Whether the economy is bubbling or collapsing Portland continues to attract new faces (often with new spaces). With more and more leaders to our ever growing and evolving scene there is most certainly yet another new wave in effect. Here are just a few of the new faces everyone should have on their radar (I'm certain there are many more... it's impossible to keep track of the in flow so feel free to nominate them in the comments).


The attention getting Jhordan Dahl caught our attention as an artist in 2007 at the Affair at the Jupiter hotel in Mark Woolley's bathroom (while still a PNCA student) and her most recent curatorial effort White Noise. She's serious, smart and sweats the details with a lot of edge... setting her apart from most of the softer slacker/hipster wannabe artists we spend a lot of time ignoring. I'd like to go on the record stating there haven't been enough young, independent female curators active in Portland... (a few years ago it seemed overbalanced with to many alpha male efforts.. many of which were more alpha male territorial exercises than concerted curatorial efforts). Let's hope she pulls together a solo show of her own work or another group show this summer.


Links of perception

The NYT's takes on the Walker/MOCA developed Dan Graham show now that it has hit eastern shores.

Sanford Wurmfeld's very interesting painting/installation.

Eva Rothschild's work reminds me of this months show at Tractor.

Needless to say perceptual/kinesthetic experience art is everywhere again. Arguably, the three artists mostly responsible for this renewed interest are Robert Irwin, James Turrell and Olafur Elliason. A lot of interest in Portland for this kind of work as well.

There are a lot of smart shows coming down tomorrow Like Anna Gray and Ryan Wilson Paulson's Pearl District debut and the Lesbian Art Show, but Green Oregon at PNCA's Izquierdo Gallery deserves special mention.


Green Oregon on opening night

What's more, Green Oregon is a tightly curated show in a interesting space with some excellent artists like Robert Adams, Patrick Rock, Justin "Scrappers" Morrison, PORT's own Ryan Pierce, Marne Lucas and the region's dean of eco art Bruce Conkle, etc. For me Bailey Winter's painting is the standout. It is anguished over the environment, just plain weird... conjuring both David Lynch and John Wesley and most likely extremely sto...

From Jeremiah Zagar's "In a Dream"

This weekend, the Northwest Film Center presents the first of their summer artist spotlights. They're screening In a Dream, a film directed by Jeremiah Zagar about his father, artist Isaiah Zagar. They'll be showing it twice on Saturday and once on Sunday.

Film screening • July 27 & 28
NW Film Center • 1219 SW Park • Whitsell Auditorium



Varnithorn Christopher

Varnithorn Christopher presents Free Space at PSU's MK Gallery. The project is "is a non-curated gallery experiment by based on the belief that everyone is an artist. From Monday, June 29, 2009 to Thursday, July 9, 2009, Christopher invites anyone to come and exhibit their artwork at the MK gallery." A complete catalog will be created at the end of the exhibition.

Exhibition • M-F, 9am-5pm • June 29 - July 9
MK Gallery • 2000 SW 5th Avenue • Art Building, 2nd floor rm 210

Newspace is seeking submissions for their first juried members exhibition, showing in September 2009. Current Newspace members working in any photographic theme or process can submit work until July 17. More details can be found here.


Becca Bernstein is seeking submissions for her new project, the Emerson Art Observatory. For one year (start date TBA), she'll be showing rotating works in the ground-floor and clerestory windows of a dedicated art space at 30th & NE Emerson. All mediums and formats will be considered. Works can be for sale, but they don't have to be. Proposals are due by September 30. Get more info here.