Portland Public Art

PSU’s award-winning opera program presents this masterpiece of Puccini (right) as its annual production, with internationally renowned Tito Capobianco as stage director. (Last spring, this combination of young talent and masterful direction produced a version of Mozart’s Cosi Fan Tutte which won a second-place award at the National Opera Association’s competition.)

La Bohème, the story of young love set in the bohemian culture of 1830’s Paris, is offered to honor of the composer’s 150th birthday anniversary, in five performances: April 25 & 30 and May 2 & 3 at 7:30 pm, and April 27 at 3 pm.

Admission is $25; $23 for seniors; $12 for students, children, and PSU faculty & staff.

Tickets available through the PSU Box Office, 510 S.W. Hall, or by calling 503-725-3307, or through TicketMaster outlets. In Lincoln Performance Hall on the campus of PSU, 1620 S.W. Park Avenue. This will sell out.

Portland poet David Elsey reading The Apartment at the Multnomah County Library Central Branch on April 5, 2008.

Portland Public Art endorses Sam Adams for mayor of Portland.

Sure, he could be a Manchurian candidate, genetically designed to appear “perfect” in all ways. Why a black rooster? Perfect. Why a yellow helmet? Very stylish. North, using no lights and handheld crap camera cinéma-vérité. Comfortable. The laconic voice, the specs, the creaky NoPo fix-up monster, the G4s, the sly reference to the well-known and well-regarded writer Alasdair Gray, author of Lanark and the more recent Unlikely Stories, Mostly – all are perfect code zinging the creative capacity set.

Kimberly Howard of IFCC (chaired by Jesse Beason, policy director for Adams), Mike Houck of UGI, Vera Katz, John Kitzhaber, Polo, eloquently endorse Adams in the video above.

There is a danger to democracy when elections are conceded, or run by unserious people. The danger is the dominant candidate gains office without public debate, without community conversation about future policy, without challenge. Sam, by intimidating, evading or negotiating, is able to release this wonderful little film, calmly highlighting his city, his daily toil of public service, and his charisma without stating his position on any issue.

Regardless – Sam’s past advocacy on behalf of the arts makes him our candidate. His ideal, to link a wider community of creative creators, is a smart, forward-thinking, winning strategy for fund raisers and art makers.

EXTRA – Why I Didn’t Disappear
EXTRA – Getting our Creative Capacity Sorted Out
EXTRA – Creative Capacity Townhall – video
EXTRA – Portland’s Art Ship Acquires Rudder

See a complete slide show by clicking HERE.

The Parthenon Frieze c. 448-432 BCE

From a card pasted to the wall – The plaster reliefs found throughout the promenade and the sunken ballroom [of the former Masonic Temple, now the Mark Building], are from the Frieze which once encircled the Parthenon in Athens. The frieze is an idealized representation of the procession of the Partheneia festival, a celebration of Athena, Goddess of wisdom and war, and protector of Athens – which happened every four years. The original marble frieze was likely finished with brightly hued encaustic paint.

The procession of figures and animals started at the southwest corner and proceeds in both directions, converging at the center of the east facade – the entrance to the temple – which housed the forty-foot gold and ivory statue of Athena.

I think these are from the infamous collection stolen from Greece by Elgin from 1801 to 1812, still locked up at the British Museum.

EXTRA – Restitution of the Parthenon Marbles

Wade Nkrumah of the Oregonian is all over this story.

Portland’s much-loved elephant no longer graces the north wall of a historic building in Old Town/Chinatown.

And the removal of Packy’s mural is something no one associated with the decision seemed eager to discuss.

The top part of the mural was removed Thursday during demolition of the top floor of Skidmore Fountain Building by the west side of Burnside Bridge. The mural was painted in 1990 by North Pacific Sign & Design.

Skidmore Building is undergoing an about $25 million renovation as it becomes the new headquarters for Mercy Corps, one of the world’s top 10 relief-and-development organizations.

April 4, 2008

Read the remainder of Packy mural coming down by clicking here.

Dan Stiles for Rogue Wave at Wonder Ballroom

Austin Sellers for White Magic at Holocene

Guy Burwell for Shonen Knife at Berbati’s

Lee Zeman for Lucero with Mike Thrasher

Nat Damm for Grand Archive at Dante’s

Mike King for Decemberists in London

Mike King for Yeah Yeah Yeahs at Roseland

Eric Blad for Michael Bruce at Rotture

Keith Rosson for Life at these Speeds at Ground Kontrol

Fiona Bruce (I think from Portland) for St Vincent at Doug Fir

All artwork from www.gigposters.com