Patrick Rock is one of those really rare Portland artists, he's from Portland. With an MFA from SFIA in new genres this is the infamous guy who showed the 30 foot inflatable wiener at Fresh Trouble and co-curated the rambling Haunted show last year, so we will see how well the chaos serves his latest effort. It should be a good move to have a tight exhibition space like this, fewer options usually = better, more concise decisions. More people should be doing this sort of alt-space thing.

The first show at his new alt-space, Rock's Box... comes with the perfect title, "Portland? Fuck Portland!" (July 4th- August 13th). Hopefully it adds a little something to the ubiquitous summer group show. In this case it maps the influence of Oregon on Oregonians. Yup each of the 13 artists in the show grew up in Oregon and about a quarter of the artists in the show no longer live in the state. With names like Storm Tharp, Malia Jensen, Joey Macca, Natasha Snellman, Jeanine Jablonski, Molly Vidor, Donald Morgan and PORT's own Katherine Bovee, etc... it should be worth the trek to the new North Interstate Arts District (ok it's just Rock's Box and a really great Arco gas station).

Opening: July 4th 5-11PM

Location: 6540 N.Interstate ave. @ Portland Blvd/Rosa Parks Way.

Mass Transit Directions: Take: Max Yellow Line towards Expo Center (aka North) get off at the Portland Blvd. stop... it's the black concrete building on the east side of the street, right next to the Yellow Line stop

Gallery Hours: Sat-Sun 12-6 / or by appointment at: #971.506.8938

hi jeff!!

your statement here:

"Patrick Rock is one of those really rare Portland artists, he's from Portland."

is a recurring theme on your blog and elsewhere.

since i believe i left portland a while before you arrived, it always leaves me wondering: where have all the portland artists gone, in your opinion? they were there when i left...

have they a) been personally overwhelmed by the external influx of competition and thus stopped showing and/or making art, b) been outmaneuvered on a market level by the external influx (i.e. are they not as 'in touch' with the 'right' market trends and/or influential people as the new art residents), c) left portland altogether, or d) are they simply working under your radar?

i would love to hear your further thoughts on this issue.

obviously it's fantastic that the seeds artists were working hard to sow in the pearl district when i left have helped to turn portland into the hot artistic destination it is today, but if what you are hinting at with these kinds of comments is true, it's sad to think that it comes at the high cost of edging out much of the local talent.

i'd like to think that the local talent and the incoming talent could inform and support other to mutual benefit rather than one ending up dominant over the other...? how about you?

Oh they are still here and active... as this show demonstrates. People like Bruce Conkle, Storm Tharp, Jacqueline Ehlis, Brenden Clenaghen, Chandra Bocci and Patrick Rock all grew up here and are pillars of the arts community. It is true though there has been a massive influx but what is special about Portland is most of its very best artists do stay here and use it like a base. The city has enough gravitational pull to keep a majority of them here (many recieved their education elsewhere and returned)... it's just that native Oregonians are definitely a minority now.

There really isn't some big indigenous vs. newcomer thing here... it's just that the newcomers seem to out number those raised here.

Also, Rock really put a lot of work into the place... it's a crazy series of rooms, perfect for an alt-art space but he also made the space look good. Joe Macca's harpooning of a Giant giant slug was kinda the highlight for me. A good opening show.

from jj:

"There really isn't some big indigenous vs. newcomer thing here... it's just that the newcomers seem to out number those raised here."

i'm so very happy to hear that you don't think there's some big VS thing going on. if you don't mind my saying, i think you have a nose for conflict (conflict breeds news and dialogue and change, non?), so if there was such a conflict, i feel sure you would know about it.

it would be additionally interesting to know for sure if the transplants actually outnumber the natives, or if, as you say, it just seems that way.

all in all i suppose whether someone is in love with and/or influenced by portland and its surround because they grew up in portland or moved to portland seems somewhat irrelevant from a certain angle...

but many times over in the past i have scratched my head and wondered what you meant when you've made statements like the one you lead this post with, so thanks for the clarification!!

(btw, sounds like a FAB show...)

Well you know me m. I like to throw some bait out there but only when I feel there is a hook in it. I never bluff, so I can only bluff at bluffing.

Anecdotally It is pretty obvious down here that the transpants outnumber the indigenous arts population. Though it isnt scientific I'd say it is between 7 to 1 and 10 to 1 for the under 50 crowd. in the 20 something crowd it is maybe 12 or 15 to 1. Also, enrollment for PNCA was through the roof last year.

me? conflict.... since when? ;)

but there's another side... I like to connect people who really can help eachother. I just hate to see talent... or just plain raw gumption go to waste.

i definitely think you have a great talent for sparking controversy as well one for connecting people, and each gift has its own place and time. use them wisely, young jedi (or something) ::giggle::

youre younger than me arent you? Also, have you visited Portland recently m? If so yu know how to get ahod of me.

Patrick's space is an eccentric series of rooms... it looks good but not stale and I really like how forthright the installation is, a purposefully chaotic show and a good intro.

Controversy? The trick is to put little if no effort into the controversy and a lot into the stuff that matters: good shows, helping people, adding to the philosphy of the age, giving credit where it is due, etc . The rest is just a reaction to the important stuff.

Besides, the only thing that isn't controversial in the arts is silence.

Ive found that the really selfish people never seem to tire of complaining about what isnt being done for them. Then there are people like Patrick Rock who says fuck it all and do something. Tilt NAAU and Rock's Box are pretty much the most interesting things in Portland right now.

PS The bratwurst Patrick made on the 4th was great.... Ive always liked 4th of July openings in Portland.

cage would disagree with you about silence not being controversial...come to think of it, i might too except it's friday and i'm taking it easy ::grin::

i have been traveling a lot lately, but not to pdx, but i'll look you up sometime again when i'm down of course (and vice versa i hope).

as for the 'young jedi' thing, i honestly don't know which of us is older...i was just quoting yoda.

anyway, you'll never drag that information out of me without some alcohol...a lady never reveals her age and all that...

what i CAN tell you is that apparently i LOOK a whole lot younger than i am...i still get carded for cigarettes!! what a hoot!!

Well I'm talking about silence as a form of tacit agreement or non-engadgement... Cage was sculpting with silence (which is much more intrusive and "4'33" actually was designed to highlight the already existing sounds... so it wasnt truly, silent) .

I remember when St Helens let off a big steam eruption a few years ago...and there was this strange quite for probably hundreds of miles. It was the most palpable silence Ive ever experienced. Even the bugs and birds shut up.

if i weren't feeling so darn lazy on this fine friday afternoon i would argue that even a lack of engagement can be deafening.

if cage's many experiments -- including the one you mention, which i have had the great honor to perform -- and various associated theories prove anything it's that the very existence of silence on any level is doubtful, or, at least controversial ::grin::

anyway, been fun, jj. going out to enjoy the rest of the day!!

kanpai,

m.

I'm enjoying this (Ive performed Cage too)

which reminds me of one big fat ol truth... shining any kind of spotlight on anything = controversy in the arts.

being so blond from day one was a bit like being a walking spotlight... as a kid it took me a long time to figure out that physical appearance seems to permeate everything (sad but true)... which is why race and gender issues never seem to go away.

funny, and sort of-kind of related. at least i just came across this today:

http://johncage.istheshit.net/

I enjoyed the rock box show. It is a great space. The hours are Sat/ Sun ...not fri/sat.
I want to save someone else the trip. :)

Thanks Ill make the change.

I pulled the info of the site and I apologize.