacob from School of the Art Institute of Chicago talks about her work outside museums. A part of the PSU MFA Lecture Series pdx.edu/art/mfa-lecture-series. In the Shattuck Hall Annex, 1914 SW Park Avenue, at the corner of SW Broadway and Hall on the PSU campus. 7:30PM Free

May 12 Crafty St Johns

We like the Crafty Wonderland phenomenon in Portland. It outgrew the Doug Fir Lounge monthly and now has a 2-3 times a year instantiation at the Oregon Convention Center. It's free, though parking in the area is not. Go by train! www.craftywonderland.com at the Oregon Convention Center 11AM-6PM Free



St Johns used to get no respect. Now it's got indy cred. They have a street fair, parade and music today. They have dubbed it the St Johns Bizarre. www.stjohnsbizarre.com 10AM-7PM Free

May 12-13 Free Stonehenge

The Maryhill Museum overlooks the Columbia in Goldendale, about 2 hours from Portland. It is the estate of the visionary end entrepreneur, Sam Hill, who is responsible for the Columbia River Highway. Through his European friends he built a small collection of Rodin sculptures, icons and decorative objects. He passed before the museum was completed. In the years since, 18th century and early 19th century realist portraits and landscapes, Native American artifacts and prints have been added to the collection. That has necessitated the addition of a new modern wing to the original mansion. This weekend the new wing will be dedicated in a celebration. There is no admission fee this weekend. If you visit be sure to see Brad Cloepfil's Maryhill Overlook, a running minimal sculpture. Hill is also responsible for a replica Stonehenge of stucco built as a memorial to WWI veterans. It is arguable that WWI represents the cusp of the transition between war fought with rules between armies, and total war in which civilians are indiscriminately swept up by design in warfare. Though there are earlier examples of total war, it is WWI with its use of technology which brought the terror of total war into modern consciousness. It resulted in Mr Hill's memorial and the formation of the UN. The Stonehenge is free year round. At the Maryhill Museum www.maryhillmuseum.org/Events/dedication.html 35 Maryhill Drive, Goldendale, Washington 10AM-5PM Free

May 11 Create, Publish or Perish

Core 77's Hand Eye Supply is making a float, again, for this year's Rose Festival Starlight Parade. Last year they built a bird inspired float illuminated with sequenced electroluminescent wire. And last year they polled their community of designers, crafters, artists and visionaries to nominate, and then select, representative creatives to ride the float. They are doing the same this year with a brain inspired float. And they announce the selected floaters, from a pretty awesome list, with a celebration this evening. At Hand Eye Supply www.handeyesupply.com/pages/curiosity-club 23 NW 4th 6PM-9 Free



The IPRC is home to DIY publishing and pressing. They have classes and iron letter presses. It's a zine clubhouse. It's been successful, so it's busted out of the Oak Street building above Reading Frenzy, to another incubator, the Ford Building, home to Gallery Homeland and other creative businesses. Tonight they hold an opening party to introduce their new capabilities and space. At the Independent Publishing Resource Center www.iprc.org 1101 SE Division, Suite 2 7PM-11 Free



Ampersand holds a book release event for Photographs Not Taken with a talk by contributors Amy Elkins and Eirik Johnson. The book comprises essays, no photographs. It's a meditation by photographers on the exposures they never made. At Ampersand Vintage Printed Material www.ampersandvintage.com 2916 NE Alberta, Ste B. Map 7:30PM Free

May 10 APAK Attacks

APAK, husband and wife artists Aaron Piland and Ayumi Kajikawa, come in peace with an attack of cute in their show of prints tonight at Black Wagon. Really good. At Black Wagon blackwagon.com 3964 N Mississippi Map 5PM-7

May 9 DIY Wilderness for Reals

ADX community members organize events in the space, including free movie night. Tonight is part 2 of the film Alone in the Wilderness. It's the sojourn of Dick Proenneke, who built his own cabin and lived in it, in remote Alaska, beginning in 1968, and continuing for 30 years. He documented his adventure on Kodachrome!
At adxportland.com 417 SE 11th x Stark Map 6:30PM Free

May 6 Pairwise Perceptual Control: A Talk

The Perceptual Control residency at Worksound encourages collaboration between artists and the art community. Part of that process is lectures between selected residency participants and Portland artists, writers and curators. Jamie Marie Waelchli makes obsessive-looking, but probably not obsessive Life Diagrams, a visual and text organization of the concerns of everyday life. Tonight she chats with Portland performance artist Michael Reinsch. At Worksound www.worksoundpdx.com 820 SE Alder Map 7PM Free

May 4-5 Local Culture Project & Visitors

Creativity is driven by inspiration, those neurochemical brainstorms of puzzle, pleasure and innovation that spring from intuition. The meme, though simplistic, "the right side of the brain", captures it.

Portland movement artists have taken to local as inspiration in a year long creative improvisational collaboration. They performed guerrilla-style on city streets, in parks and in a garden in St Johns. The project culminated in a series of sustainable dinners with performances in that garden. It is the Local Culture Project.

The project included visiting artists Koichi and Hiroko Tamano. They are noted butoh dance performers, performing together in the US and Japan, for almost 50 years. They also operated sushi restaurants in San Francisco, including the infamous Country Station, hidden on an alley in the Mission before the Mission was cool. Country Station was home to many an after party involving movement by the staff who were butoh dancers. Sharing food after a performance is a long practiced tradition in Japan, it is the same with the Tamano's restaurants and the Local Culture Project dinners.

Butoh itself was originally inspired by the landscape of rural Japan. Outdoor performances are common. One performer, Min Tanaka, has a farm in Kitakoma, Yamanashi, Japan, in the foothills of the mountains. He annually invited performers who rise early, farm, then perform late. The combination of shear physical exhaustion, an international mixture of new friends, and the rural environment, created an electric environment for the dancers. The Rite of Spring is his signature piece, and there have been spectacular realizations of the piece on the farm. Tanaka San ended his farm festival in 2010, at age 65. Throughout his career he maintained strong relationships with New York literary, art and music innovators. These included Richard Serra, John Cage, Cecil Taylor, Karel Appel, Meredith Monk, Susan Sontag, Yoko Ono, Julie Taymor and Anna Halprin; with performances at MoMA.

The Local Culture Project carries on these traditions with the performers in the garden growing the food for the dinners. It is also a multigenerational project. Several of the dancers have small children, who, of course, love to dance as if no one is watching. They are an inspiration.

A documentary film of the Local Culture Project will be shown exploring the experiences of participants and guest artists Diego Piñón from Mexico, Hiroko & Koichi Tamano, Delisa Myles from Arizona, Haruko Nishimura and Sheri Brown from Seattle, Andrew Millison a permaculture instructor and Laurence Kominz, noted Japanese translator and scholar-performer of Japanese theater from PSU, along with well known local movers including Emily Stone, Tracy Broyles and Kestrel Gates. Also included was a large cast of participants including Meghann Rose, Yulia Arakelyan, Erik Ferguson, Kat MacMillan, Scott Belleri, Rosalie Roberts, John marc Schaelling, Athena, Eleanor, Xan, Quetzal, Amy Wolfberg, Joshua Talbert, Channing, Hollis, Rio, Eliana, Rebecca Harrison, Maya, John & Ruth Waddell, Luku, Sara Fay Goldman, Emma Banks, Eric Hull, Harrison Holtzman-Knott, Jenny Ampersand, Narayani Matson, Beth Bounds, Toshimi Kominz, Adam Josephs, Richard Decker, L’aura Oriol, Lillian Rossetti, David Krom, Mary Rose, Ed Alletto, Beth Giansiracusa, Viola Rose, Kathy Coleman, Yukio Waguri, Vangeline, Bob Webb, Yukio Suzuki, Nathan Montgomery, Azumi Oe, Keyon Gaskin, Nathan H.G., Christopher Mankowski, Amelia Burns, Trina Michelle, Sara Hart, Ronnie Baker, Kevin Cochran, Johanna Wearsch, Keeth Monta Apgar, Montana, Breanna Rogers and Jenn Brenner. The film weaves the thoughts of the performers, gardening, dinners, performances and playful experimentation.

Tonight, after the film is a performance choreographed by the very same Hiroko Tamano, who performs with Koichi Tamano, Mizu Desierto, KajAnne Pepper, Maria Moon and Meghann Rose.

Local, direct, playful and sustainable, it should be a treat.

At the Headwaters Theater, by www.witdpresents.com 55 NE Farragut St. #9. The theater is in the back of the building by the active railroad tracks facing Winchell Street. Map 8PM $12-15