Here is what I like about art, with key words italicized: people producing something creative and then sharing it with other people.
That’s exactly what Last Thursday in Alberta felt like last night. Diverse art + non-exclusive atmosphere + lots and lots of people. Thanks to a wonderful lack of top-down organization, anyone can just show up at Last Thursday, set up on NE Alberta and share whatever art they want with a mob of positive-energy Portlanders. The lack of fee and the laid-back nature of the event leads to two great things:
Great Thing #1: Lots of different kinds of art get equal footing. Low brow/High brow Gallery Art/Street Art distinctions – so not Northeast. Paintings sat on the curb right next to mobiles made from crab shells, hand-sewn dresses were right across the street from pastel on plywood drawings. An anti-exclusivity, supportive community event is just what’s needed in a neighborhood tense about issues of division.
Great Thing #2: Speaking of gentrification, Last Thursday means financial greenery for all the neighbor shops. While the art galleries and coffee shops saw a lot of customers, the four Mexican restaurants were packed and people crowded the sidewalks all the way from 7th Ave to 33rd.
And now, my favorite local artists from the night:
Angy Will’s untitled marmot skull with crochet from together gallery
Local sewer Arielle St. Lawrence‘s ruffly summer dresses make me super jealous.
I burst out laughing at this pin that reads “I’LL EAT ANY CLAM” and asked the artist to explain it to me. “Well, I’ve got a bachelor’s sense of humor. Or maybe a clammer’s sense of humor,” he replied. He’s from the coast. He calls himself Reverend Benny Bob.
Finally, my favorite performance of the night: Star-E Rose punk in pink hat attacking newspaper box with portable stereo.
posted by Sarah Mirk
I concur: Last nights Last Thur. was an exceptionally great one. This is my personal fave. myspace.com/alliesdivados
Keep art equal for all.
The most memorable thing I saw last month was Spinnaface. He’s got a spinna for a face! He’s a hero to drivers of pimped out rides everywhere.
I dunno… the whole thing screams ‘vanity project’ to me.
“Here is what I like about art, with key words italicized: people producing something creative and then sharing it with other people.”
“Keep art equal for all.”
This is why I stopped paying attention, with a few exceptions, to the Portland “Art Scene.” Crafts are great in their own right, but Portland refuses to make a distinction. I know this isn’t popular opinion, but being an artist is more than just making shit and selling it on the street.
They need to close the road for this event! It’s hard to stop and look at art when you’re being bowled over by the sidewalkers. They closed it for the art hop, and that was perfect. I know this is a monthly event, so it may be too much to ask that it be closed off each last Thursday. But this is bigger than the sidewalk can handle.
Oh! Spinnaface was totally there last night. With $10 t shirts with him on it! It was nothing short of amazing.
who are you pretending to know the true meaning of art? good, bad, craft, crap? who can really make that distinction, and not feel like a complete tool? you are rad if you can! maybe we should just bury all the crafters today and see what artists we have tomorrow.
hearts and stars darling.