September 26, 2008

Ode to Summer

Oregon State Fair, Salem, Oregon
Today is orientation for year two of the PSU MFA program.
I made a concerted effort this summer to go to warm places and soak up the heat. Here's a little repository of summer warmth for the cold dark days ahead. Remember relaxation. Remember being unbearably hot.


Warren Dunes, Michigan

Incubate, Chicago, Illinois

Mt. Evans, Colorado
Salmon-Huckleberry Wilderness, Oregon

Read More...

September 20, 2008

Passage 1: A Wake




On August 11, Rudy Speerschneider (the former T of the MOST) and I hosted the first of four passages we intend to make as we move from being portals to Mostlandia to being bonafied citizens of Mostlandia.

This Passage, titled "A Wake", was an effort on our behalf to recognize Mostlandian Citizens for making the past 5 years such an interesting adventure and to celebrate and bring closure to all of the work and achievements of The MOST.



We flew Jen (the S) up from San Francisco, and spent an entire day preparing a panwich bar (much like a salad bar but with pancake for bread) as well as a special 4-layer ice cream with each layer representing one of The MOST. (vodka berry, vanilla lime, glowing orb, and peanut butter chocolate)


After dinner, The MOST toasted the Citizens, and received toasts in return.

Citizen Winter presented us all with a surprise batch of rumballs, and true to form, many people made the pained surprised look of having their first Winter Rumball.


Chris Hudson and her friend David Kyle prepared a beautiful sonic eulogy wherein everyone present were invited to take one turn breathing in for 4 counts and out for 4 counts (one count for each member of the m.o.s.t.) before passing the microphone to the next participant. the breathing was recorded and looped, combined and played back amplified. This piece can be both seen and watched at Chris's website here.



We ended the evening by performing a set of instructions put forth to us by DAMP, our artist friends from Melbourne. The instructions read:

The M.O.S.T Eulogy

1. Press play on portable CD player (please note: no previewing of audio track allowed)
2. Turn up volume (max if possible)
3. Find a rooftop (or go outside)
4. Each wake participant should each take a sheet of reinforced loosefleaf

5. Fold into an aerodynamic flying module *
6. Simultaneously (on the count of three) ignite flying module with naked flame
7. Launch phoenix into the outer stratosphere
8. In synchronicity, vocalise the following:

M.O.S.T is Dead Viva la M.O.S.T


9. Consume champagne ice-cream
* Flying module refers to a paper aeroplane
-----
The MOST finished by becoming ghosts, something we've been familiar with since we died for the first time in 2003.




Read More...

September 16, 2008

Toxic CDOs


The Timberline Lodge, above, was built by the Works Progress Administration at the base of Mount Hood in Oregon between 1936-1937. Artists and craftsmen working under the Federal Art Project created art works and furnishing for the lodge.

I hesistate to say too much here, except that the current tanking of America's financial system has me thinking quite a bit about whether I should be in an MFA program right now.

I've been trying to catch up on some of the background of things like Toxic CDOs and Hedge funds, and am finding the following links informative, disturbing and entertaining in varying degrees:

BoingBoing's America's financial system was shaken to its core on Sunday

This American Life's The Giant Pool of Money

With all of this talk of another great depression, I can only hope to live long enough to see the revival of the Works Progress Administration and corresponding Federal Art Project. I better get busy figuring out what the equivalent of a large-scale mural will be by that time. Or maybe I should just start painting. I'll leave it up to the boingboingers to tell me when it's time to bury my money in jars in the back yard.

Read More...

September 3, 2008

Personal Advisor at TBA:08


Personal Advisor is a service available to anyone looking for perspective or suggestions on living their daily lives. Participants in this service will be linked with other advice seekers to mutually provide thoughtful consideration on one matter of pressing importance in each of their lives. The attendants at Personal Advisor, Ariana Jacob and Katy Asher, can be found in a bright blue booth at locations around Portland enrolling people for advising services. Sign up for this free service that allows you to view the concerns of your life through the eyes of others.

This project is commissioned by the Portland Institute of Contemporary Art's Time Based Arts Festival, and is part of a larger project put together by the PSU Social Practice Students called Neighborhood Projects.

SCHEDULE:
TH 9/4 6pm-8pm Jamison Square + 10-? The Works
FR 9/5 4pm-6pm West Side Esplanade

MO 9/8 5pm-7pm Mississippi St+ 10-? The Works
TU 9/9 4pm-6pm NW 21st ave

FR 9/12 4pm-6pm Hawthorne + 10-? Works
SA 9/13 4pm-6pm Pioneer Square

Read More...

SIDE - BY - SIDE



During TBA, the Social Practice students' exhibit at the Autzen will direct PSU students and gallery visitors to our Neighborhood Projects throughout the Portland metro-area. After TBA, participants are invited to visit the Autzen to view ephemera and documentation from the Festival.

September 8, 2008 – October 4, 2008
PSU’s Autzen Gallery, 2nd Floor, Neuberger Hall
Closing reception for the artists:
Saturday, October 4, 2008 | 5-7 p.m.

Read More...