It has been a while since PORT's done a round the web.

Both The New Yorker and NYT's have covered the Jeff Wall show.

The Portland Tribune reported last week on a smaller supplementary I-5 replacement bridge. I dislike this idea intensely as a cost saving measure. Ive heard figures like, "20% of US trade passes over the I-5 bridge each year," so skimping doesnt make any sense. Look, for such a project the fed's should be on board, especially since with light rail it would have such an effect on interstate traffic/commerce. Underbuilding is flat out stupid. I live on N. Interstate and I see the traffic snarls daily and it hasn't even gotten as bad as it will get. It's also the most major public works project to hit the Northwest in decades. Time for a design competition; Foster, Calatrava, UN Studios etc.

Oh yes and DK's dream has come true, some drama at the museum... it's only some though. Frankly, it's not a contemporary art curatorial position so I'm less interested (the O is a generalist publication it's their job to care about such things). Yes, other attempts to make a big deal of a 1 million dollar shortfall in a 40 million dollar building project have proved less than exciting stories (or have a sense of scale). It's more interesting when curators leave for other reasons (Like Robert Storr leaving MoMA) but in my mind I only care if a curator puts on good shows or if programming at the museum is about to be seriously effected. (disclosure Im co-vp of the Contemporary Art Council and also I personally like Bill Mercer, Brian Ferriso and Bruce Guenther, some things are probably just professional matters) My sources tell me that Mercer raised his voice to a docent after he was put on notice, if so that's fine... museum workers and volunteers don't need to be yelled at (seem's simple to me, and why not have the chief curator handle the issue?) The real grist here is that up until recently the museum did not have a proper HR department and with Ferriso on board I would expect a different work culture to be in effect (as it seems to be). If only the O would pay such dilligent attention to the content of art vs the drama and money.

Last, but certainly not least Edward Winkleman has a nice post on having an over educated eye... i.e. that knowledge of art complicates its understanding. Yes, sure...but why not? If work can shine under such intellectual burdens it makes a case for its worth. I also like to come at work as if Im newborn (to paraphrase Paul Klee) too. Fact is looking at art in an ahistorical way can be just as complicating.