- Curtis Mann
- Photo illustrations of Yemen, by Curtis Mann, for the New York Times Magazine
March is a mighty busy month; this is especially true in the world of academia, as students prepare for thesis shows, and faculty gear up for culminant lectures (see: Helen Molesworth). Reed College is among these activated epicenters, which begins RAW: RUPTURE, their annual, five-day, student-run arts festival today.
This is the 23rd year of the festival, and the line-up includes artists from across the country, which may just warrant a trip to the grassy knolls of the Reed campus. Some exciting inclusions: Chris Kraus (an LA-based writer, whose books include I Love Dick, and Aliens and Anorexia), Rainy Lehrman(Brooklyn-based installation artist), and Curtis Mann(Chicago-based photographer/drawer/illustrator). The mix of student artists and organizations—more than 30—includes a traveling puppet parade, and a performance to resurrect the spirit of early filmmaker George Méliès.
“Divergence” is essentially the theme this year—often the work is interdisciplinary art, and art which has either transformative goals or operates with more unconventional methods. The student curators of the show are Nick Irvin and Tori Abernathy (notably, a co-founder of RECESS Gallery—which PORT named “Portland’s Best New Alternative Space” of 2011). The students are excited about the work, “The fact that Chris Kraus is coming to Reed has all of us glowing,” said Irvin, but there’s also the hope to bring in the Portland community at large.
RAW runs through March 4; scheduling may be found here.
