Every year, PICA chooses a different location for the Works, the Time-Based Art festival‘s late-night performance/party space. The Wonder ballroom two years ago was a misstep; Leftbank proved awkward last year thanks to bad sightlines and a cramped dance floor. This year’s venue could not be more perfect.
A couple weeks ago, before cleanup had really begun and while the building still lacked electricity, I got a chance to explore Washington High School on Southeast Stark, an old high school that’s been sitting unused for several years (white boards are still scribbled with inspirational messages from when the school was requisitioned by FEMA to house Katrina refugees). Washington will house music, a few regular festival performances, and TBA’s visual programming, including installations—Ethan Rose’s sound installation Movements, which employs more than 100 altered music boxes, will be in the school’s old library. There’s an illicit thrill to being in a repurposed school—it feels like a clubhouse. A rambly, spooky, cavernous clubhouse. Shows will be held in the school’s auditorium (chairs are being removed to create a dance floor, and the upper balcony will be all-ages); various classrooms will house visual art; an outdoor beer garden will feature local food carts, though I haven’t yet heard which ones. Basically: It’s going to be fun as hell.
A full festival pass for TBA is a little spendy ($150 for non-PICA members; a Works pass is $75), but the visual art installations are free, as is the opening night Works show with Gang Gang Dance; other shows at the Works are $10. Also, volunteers can earn free tickets: email for info, or attend an orientation session on Sat Aug 15, from 1-2 pm, or Wed Aug 19, 5-6 pm (224 NW 13th; no RSVP required). Check out the full schedule of Works events here, and stay-tuned for the Mercury‘s TBA blog, launching later this month.
Photographer Jeff Yarbrough did his best with the building’s lack of light, and got some great shots of Washington’s interior—posted after the jump.
I’m really thrilled they’re using Washington High School. That site has sat vacant for so long. People keep saying they want to take over the grounds and use them for a homeless camp, which might make for a nice piece of complementary performance art on opening night…
I do wonder what Mr.Sweeney thinks about all this, though.
Similar to what Matt is saying…
How come this giant empty building hasn’t turned into a squatter’s paradise?
I live right behind WHS and it freaks me the fuck out. I can’t wait to get wasted in it!
Wah. Who do I have to grease to get a photowalk inside Washington HS.
And to think the Red Cross was going to use the building for Katrina refugees in 2005.
Those photos are amazing!
I want to see more!
I want to work this event this year!
I worked the misstep…….
I can’t think of a site screaming more vociferously for a quality adaptive reuse. This is nice in the short-term; hope it gets the ball rolling for something more long-term. If one more building gets torn down for condos in SE before the building (and its massive adjacent fields) get restored/reused, then there’s nobody at the wheel in Portland.
So sad. PICA of no help in my quest to get inside to take photos of the building, due to liability concerns. Just make me sign a waiver, people.
does anybody know how this all works like cover fee and stuff? theres a show coming there and i dont really understand it.