This is old news to Portlanders….but the secret connection between Miranda July and Carrie Brownstein is (besides the article in Interview Magazine's July issue)… Portland of course. No one city can really lay exclusive claim to an artist though. Instead, artists are peripatetic gifts and this fact only makes miss July's first feature film's critical success even more marvy.

July called Portland home until 2002 and we still see her around quite a bit. Brownstein of course is part of the Portland based rock group Sleater Kinney. July's multiple media talents are old news to the art world but that makes it kinda fun to see her catch on amongst the Ebert enclave. (Also, why do people tolerate the kind of pompous hand jive he is doing in the picture below?)



Overall, the article is decent, if a little brief and it highlights both the seriousness of intent and the anti-focus group aesthetic decision making process that one finds a lot amongst Rose City citizens. (Could it be ambition without prefabricated outcomes?) In terms of July's career it's a mark of strength to take this sudden mass media momentum on her own terms. (it is also very Portland, other cities have pockets of this vibe too but practically everyone here has it) Here are some more Miranda July links: in the NYT, here, there and everyone else we know.

In Portland, artist Jacqueline Ehlis continues her art coverage onslaught in the WWeek. All froth and saturation aside, her's is a very deserving show. Speaking of serious content, her interview with Eva Lake for Art Star Radio has now been transcribed here.

To round out other Portland links it looks like the Portland Mercury has found itself a new art critic? We noticed there was no review last week, good to see a review with so many good June shows.

Around the blogosphere Edward Winkleman makes some very provocative points about China and art fair/biennials. His point about China being so widely accepted is very interesting. I suspect that the Chinese, who impressively have had a large scale bureaucratic government for over 3,000 years found it easy to sway the allegiance of the neophyte art world's bureaucratic system. ....am I wrong? Yes, some of the Chinese stuff is good, but by and large the city of Los Angeles deserves at least as much attention. At least Ed Ruscha is getting the credit he is due. He is in the July issue of Interview too.

Sleater Kinney played at the Roseland (NYC) last night. Aside from the 12 year old girl moshing into my back while screaming "I love you!" it was a stellar show. The opening band really caught my attention, D.C.'s Dead Meadow.

The whole show kind of felt like a Reed Party...kind of like Rinder's Whitney.

Speaking of Rinder...his senior thesis at Reed was on performance art. Speaking of performance art..."Me, You and Everyone we Know" is open now at the IFC (323 6th Ave.) in case you're in the city and would like to see it.