Room 208

BLACK & BLUE : What Not To Do

Milepost 5
900 NE 81st Ave, Portland
Lofts Building, Unit 208
Opening Reception: 6-9PM, Saturday, November 21
Hours: 3-5PM, Saturdays/Sundays and by appointment
(503-729-3223 or info@milepostfive.com)

Statement: Trying to sell condominiums is impossible with inappropriate “art” inside its communal hallways – so its all been taken down and “moved” to room 208.  The show has been renamed from Blue Humor (Funny Dirty Wrong) to Black & Blue: What Not To Do, an exhibition about what wounds us. By appointment only with limited viewing hours for the extent of its run, difficult to access works of photography, drawing and installation riff on holy terror, economic meltdowns, beat down and broken forms and the unspecific objects that fuel our divisive ism and phobia cultures.  It’s difficult to leave your door and be confronted by things that are obscene and appalling.  This curatorial intervention also continues to experiment with Live/work residencies as ritual spaces that promise to create a critical nexus of all types from our creative economy for all types in our creative class. Sometimes the violence in the hall is so loud and physical that you can hear it in every room-even behind closed doors.  Managing and controlling the random forces in life can be difficult for some.  For some the difficult forces help manage random life. Two of the original artists that appeared in Blue Humor have asked not to be included in Blue & Black as a response to being censored.

-Victor Maldonado, Curator

UPDATE: Milepost 5 (the “Community for Creatives”) deemed the just-opened exhibition Blue “inappropriate” and chose to move the “Funny, Dirty, Wrong” portion from the 2nd/3rd floor hallways into Unit 208 where it will remain on view into November. The ring of wrong faces what’s controversial full-frontal. An unexpected, yet situational outcome that welcomes observations. A majority of the work was curated by artist Victor Maldonado (w/intervention by Todd Johnson). Perhaps this move reserves that it is best viewed within the context of the white box, or I also offer that as work done by students in Maldonado’s PNCA class called Art, Ethics and Transgression it may just be “too cool for school”? The exhibition statement is below. Exhibition hours are listed as Saturday and Sunday, 3-5PM.

Two Halls—One Statement: Viewer Discretion Is Advised
“curated” by Victor Maldonado

Blue Humor: Funny, Dirty, Wrong is a multi-hall installation organized around notions of power, incongruity and ritual release of social etiquette and the polite terrorism associated with bazaar entertainment. For the 2nd Floor’s curatorial intersections between the shows that make up the exhibitions organized around the Lofts’ Blue theme, Todd Johnson’s commissioned gathering of Blue Velvet inspired pieces and Matthew Haggett’s sublime solo endeavor SphereLab/Blue, I asked students from my Art, Ethics and Transgression class to pen funny, dirty or politically incorrect jokes on blue note cards. The resultant products of academic inquiry on race, gender and class mix the tame and crude jokes of our time installed along the floor of the hallway. Experimental in nature this curatorial intervention is designed to negotiate the unexpected, often inappropriate confrontations with what we are conditioned to learn through over exposure and to sticky broadcast culture. The blue nature of the jokes are intended to facilitate laughter deploying the working components of an edgy stand up comedian’s craft in the service of cultural anthropology and uncovering of our dependence on jokes as entertaining coping mechanism. Situated in the nooks and crannies, where wall and ground meet, paced one at a time—making legible every color of ism and strip of phobia; in some cases all at the same time.

Each of the five artists on the 3rd floor exhibition presents work positioned within a sophisticated spectrum of comedy creating not only moments of guttural response but also of tragic insight and cultural criticism. Name-calling, linguistics and the ability to harness and manipulate language is at the center of Sarah Johnson’s “just kidding” visual and performance practices. Johnson’s text-based wall work, crafted in collaboration with artist Derek Franklin in his signature post-minimalist aesthetic, jumbles and mocks my name in a manner that ruptures the discreet, unspoken, relationship between curators and artists. In other words Johnson is making fun of me as a curator. Reading through the list of recombinant slips, substitution and mispronunciations Johnson flips the script and makes a subject of the “curator” creating an expanded form of tongue twisting tug-of-war between venue, curator, artist, art and viewer. The exhibited object becomes know-it-all examiner.

Building on his practice merging fine art and conceptual concerns, Walter Lee’s latest project DIRT literally mocks the value usually ascribed to gallery walls by soiling it. Intruding and embedding itself for the first time for this exhibition DIRT was originally conceived as a soil and water stencil tag for the exterior walls of some of Portland’s Blue-Chip galleries. Placed strategically as silent, hidden-in-the-open, rumination on seeming divides between art classes and classes of artists. Animation plays an important component in Lee’s back-and-forth interventions often enacting the uncanny through the accessibility of story telling and drawing. Alicia Gordon’s post-funny photographs are built with the residue of libidinous fantasy and open edge, on-line, social-networking sites. By enacting as scripts for her compositions Craigslist posts Gordon brings to life the unlikeliest mix of mainstream popular culture with seedy sexual deviancy. Recognizable acts, players and personas of our grand collective digital unconscious richly printed and poorly framed, images of images, serve up the most pent up or gluttonous of desires.

Town crier of what not to say, Sean Joseph Patrick Carney, Portland’s bete noire performance artist, actor, player, hater, lighting rod—speaks for himself. Carney’s edited anthology of essays, lessons and projects Social Malpractice: A Practical Guide to Making Socially Irresponsible Work builds on the irascible style usually allotted public airing through his alter ego Tanner Dobson. The xenophobic and obscene, run-a-muck, quality of his prose and performance reaches at the moral and ethical codes that design our social interactions and perceptions. As a political cartoonist Carney aligns and assails the powerful and the common in a mix of James Gillray and Jose Guadalupe Posada-like graphic characterizations: free for the taking and reading on your own time and in your own space in your own words. Stepping into the third dimension for the first time, playing MC within humor’s cutting spectacle, jD White’s costumed beer bottles stage and enact prank exchanges in what can be described as Ikea-shelf/stoop-and-corner-scenarios. Mixing Jerky Boys prank-style audio with cast glass and paper sculptures White mixes issues of class struggle/stagnation and the ability to borrow and create forms that can transcend aesthetic positioning though co-option and cultural tourism. Each of the three scenes situates themselves in front of green backdrops as contextual reminders to their unreality and talismanic forms as ultimate jokes of an underlying menace to society.

Blue (Velvet) curated by Todd Johnson and Matthew Haggett’s SphereLab: Blue will both remain situated on the first floor of the Lofts building at 900 NE 81st Avenue. Johnson asked a few colleagues from art school to respond to the David Lynch film Blue Velvet in a series of works on paper. The dark and disturbing film is sexual and violent, intensely visual and surreal in its use of bizarre and haunting symbolism. How would a group of artists go about interpreting such an interesting and significant subject in their own unique language? Artists include: Marty Ackley, Bridget Irish, Jessi Johnson, Philip Miner, William Patterson, Douglas Struble, Ryan Suther, Eric Trosko, Aaron Turner, & Phil Wagner.

Just in case you have yet to be introduced to Frieze Magazine podcasts I thought it be wise to point out two stellar talks of late, one a conversation between artist John Baldessari and curator Matthew Higgs (also an artist/writer) - the other is with philosopher (and author of Art Power) Boris Groys on The Aesthetic Responsibility where he discussed how design now functions as a medium of self-positioning in public space (read more @ e-flux). In many ways this discussion relates heavily to the layout and potential outcomes of something like Blue at MP5. In the ways that we use and re-purpose space, and how details are sublimated to infiltrate a line of dialogue between people and place.

Scenes from Matthew Haggett’s Spherelab
Now at Milepost 5 through December 27

BLUE

October 24 - December 27, 2009

PEEK-A-BLUE: Come to Milepost 5 this Saturday (7-9PM) to unveil the complete picture posed by artist/curators Victor Maldonado (Froelick Gallery) and Todd Johnson (Augen Gallery) and by Butters Gallery artist Matthew Haggett (SphereLab). Festivities are free and breaks down as follows:

FLOOR I
Blue (Velvet)
curated by Todd Johnson
Artists: Marty Ackley, Bridget Irish, Jessi Johnson, Philip Miner, William Patterson, Douglas Struble, Ryan Suther, Eric Trosko, Aaron Turner, Phil Wagner

FLOOR II
Blue :: A Curatorial Intersection

FLOOR III
Blue Humor: Funny, Dirty, Wrong
curated by Victor Maldonado
Artists: Sean Joseph Patrick Carney, Sarah Johnson, Alicia Gordon, Walter Lee, JD White

MP5 is located at 900 NE 81st Avenue in the Montavilla neighborhood.

After nearly two months The Grid is about to come down to make way for the holiday blues. See it at MP5³ before the lines fade into night. Closes 10/14.

INFO

My Fall Arts Preview is Just Out today.

Short interviews by Mayor Sam Adams of Gary Wiseman, Chris Haberman and Brad Malsin as well as clips of works by Troy Briggs, Gabriel Liston and others. At the beginning you can also see a clip of The Grid, now on view ’til 10/17.

It’s not a shooting match (even though a piece was shot in the face), just some basic observation. Here we have two small exhibitions, over 75 artists represented, and a very small footprint overall, each spread along a single wall (w/certain extensions). There’s something about containment, communion and comparison going on. That’s all for now.

THE GRID

MP5³ (Milepost 5 Project Space)
900 NE 81st Avenue
through October 17

SQFT

Blackfish Gallery (Fishbowl Two)
420 NW 9th Avenue
through September 26
(other locations tba)

The Grid celebrates its official opening reception at MP5³ tonight, Saturday (8/22). Please visit the lobby of the Lofts building at Milepost 5 (900 NE 81st Ave) from 7-9PM!

PDX Art Zine | Another Bouncing Ball | BuzzByBrian | PORT | Portland Monthly

Appearing in today’s Oregonian, Kristi Turnquist visits Milepost 5 and pens her discoveries of the growing live/work community out here only five miles from city center. Revitalizing 82nd Avenue is a venti order, but the folks out here are slowly taking things by storm - or at least by hook/crook. For myself, I really enjoy the possibilities, and The Manor of Art proves that great things can be done on a shoestring budget to produce an event with quite unique results. It’s like a Big Top, crossing contemporary urban and fine art under a single roof (and you can spy The Grid in the above photo).

The art blog Port also made a recent visit to look/see the grounds and reports here. And this perspective just in from Portland Octopus. And the word according to Richard Speer of WWeek.

Artists | Bands | Performances

Lordy Bajordy. How do I even begin to sum up a weekend that included a visit to the Clark County Fair, The Ugly Truth (w/Gerard Butler!), Manor of Art and the Dew Tour? I guess it’s what’s called Summer! Not to mention a wonderful side trip to see the sundown at Rooster Rock State Park, a preview of The Grid (opening this Saturday), collecting work from fifty artists in a single week for SQFT as well as other professional shifts soon to be annnounced? Not in this single blog entry - that’s for sure.

To summarize, however, spending the first half of Friday at Clark County Fair was just downright country-flavored goodness. It was my second time to this huge event that truly celebrates the best of rural life in the Northwest, not to mention it tugs on my childhood memories of visiting Topsfield Fair, the east coast equivalent. The animals at the fair are strange and beautiful and wild. I was particularly drawn to the draft horses and in particular, Tiny. Wow, anything but. His hooves were as big as my head, and so still, docile. Looking into his eyes was like looking into another planet. It was the first time I’ve seen an American Eagle at less than ten paces, they had many other critters that just made you look twice, like the snap turtle. Here at the fairgrounds agriculture meets the wild kingdom and cotton candy, the cryogenics of Dippin’ Dots and rainbow-colored Slurpie®s overfloweth. The sugar rush goes to extremes in the maximum bungee jumper launch pad, the rides that spin backwards, upside down and lop-sided. But my favorite things are really the tried/true farmers and their kin, the country kitchen dwellers who cut prize flowers and bake pies, stitch quilts and ride go karts. There’s something very warm and real here. Harkening back and forth from another time into our own and back again. It’s really something for locals as well as yokels (whoever they are anymore). Keeping the Northwest sustainable means taking pride in your land and what you got, and as far as I’m concerned, this is what it’s all about outside outr tiny UGB. Yes, lest I not mention, there’s a huge convention-sized building housing regional vendors presenting infomercial demos of products ranging from the Garlic Grater (I had to have one) to homemade fudge to super shammy wipes. It’s over for ‘09 but get further out yonder to see the wonders of the land! Oh, if that weren’t enough reason - there was a sharktank too…

Later that same day was the opening of the ten-day art extravaganza known as The Manor of Art. And even though I’m a participant AND it is on the footprint of my own backyard (literally), it is truly the largest public art event I’ve seen in the ten neighboring zip codes in the last ten years. It’s akin to perhaps three museums-worth of creative goods, and though the quality ranges vastly, there are diamonds in the rough. I must admit it’s an incredible undertaking by Portland City Art and Milepost 5. There’s probably something for anyone’s taste within the fortress of adjoining buildings that once was a nursing home, and will become artist studios over the next year. Standouts for me included installation-based rooms by Gabe Flores, Cris Moss, Kelly Rauer, Gabriel Liston and Brooke Weston. Though there is a drawing here, a series of paintings there, a crazy assemblage in a cubbie space, a fantastical wall rendering, so much here it truly takes multiple visits through the ever-meandering hallways and floors to slightly scratch the surface. This is not a quick trip, plan on a few hours to peruse. And there are performances, bands, tarot card readings, crawl spaces, video and sound work….it’s more than a simple appetizer of time-based work before TBA opens in a few weeks. See it before 8/23 (closing festivities occur on the eve of 8/22).

Then, there I was midday Sunday at the finals of the Wendy’s Invitational DEW Tour outside the Memorial Colliseum (which made a lovely backdrop for my latter day sunburnt scalp)! Who knew I’d be standing atop the bleachers during the live broadcast of the BMX competition where there my bald head could be seen on the jumbotron in slo-mo as one of the competitors flew over my head on his bike. Garrett Reynolds took it home today! Headstands in middair while shooting off a ramp, at a speedy pace while on a bike…Why Not?!!!  I caught a portion of the BMX Dirt as well where Ryan Nyquist went home with the top prize. Same as above, add gas and mounds of sand, bring it indoors and voila! I snapped the close up of some of the riders, barely two feet in front of me before bounding down the ramp. This stuff is a lotta crazy fun.

A serene Saturday sunset at Rooster Rock

Manor of Art |  rm_222 installation by TJ Norris
Soundtrack by Troum ( DEL[ə] taken from triMIX compilation )

Opening Reception: 8/14, 6-9PM
Closing Event: 8/22, 7-9PM

QPDX | PORT | PDX Art Zine | Room119

Juggernaut I & II ©Heidi Schwegler

THE GRID

w/27 International Artists

Curated by TJ Norris
August 14 - October 17, 2009
Reception: Saturday, August 22, 7-9PM
MP5³ @ Milepost 5
900 NE 81st Avenue, Portland

Opening Reception: 8/14, 6-9PM
Closing Event: 8/22, 7-9PM

Come Inside

INFO

(and who could forget?)

BE THE CHANGE

New work from Justin Gorman
@ MP5³
June 20 - August 14
Reception: 6/20, 7-9PM

CLICK FOR FULL DETAILS

MAKEOVER MOMENT + MORE: Don’t you just love it when your friends show up in the NY Times? I do. Anyhow, Kirk Linder, a very fine artist in his own right, earns his living as a contractor by day (recently earning the 2009 CotY Award in the region).  His work is affordable and amazing. Back in ‘02 I hosted a solo exhibition of his work at Soundvision, and while he is still making creative objects and images when he can, he’s busy helping others with real deal home improvement projects.

GET THE PICTURE?: This weekend I got to meet up and chat with my former professor Abelardo Morell during Photolucida where he was the keynote speaker. He readily recognized me, and me him (though its been almost exactly twenty years since we’ve seen each other). There was a small reception prior to his talk, Pictures in Pictures at PAM where he gave a warm and funny, yet full snapshot of his career — one which seems to have hit a major crescendo in the past ten years. His newest monograph (Phaidon) and is a beauty, covering his full career. It was great to catch up with familiar faces, photographers whom I’ve curated into exhibitions since 1993 — and of course lots of new folks in the mix!  Photolucida deserves a lot of credit for pulling off this incredible event bringing international photogs together and into our fair city, I met with folks from upstate NY, Arizona, Czech Republic, Boston, Seattle and other exotic locales. Though I had to work and other responsibilities clouded my ability to participate more fully, from my perspective it was a huge success.

THE APPLE STRETCHING: Milepost 5 hosted its second large-scale opening this year (marking one year since artists have taken occupancy) and there was a decent crowd especially given that there were five exhibitions, two performances, two concerts, and a wine/chocolate tasting. Though the fanfare has now left the building, if you weren’t able to make it by for tonight’s festivities - all exhibitions (except Still Life, which closed after tonight) will continue through into June when we will again host another like event. There’s always something going on under our roof (Hand2Mouth have a performance in May, Gary Wiseman continues his Coffee Breaks as our Artist-In-Residence), and in our new Community Garden by POP Farming - you are always invited to come by to check the place out. Watch for some amazing large-scope projects come Summertime!

HETEROTOPIAN TWO: And I had the pleasure of meeting in person both the curator for Of Other Spaces, James Voorhies who was in town scoping out a new project for Fall, and Damien Gilley who walked me through his powerful Air Math exhibition, serving as his thesis at PSU’s Autzen Gallery. A very talented gent who has a way with a sorta Euclidean depth perception. Of course I wish I could have gotten these two gents together in one room at the same time to discuss Foucault!

- OPENING RECEPTION -

TONIGHT: 7:00-9:00PM Pacific Standard Time

INFO

MP5 is starting the groundbreaking process on Phase Two of its campus on NE 81st Avenue and could use imput from the community. Together the developers will be orchestrating up to 100 new live/work apartments and studio spaces, and is seeking your thoughts on how to appropriate it best for the needs of artists in Portland. This takes less than ten minutes.

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