Ryan T. Dunn's LiveAsLiveCanBeJournal

I believe a few weeks ago was the first time I'd dreamt of flying...realizing it shocked me too.

But then there were E.T.esque Dark Care Bears and giant expanses of noxious chemical pits while trying to get a really strange city of me's I had seen from afar...I suppose I was late for something important.

I received word a week or so ago that I didn't get in for the 2008 exhibitions. The curator thought my vision was too difficult, and that my perception of people's reactions was hopeful. It is, however, somehow comforting that not only did my thesis advisor get accepted, but also some of the other video artists I have been working with(-). I don't know exactly what it was that I failed to do to gather their attention, but I will be curious to see the output from each. I really need to try getting myself a gallery show at Tilt if I can...I think their showings are masterful and accessible. I should try to pull my strings on this front to boost my CV a bit. I also talked to Stephen Slappe about the PDXFilmFest, as he is curating the installation show for this coming year, so hopefully that will come together as well.


I will be performing my circuit bending covey of tape players in Carl Diehl(see below)'s Crypto-Zoetropical pursuit tomorrow night. The event is a Rhythm from Wreckage (video mayhem) curation, as well as other acts supporting the search for elusive 'creatures' within our midst.


NAAU is the time for Couture

Back in June PORT brought you the scoop by announcing the New American Art Union's series of stipend shows, where each artist gets $7,000 for producing a show that transforms the gallery space and $1,000 for materials. Now called Couture, the plan was an unheard of act of bravura, laying a direct challenge to The Portland art Museum's Contemporary Northwest Art Awards (which should announce its 3-5 finalists in November). It also allowed a commercial gallery to behave more like a non commercial space. The Oregonian (probably not wanting to be so scooped again) has the list and promises a full article tomorrow.

The recipients are:

Rose McCormick (whose current show at NAAU is a bit of breakthrough, her Wolf in the Henhouse is superb)
Ty Ennis
Jim Lommasson
Jacqueline Ehlis
TJ Norris
-Stephen Slappe
Vanessa Renwick
Laura Fritz
-Ethan Jackson
-The Video Gentlemen: Carl Diehl, Jesse England and Mack McFarland

Overall, the list is heavy with perceptual experience artists like Ehlis, Jackson, Fritz, McFarland and Diehl. While Renwick and Slappe tend to create narrative tableaus with their video installation work. McCormick, Ennis and Lommasson are more traditional to their medias which are painting, drawing and photography respectively. Norris, McCormick and Lommasson are represented by NAAU but if this last year's group shows and this list are any indication, the gallery wont look anything like a sales gallery.