With the perceived hiatus of summer—and all its art fairs and group shows—it falls to galleries, museums, and unconventional art spaces to keep our cultural blood pumping. This year’s biggest art party is likely the Converge 45 Contemporary Arts Biennial, which takes place throughout the city at multiple venues. Even as you check out those interconnected events (we recommend quite a few) don’t overlook the new, earnest restaurant with good taste and / or the hole in the wall gallery that you’re not sure if you’re allowed inside. The art keeps growing indoors.
In 2023, Old Pal launched a thoughtful artist series to adorn the walls of the Southeast Portland restaurant. The restaurant itself is also fairly new, launched last spring by Jeremy Larter and Emily Bixler. Old Pal boasts selections from both land and sea, with fresh Oregon produce and wines at the forefront of the menu. Good food doesn’t need beautiful art to go along with it, but it sure doesn’t hurt. This season’s artistic creations are Nicole Neu’s abstracted fibrous wall-hung sculptures, the forms of which play in the space between organic and ridged. (Old Pal, 3350 SE Morrison, through Sat Sept 30, oldpalpdx.com)
Nestled on Division Street, inside the Ellen Browning Building, is an unassuming art space known as the Lobby. It’s kind of like a museum—in that the work shown is curated by Sima Familant from building owner Molly McCabe’s private art collection. Exhibitions rotate out every four to six months, giving ample time for visitors and passersby to admire the artwork. Between Two Points ruminates on what a line can do and how artists use this easily recognized visual form in different permutations, materials, and arrangements.” The show features work by Carmen Herrera, Maya Lin, Daniel Buren, Tsai Yin-Ju, Mary Weatherford, Jenny Holzer, Leon Polk Smith, and John Mason. (The Lobby, 2871 SE Division, through October 15, ellenbrowningbuilding.com/the-lobby)