INFO

^ that was how I viewed Cannon Beach circa ‘02. Dan and I are breaking in a new perspective for a much needed respite along the waves for a few days.

Birds of a feather (’08).

Primary © 2007, TJ Norris

Jesse Helms died today.

Ever thought of owning your own live/work environment? What would it look like and what would the facilities require? In this ever-changing economic climate where there are at present 2K empty condos in the greater Portland area, the arts are classically one of the first to be considered a ‘luxury’. Most creatives don’t usually feel that way. Having lived and worked in artists’ communities like the Everett Station Lofts and the BCA Visual Arts Studio Program I have seen some extraordinary things happen, and other missed opportunities. Over the last twenty years I’ve watched the blossoming of like projects such as the Brickbottom, Venice Artlofts, the Keen Lofts, the TK Lofts, Community Preservation Corporation, Philly Artist Lofts and more…Milepost 5, Portland’s latest live/work community is just emerging and is hosting: “The Future of Live/Work for Artists in Portland: A Conversation” and you are invited.

Panelists Include:
Brad Malsin (Beam Development, Milepost 5); Ben Kaiser (Project X); Brian Wannamaker (Falcon Artist Community); City Commissioner Sam Adams (and Mayor Elect); Artists: Jenene Nagy and TJ Norris

The discussion will take place July 8 (7-8:30PM) with a reception to follow - and will focus on projects currently in the works and the challenges involved in meeting this need throughout Portland. The panel includes developers involved in creating live/work opportunities, artists who are currently in or have experienced live/work situations and Mayor-elect Sam Adams who has been a passionate supporter and advocate for affordable live/work spaces. Artists interested in the topic are encouraged to join the discussion. This public discussion should be lively for artists in the community who wish to hear from the people behind the scenes. Moderated by Gavin Shettler, Creative Director of Milepost 5.

It’s Wēdnes dæg and we are over the hump people. And, as usual, there’s plenty goin’ down. How shall I recap? I guess I could start by saying I’ve seen a small handful of mostly second-run b-movies like Forgetting Sarah Marshall; Be Kind, Rewind; Get Smart; and Baby Mama. Guess I’m a sucker for vapidity. They each had a certain charm (save yourself from Sarah Marshall however), though they all could be best seen on the small screen. The best of the batch was Be Kind, Rewind by music video guy Michel Gondry and starring Mos Def, (Portland’s own) Danny Glover and Jack Black. The acting wasn’t half bad in this farse about a down and out neighborhood (Passaic, NJ) that comes together around the hijinks surrounding remade, homemade movies of films like Ghostbusters, The Lion King and Driving Miss Daisy. These are all re-enacted after one frisky neighbor demagnetizes all of the VHS tapes in the store. I liked the premise, reminded me of many of the used record shops I’ve worked in, and was a harkening back to Black’s role in the film High Fidelity. The suspension of belief is partly cast from much of Gondry’s cut-n-paste mixed media approach to using props and scenes that are like walking assemblage tableaus. I like his style.

Hilary Pfeifer and I are collaborating for the very first time and will be involved in this year’s Collaborations show at the Museum of Contemporary Craft. For this quirky clash between art/craft, we are planning something “environmental”. Hilary detailed yesterday’s shopping venture at her wonderful Bunny With An Art Blog…And btw, this is my second year after working on M_US__EUM with Scott Wayne Indiana which is depicted in the just released hardcover Beyond Trend, How to Innovate in an Over-Designed World. The book is available at Amazon.com and finer bookstores worldwide.

I’m thrilled to participate in Complete Skate’s upcoming artist-made skateboard auction. This year the events in August are based out of San Diego and Portland, and this grassroots non-profit does lots of great things for at-risk kids seeking healthy outdoor activities. I’m mid-process on a slick black board that I think will be titled ‘Falling Deathstar’. It sort of plays on a well-known Duchamp trope, with my own twist of sci-fi.

Oh, and lest I forget, I had a wonderful Le Happy crepe (or two) w/David Eckard during his very short visit before heading back to Pont-Aven. It was great catching up on his future plans. You must check out his blog, Anxious Murmur, which he only started in April and is still somewhat new and fresh.

The wonderful Michigan-based label Elsie & Jack celebrates the history of my Infinitus collaborator, C. Renou, with a new website that includes timelines, history, an incredibly detailed discography, and a ‘music box’ where you can listen to a selection of his amazing tracks.

GET RESTLESS: Just when you were twidlin’ your thumbs and decided to take the recession (Summer of ‘08) off, up pops a few more opportunities and things to do in one place than most can handle…pick and choose one, two or a half dozen - and go for it!

ONE MINUTE FESTIVAL AMSTERDAM
SHORT CUTS COLOGNE
INTERNATIONAL KANSK VIDEO FESTIVAL
STABLE SCRAWL
LOSING GROUND
DISPATCH PORTFOLIO PROJECT ‘2
LISA KRIVACKA, ALMOST UTOPIA
MATTHEW MCGUINNESS
HALSEY RODMAN, THE BIRDS
HISTORY KEEPS ME AWAKE AT NIGHT
TOBIAS REHBERGER AT MUSEUM LUDWIG
LAETITIA BOURGET, LOVE, SEX AND SENSUALITY
THE WHITE-HAIRED REVOLVER
SHARE OUT
SWISS ARTISTS-IN-LABS AWARD 2009
QUIET POLITICS
THE SHALLOW CURATOR
PIKSEL08: CODE DREAMS
ANIMASYROS INTERNATIONAL ANIMATION FESTIVAL
CAT-IQ DESIGN COMPETITION
SCA PACKAGING DESIGN CHALLENGE 2008
INTERNATIONAL RESIDENCY ARTISTS
COLOGNEOFF IV - HERE WE ARE!
CROSSBREEDS PLATFORM 09
LET’S FUCK, NOT FIGHT!
THE SQUID PROJECT
WEB-BASED PROJECT BY ARTIST BARBARA BLOOM
XXIVTH NEW MEDIA AND VIDEO ART INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL
VARIANT 32 SUMMER 2008
WOLFGANG TILLMANS AT STEDELIJK MUSEUM CS
F2F8: FACE TO FACE 2008
LUCKY STRIKE DESIGNER AWARD
NEW DESIGNERS
2 - 4 WEEK ART/CREATIVE WRITING WORKSHOP IN ITALY
AN OPEN INVITATION TO MAKE A FILM FOR FRIEZE ART FAIR
CALL FOR VIDEO WORK: DROPOUT
INTERNATIONAL LEIPZIG FESTIVAL FOR DOCUMENTARY & ANIMATED FILM
THE PAULA YSOM GROUP LIVE ON THE WEB
CIRCA ISSUE 124
YOUNG ILLUSTRATORS AWARD 2008
PACT ZOLLVEREIN
INSTINCT
AFTERALL ISSUE 18
3 WEEKS LEFT TO ENTER CREATIVITY 38
NEW YORK CONVERSATIONS
SUMMER MIXTAPE VOLUME 1: THE GET SMART EDITION

After being said and done, and the show has been broken down into multiple parts and stored, Infinitus is still in the mind’s eye. Art Scatter’s Barry Johnson reports…I must say his recounting certainly drives it home for me (especially in the final paragraph).

SIGN YOU UP: After curating Newspace’s annual juried exhibition with over 320 entrants and prior teaching (de)Constructing Criticism at their location, my visual faculties to look at contemporary art are in peak practice. In the past six weeks I’ve made trips to the Bay Area, LA and Seattle to see new work (a new writing gig is keeping me busy) and a few months back I again participated in PhotoLucida’s portfolio reviews for the fourth straight year. I feel well primed to look at new work. So, when Newspace asked me to consider offering a few Portfolio Reviews for individuals I said yes. In the past I’ve had success in this intimate, one-on-one process. You may sign up for one of only two 45-minute private sessions on July 23 (6:30-7:15PM & 7:30-8:15PM). These are very successful exchanges for artists who are looking to present, publish or receive constructive feedback. Contact Newspace for more details.

SIGN ME UP: Photolucida named me one of the finalists in their NW Summer Portfolio Reviews (July 26/27) which is sold out. I feel honored to open my case to show brand-new work to a bunch of complete strangers, who just happen to be some of the most key professionals in the field….

Since 2000, Photolucida has promoted in-depth, informed, and supportive dialog between photographers, gallery owners, publishers, curators, and assorted pundits, primarily through our Portfolio Reviews, a gathering of photographers and reviewers that takes place every other spring. This year, Photolucida has organized an additional smaller, more regionally-focused event, our Northwest Summer Reviews.

Oregon Award Finalists: Jim Lommasson, Heidi Kirkpatrick, Blake Andrews, Angela Cash, Ann Ploeger, TJ Norris, Bob Gervais, David Paul Bayles

Now that Infinitus has officially closed and de-installation is taking place, it’s time to move on once again, and why not do it at a breakneck pace? In the past several weeks between travels to Los Angeles and Seattle I have completed a review for a new magazine I’m writing for, helped piece together a catalogue for an upcoming curatorial project, applied for three grant opportunities and started building a new relationship. There have been various and sundry other goings-on but in the spare time left the pace has shifted to all things full steam ahead in the form of the latest Speed Racer flick (now in second run theaters), and oogling on the sidelines of the Rose City Rollers this past weekend.

GO GRRL: The skates were aflame at Portland’s Expo Center Saturday night as Season 3/Bout 5 took place between teams with names like the Heartless Heathers and the Break Neck Betties. With players named “Vominatrix”, “Aurora Brutalis” and “Ava-Sk8trix” who can blame proud sponsors like PBR, Dr. Marten’s and Fantasy Video from backing it up. Yes, this is roller derby Northwest-style headed towards a national championship in November. If ever there were a reason to use the phrase ‘girl on girl action’ it was right there in that arena. It looks like a lot of fun, the rink of spills and skills. I don’t really get the rules but that didn’t prevent me or anyone from having a hollering hell o’ a time. A quintessential ‘keep Portland weird’ moment.

NO SPEED NO: Not as much can be said for the complete flop Speed Racer film, however. With about 90% of the film computer generated one wonders why the Wachowski Bros. wasted their time hiring actors like Susan Sarandon, Emile Hirsch and Christina Ricci to do their bidding. This would have been better in the hands of Richard Linklater (A Scanner Darkly). I guess I feel slightly emotionally connected to the original of my youth, even having collected the entire series on dvd over the last several years. This sleepy version was quite a let down where the only moving object was the film as screensaver in the green room the actors stood in — and John Goodman reminded me more of Fred Flinstone than Pops Racer (oh, he played him in the live action film too, doh!). Save your three bucks and wait ’til its television broadcast.

Infinitus, my exhibition at [NAAU] concluded this weekend after six weeks on view. It’s been a wonderful run for this work, six years in gestation, and the finale of my Tribryd cycle. New installation shots are circulating (©Jim Lommasson) though the work is, of course, meant to be experienced to be understood by the body (think ‘happening’).

***

MOVING CITIES: Please read this blog passage by artist Hilary Pfiefer (and view her new site) in regards to my exhibition.

Stream the recent KBOO Interview about the show.

***

VIRTUAL COMMENT BOOK:

“I thought it was very well conceived and I thank you for providing a place to lie ones head for a nice cerebral exercise and simultaneously rest.” (S.T.)

“I stopped by to check out your show at NAAU yesterday and was impressed and enraptured. I thought I would stay for fifteen minutes, but wound up losing track of time (and space and identity) and stared up for somewhere in the neighborhood of an hour. I don’t know about anyone else, but I at first felt a strange sense of anticipation and dread that made my heart beat slightly faster, then gradually felt comfortable and comforted and found it hard to break away from the images and sounds. It’s a fascinating world you’ve created….I think I’ll come back for a second viewing before it closes.” (C.G.)

“I indulged for the full cycle (71-minutes) I believe. Felt it both somewhat repulsive and attractive at the same time. In the sense that it was somewhat attractively claustrophobic for me. A feeling like I’m a witness to past archaic goings on. Surveillance cameras abound. Not necessarily voyeuristic but more like documented artifacts. Also maybe due to the fact that the viewing was in the form of ‘68 era mod, perfectly pitched slabs. The audio sustained me while the visuals were fertile with imagery and attractively odd in their slow stutter. Again the feeling of documentation slowed down enough to pick at the most miniscule. I did find it interesting how basically it is a loop with both sides inverted and they seem to replay alternately on both sides flipping each time that each is autonomous to a degree - but then two images match up and one can’t help but make associations between the two at that moment. Relative. Or maybe it’s just my temperament that includes two images together at times more than others in the sequence. There was one combo where the cars were passing by the chainlink fence in the foreground with a static shot while the other was an ephemeral image of water somewhat mimicking the diagonal pattern but mostly just a solid mass of depth and dark. And natural. Against that other shot. The water seemed to be constructed of feathery dissolves between frames but I’m not sure. Looked possibly man-made in a sense. The clock image seemed to be moving faster than it was because I sensed the camera to be slowly moving up and down with the breathing like a pov shot. Well done with all the peripheral elements. Was nice to be immersed in something in a gallery for an hour and having the place to myself like I like it.” (M.P.)

“I was so pleased to finally spend some time in your installation yesterday afternoon. Infinitus was hypnotic, but not to the point of zoning out. It kept me in an interesting continuum between enjoying it for what it was (visually and aurally) and trying to “solve” for what I was seeing. You were wise to make the viewing platforms not too soft, or I would have been there until closing! As it was I think I was there for an hour or so…..Congratulations on a provocative installation” (S.F.)

“We talked about our reactions afterward, off and on all day. As you suggested we were silent in the show. A new experience for (us), normally we chat about details to one another and point out everything we think is interesting as we are looking. This was a great memory builder. I came away with a peaceful feeling of interaction with the cityscapes and found sculpture and (My partner) was very interested in how you addressed the audience and the sound track. (G.B.)

“I ran over to see your mesmerizing exhibition! I also admired the neon museum piece and the mysterious islands…Congratulations! (S.T.)

“I felt like the statement “reserve the right to remain silent” was an indictment for people remaining silent against global warming and the high price of gasoline. David thought that the fence was just a representation for how people look at the world from their own narrow windows on the world. So we both had different feelings about it, which I thought was fun.” (A.D.)

“…the installation was mind blowing. I am definitely still under the spell of your work.” (V.A.)

“I enjoyed your show at NAAU. I don’t think I’ve seen a show there that transformed the space so well — and felt so welcoming and so cold at the same time. Incidentally, I love that the ‘Mausoleum‘ piece you and Scott did a while back is visible in the office area. Whether or not that was intentional, lying down and watching the video piece felt somewhat like being part of a living sarcophagus so it seemed fitting to see the sign just outside the door.”
(V.C.)

THIS is exactly why I make art.

1. “As It Were” - Hans-Joachim Roedelius & Tim Story (Gronland)
2. “Suspect” - Falko Brocksieper (Sub Static)
3. “Greyscale” - 2562 (Tectonic)
4. “Hello…I’m Johnny Cash” - Alabama 3 (One Little Indian)
5. “Le Buste” (Remix) - DJ Spooky/Jean Cocteau (Sub Rosa)
6. “City of Legends” - Anthony Rother (Telekraft)
7. “Headless Machine” - The 23s (Karaoke Kalk)
8. “Pampumpu” - Rico Puestel (Archipel)
9. “Rodulate” - Vibert/Simmonds (Rephlex)

 

 New Music/More: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Tune in today (Thursday, June 19th) as I will be the guest for Art Focus with Julie Bernard on KBOO (90.7FM) broadcast live at 10:30AM PST. We will discuss my current exhibition, Infinitus, which closes this upcoming Sunday. I’ve been on this show in the past, which is the longest running of its kind in Portland radio history. If you know me you may recall that my childhood dream was to be a DJ, and being in the radio environment with the headset, booths and wires just makes you feel, well, plugged-in. Like this anthropormorphic electro humo-bot. In fact, my lovely niece Adrianna is doing just that, as a broadcaster moving from Costa Rica to Alaska (proud uncle). Once upon a time, when I was in college, I worked as a party DJ, and also as an intern at WFNX. Now I do unBlogged on iTunes (it’s kinda like being a DJ, no?). Julie, an artist herself is an eloquent and knowledgeable interviewer who is very easy to talk with. I’m looking forward to the enlightenment of the ‘On Air’ sign this Thursday.

*** STREAM IT NOW: If you missed it listen at your convenience.

Or is that two for T? In other words, to cover my back I just had a great time shopping online for a few new t-shirts. I selected one by Andrea Loefke and one by Jason Paradis. For some reason I just love it when art becomes something that clings to the body, moves with you and is wearable. In fact, a few years back I created a limited edition t-shirt called ‘Bear Left‘ (now sold out, see above). The t-shirts coming my way are from Imperfect Articles out of Chicago and they only offer limited-run (usually <50) t-shirts designed by artists. The designs and colors are all good…..

A tiered online auction to help raise funds for PSU’s Art Department Foundation. One of the things I like about this online process is the anonymity of the actual bidders, and the roomless format. It’s also time-based in that there is no stated date in which the auction becomes actively underway for distribution. Bidder simply wait their turn to select a work once they are called or emailed? More info below and on their site. It’s a fun, ‘luck of the draw’ kinda thing with some solid work potentially in waiting, and at this rate, especially for the young collector. This auction is in addition to High & Low, their silent auction that occured last Thursday evening (did you go?). As one of the organizers, Harrell Fletcher says:

The auction uses an unusual system. There are 100 pieces by 100 artists ranging from Dan Graham and William Wegman to PSU students and faculty. We are selling 100 certificates which redeem an auction piece at prices from $2500 to $100 apiece. The higher priced the certificate the sooner the collector gets to pick their piece from the site, giving them a greater chance of selecting the piece they want. There are only two certificates at the highest price and there are thirty-five at the lowest price. Everyone who buys a certificate will get a piece of art and will be helping to support Portland State University’s Art Dept in the form of scholarships, visiting artists programs, and helping to support PSU’s MFA including the new Art and Social Practice Program.