Mr. Indiana
What do we love about Portland artist Scott Wayne Indiana? Let’s make a list.
1. His practice includes both conceptual art and the continuation of the pursuit of the heroic gesture through abstract expressionist-inspired canvases.
2. As an antidote to all that is precious in PDX contemporary art, Indiana makes bold paintings with echoes of Motherwell and the materials explorations of Frankenthaler and Pollock.
3. At the same time, his website, www.39forks.com chronicles his conceptual and often participatory projects including: the urban hike in which he invites participants on a ten mile hike around one (industrial) city block, and the horse project in which he (and others, including you if you are so inspired) tether all manner of (toy) horse to the metal rings in the sidewalk meant for the purpose of tethering horses.
4. As an invite-er, a project instigator, Pied Piper, Indiana is a catalyst for art action in Portland. He’s the everywhere man you haven’t heard enough about yet. But you will. He has shows coming up this year at Sugar Gallery, the Portland Art Center, and Aalto Lounge.
5. Indiana’s a thinker. The fact that his degrees are in mathematics and philosphy is interesting, but more interesting is his willingness to pull back the Wizard-of-Oz curtain to lay bare thought behind process on his website/blog.
6. Plus, we like his name: heroic, humble, all-American, somehow Warholian…
But back to the work. There’s a reason Richard Speer lauded Indiana’s last show of 05 as the “Best Painting Show of 2005″ in the Willamette Week. Go see. Scott Wayne Indiana’s Paintings for a Coffee Shop is at Stumptown downtown, (128 SW 3rd Avenue) March 2 through 31. But get there tonight for the opening reception Thursday, March 2, from 6-9 PM and shake the man’s hand.
Leave a Reply