James and Joey Lavadour at PDX Contemporary Art

What should you absolutely see this weekend? If you haven't caught James and Joey Lavadour's show at PDX gallery, do so. If you've seen it already, go and see it again, it's James' best to date. Look for a full on review next week from another PORT staffer (I've already called him the best abstract landscape painter alive today, what else can I say?... OK maybe that Joey's baskets work perfectly with this show too and should be reviewed together). D.K. "Death" Row reviews him favorably in the O's A&E... but some of the artists he compares him to seem more than a bit forced, there is nobody like Lavadour. Also, what's up with the Arthurian comparisons? The Columbia River Gorge etc. looks nothing like England or the north of France... (oh well)


"A Change Of Scenery" at Portland Modern

Also, make a point to check out the multi-channel video piece by Dan and Bean Gilsdorf at Portland Modern's tiny but excellent corporate headquarters at 1715 NW Lovejoy. The piece lacks the control and synchronous finesse of someone like Doug Aitken but check this out. The 26th is the last day of the show. Hopefully they will take up the challenge and really evolve. Sometimes the best art viewing experiences are with artists that aren't yet fully evolved.

To that end there's also a 10,000 square foot warehouse show at Audio Cinema called "AC/VC" I'll have to check out. Open Friday through Sunday 11:00 AM - 7:00 PM, 226 SE Madison. It's sliding scale pay what you can admission.

Look for my in-depth Oregon Biennial review soon. I wanted to wait till all the dust settled before tackling the show in a depth beyond what I said in the preview. Now that many of us have seen the show more than once it is time ask questions beyond, is it good? and who do I like?

I don't think it is even a bit of an overstatement to say James Lavadour is the "best abstract landscape painter alive today." I recently went back to view them again and they are trult beautiful and fascinating.

I was rather indifferent to Joey Lavadour's work, although I agree the paintings and baskets do oddly balance each other. For some reason it is difficult for me to accept the baskets just as themselves.

And tisk-tisk Jeff, you are just looking to create trouble with DK "Death" Row. But what is an art scene if there are not friendly rivalries.

Don't worry, there is a certain respect for one another despite the fact that he's a newspaper journalist and I'm a historian (there is frequently an age old tension between the two camps, kinda like cats and dogs).

What can I say I'm a stickler for relevant content (on a level of detail that no newspaper editor will tolerate) and I think it is safe to say we understand the roles we both play.

I have found the best way to end a friendly rivalry is by putting on those giant Sumo suits and doing a battle royale. Or else a light saber battle. I have yet to decide which one is actually better.

And there definitely is a big difference in newspaper writing, compared to the writing of a historian. I imagine DK's audience is immensely different than yours. Kudos to him though, because he is definitely one of my favorites when it comes to newspaper art writers.

Have fun in Urban Grind today? :)