ultra

If illustration-based and folk (or outsider) art-infused visual art is seeing its star rise (think Chris Johanson, Marcel Dzama, and locally Troy Briggs, Jen Corace, and Carson Ellis), Evan B. Harris is poised to rise with it.

Harris’ work is most aptly described as knowing folk art, employing a folk art stylistic naif idiosyncrasies but with an air that says I know you know. It’s willfully nostalgic work sharing with Ellis both a palette (tea-stain washes, charcoals, and roses) and frequently historical subject matter.

At its best, it is both smart and beautiful, as his series of birds captioned thus…”Wood Thrush in a silk crepe de chine envelope chemise neatly trimmed in front with rows of lace insertion,” “Bay-Breasted Warbler in a velveteen jacket and a yoke topped sicle pleated skirt trimmed with pearl buttons,” and “Bobolink in a hills jean sport suit” which you won’t see in his current show at OFFICE, but appeal to us for reasons obvious and not so.

Tonight, Thursday, March 29, OFFICE (2204 NE Alberta) opens a show of Evan B. Harris’ work with a reception from 7-9 PM.

You know Fred Flare as a retailer of the modern, cute, and cheeky. Affordable and fun, Fred Flare is a less suburban Urban Outfitters with a sense of humor. For a couple of years now, Fred Flare has done this Next Big Thing search for makers of Fred-esque wares. The chosen ones have come from all over the US. Time for Portland to represent.

What are they looking for? They’re open to jewelry, clothing, accessories, printed matter, CD’s and DVD’s, home items, and more characterized by what they call “surprising awesomeness.” You’ll get an idea by looking at past winners. (Cute works.)

What’s in it for you? Well if your work is chosen, Fred Flare places a wholesale order for it. And they generously link to your website giving you exposure + sales. And this year, one entrant will get a $1000 prize. Nice.

The arc of our evening encompassed two white rooms conceived of by European women, one a Dutch choreographer and one a German expatriate.

Uli Beutter’s four-screen video installation “White” at the Everett Station Lofts was wall-to-wall with visitors (more coming all the time) early in the evening. A short piece on loop, one almost wishes we could have lingered longer on the arresting stillness of the twenty-some actors of all ages and varying ethnicities painted head-to-toe white in this white room (it’s such a beautiful image) before Beutter introduces her colorful false catalyst whose choice, made quickly and with surprising consequences, leaves unaltered the white stasis. The coating, dripping white paint was another unforgettable image…especially coupled with the very faintest smell of paint in the room. Don’t forget to look up. The work is on view again today from 2-4 PM and on First Thursday from 7-10 PM.

The second white room was the set of “Rebound” by Rotterdam-based choreographer Conny Janssen Danst at PSU’s Lincoln Hall. Previews of the piece emphasized the set (the lighting too was a terrific actor in the piece), but the story last night was that of the five brilliant male dancers who powerfully executed Conny Janssen’s exploration of all that it is to be a man interacting with men: challenging, dominating, joking, one-upping, going along with the crowd, and breaking away. There are ten thousand ways this could have gone wrong. (more…)