Conceptual artist Tom Marioni is speaking this weekend at Reed College. Marioni's work is guided by his interest in Zen Buddhism, and its emphasis on locating the extraordinary within the ordinary and focusing on the process over the product. He's received acclaim for his 1970 project The Act of Drinking Beer with Friends is the Highest Form of Art, which involved gathering with friends for drinks and conversation, and was documented only by photograph.

Reed College | 3203 SE Woodstock Blvd., Eliot Hall, room 314 | Saturday, November 3, 4:30pm | free

And while you're at Reed College, don't forget to swing by the library and check out Laura Fritz's Caseworks 13, on view from November 2 on. Described as "perceptual architecture," the show promises to really shake things up in the Hauser Fundome. Official opening TBA and talk on December 2nd but it's up now.


Anavtika Bawa

Also happening in the world of education this weekend: Avantika Bawa's Sit, Stack is opening at PSU's Autzen Gallery. Combining objects built in her studio with site-specific installation, Bawa "puts the act of drawing into the service of sculptural design" by integrating hand drawing with architectural supports. Her use of functional materials and delicate hand work make her work subtle and candid.

Opening reception: Autzen Gallery | PSU, Neuberger Hall, 2nd Floor, 724 SW Harrison St. | Saturday, November 3, 5-7pm

A friend of mine E-mailed me about the Marioni talk, but not owning a private plane or having the power of flight and being in LA, means I didn't get to go. I'd love to hear how it went.

thanks Marshall,

Talk was useful though the 50 minute long video interview was grating to many.

I liked how Marioni seemed to just go out and do things he felt like doing. A number of conceptual artists in Portland seem so insecure by comparison and want an audience that just wants to hang out. I was suprprised who wasn't there and should have been.

Wheras Marioni's drinking beer projects seemed designed to cancel out some of pure hipster socializing and schmoozing and instead felt like a small club of serious individuals who then recorded the event as an art piece. Seems fine to me.

Marioni also discussed the west coast temperment a bit. More open, less neurotic or jockeying for the sake of jockeying. More about mapping territory (social, light and space, etc) than staking out rungs on the ladder.

We also learned that theaddition of bluegrass music will make any conceptual art piece suddenly more fun and less pretentious as in his most recent works.

He's interesting and had some funny ideas that Decades get defined by year's ending in a 7. When asked what 2007 said he indicated "circles" and then pointed to his circle works this year.

He's kind of a salesman.

Also, I have trouble believing he started the first "alt space" in America. "Subjects of the artists" definitely existed before that as did Warhol's factory... and those are just two really famous ones.