ultra how did you name yourself?
It was so long ago. Let us celebrate the anniversary of ultra’s birth (three years ago, plus a month) with a link to this little note on the ultraists (and yes, we’re linking to Wikipedia…honestly it’s a more fleshed out entry than the Encyclopedia Brittanica), a Spanish literary movement with whom Jorge Luis Borges was affiliated. Note their advocacy of the “Deletion of useless middle sentences, linking particles and adjectives.” Yes! And the “avoidance of ornamental artifacts, confessionalism, … preaching and farfetched nebulosity.”
At the time we named ultra, let us admit that humbly we had only in mind the phrase “ne plus ultra” which is to say, “the highest point, as of excellence or achievement; the ultimate,” or directly from Latin “no more beyond this point.” It’s related to “fare-thee-well” also indicating “state of perfection; the utmost degree,” which we include here because it has a nice ring to it.
Today, we are in a mind of the phrase “plus ultra” or “further beyond” the motto of Spain, Charles the V, Holy Roman Emperor and Sir Francis Bacon. Related: “Further” or “Furthur” painted on the front of Ken Kesey’s bus.
POSTED: July 14th, 2008 | AUTHOR: lisa | FILED UNDER: art | TAGS: art | No Comments »
Looks refreshing in a fresh snowfall doesn’t it. We love Jill Torberson‘s steel Tumbleweeds, straight (rusted) and on the rocks (enameled in white and brights). The spheres range from hug-sized to harvest-moon sized, and they play nicely both indoors and out. We love metal left to its own devices so the rust is delicious, and the fragmentary nature of the sphere made mostly of air, really, with the bent rods suggesting surface, makes a compelling piece. Find Torberson’s work at the Museum of Contemporary Craft Gallery (724 NW Davis) and at Dig (425 NW 11th) in the Pearl.
POSTED: July 14th, 2008 | AUTHOR: lisa | FILED UNDER: art | TAGS: art, craft, sculpture | 2 Comments »
What are we looking forward to for this month’s edition of Crafty Wonderland?
Brian Reed’s Old School Stationery gives us new reasons to write you a letter. His hand-drawn designs (many of which evoke retro graphics calling to mind grandma’s apron, wallpaper, and china patterns…in a good way) are printed on a 1917 letterpress on Italian paper, and many are produced as wall hangings as well as cards.
Also, because we’re feeling the garden, we’re also into MOSS, and especially Diana’s embroidered pendants.
Crafty Wonderland is Portland’s once-a-month craft-y bazaar featuring lots of artisans with their often whimsical jewelry, clothing and other soft goods, and crafted items for the home (cool etched recycled glass, more little stuffed toys than you can shake a stick at, &c). As usual, it’s down in the air conditioned oasis of the Doug Fir Lounge (830 E. Burnside), this Sunday, July 13, from 11-4.
More Old School:
POSTED: July 8th, 2008 | AUTHOR: lisa | FILED UNDER: art | TAGS: art | No Comments »
Please take four minutes and 55 seconds out of your busy day to see this painterly dance film, IF TIME PASS by . One of the entrants in last year’s DOTMOV Festival, it should inspire you for this call for entries: Our friends at the Japanese online magazine, SHIFT, are accepting entries for their digital film festival DOTMOV Festival 2008. Work is chosen by guest judges like last year’s The Designers Republic, Fork, and Motion Theory.
All work selected is shown on the SHIFT website (see the DOTMOV page for work from previous years) and at screenings in Sapporo, Sendai, Shizuoka, Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, Fukuoka, and Sao Paulo. Last year the festival drew submissions from 34 countries. Deadline is September 20th , 2008 and submission is free.
Represent PDX,
POSTED: July 7th, 2008 | AUTHOR: lisa | FILED UNDER: art | TAGS: art | No Comments »
Among our favorite regional artists is Seattle’s Jaq Chartier, whose exhibition Full Spectrum opens tonight, First Thursday, at Elizabeth Leach (417 NW 9th) for the month of July. Favorite because while the work is beautiful, subtle and melancholy in its coloration and form, the method is more beautiful. Chartier considers all of her works experiments, testing the interactions of layers of stain, paint, gels, inspired by images of DNA gel electophoresis.
POSTED: July 3rd, 2008 | AUTHOR: lisa | FILED UNDER: art | TAGS: art, exhibition, first thursday, visual art | No Comments »
