TBA:08

During the TBA festival, I attended the Forced Entertainment: Quizoola. Which was basically two men with their faces painted like clowns, interrogating each other about absolutely nothing in a supposedly humorous way. It may be due to my naivety when it comes to performance art, or perhaps my over-analytical mind, but I couldn't understand what was the point, or even why they were asking each other questions such as: who was the last person you called? What did you talk about? What is Newton's Law? When was the last time you prayed? Are you an actor? Are you acting right now? These questions, among many others, were asked and answered by the men with their faces painted white, with simple, one-sentence answers that some found entertaining. It was unique, to say the least, and enjoyed by others I'm sure, I just simply couldn't interpret this work of performance art.

-Caitlin Hansen

Museum of Contemporary Craft

Manufactured introduces a provocative new class of objects emerging from the permeable ages of art, craft and design.  The exhibition highlights works from fifteen international artists who appropriate manufactured products to create sculptural works and installations of all sizes and scales.  Rather than transform a single natural material, the artists on view employ a variety of pristine goods culled directly form manufacturers and store shelves as their raw materials.  Nevertheless, each piece exhibits craft's time-honored, labor-intensive repetitive processes as a strategy for object-making.

-Ortolf-

TBA:08

I saw Occurrence hosted by Reggie Watts featuring Joe Von Appen and Rush N Disco. Which was a performance piece that included music, monologues and something that I the closest that I can get to describing it would be as interpretive dance. There were some performances included in the piece that were really, truly bad and weren't worth seeing, but others that were really good and made the whole thing worth while. 

-Jessica Stockton 

TBA: 08

I attended Constructing Community, one in a series of three guided tours around Portland's South Waterfront neighborhood. The tour was focused on what or who defines community. For those who aren't familiar, as I wasn't, the South Waterfront recently underwent a complete overhaul that transformed it from an industrial zone to a new urban housing development. Unfortunately, I think that this event was more focused on bringing in potential buyers and renters to the community than actually educating people about community. - Tayler Black

TBA:08

For my TBA event, I attended Paintallica. This was held throughout the festival at the Civic, here artists from all over combined forces and painted and created huge sculptures out of random supplies. I unfortunately attended when no artists were there creating, but it was really nice to have been able to see the finished product. :)

TBA:08--Um Solo

Last night after happy hour at Green Papaya, (A perfect place for happy hour before an event!) I attended a free show by Tiago Guedes called Um Solo. Honestly, I didn’t know what to expect from this show and I was enticed by it since it was only thirty minuets long. Um Solo is a silent show that brings out the daily life of a man in Tiago’s out of the ordinary way. He walks around through out the show, sleeps, eats an apple, and performs a somewhat obscene “F”(ing) movement. There are six bags on the ground in which he sticks his head into and then in a way turns into a different man. It’s quite unusual yet funny. As he sits on the ground with his head inside the paper bag, Tiago draws a picture of a face, the next bag he cuts a hole of an apple, and later on he has me laughing my ass off as he skillfully cuts a hole of a penis shape onto the bag all while his head is inside of the bag. When viewing the show you may ask yourself how does your own private life determine who you are. If you haven’t seen a show yet, this one is not as bad as I thought it was going to be. It’s definitely different. Just come with an open mind!

Sanjana Pahalad

TBA08: Hot Mess: Technology as Tragicomedy

I took part in a "chat" today that had three artists in attendance. Lizzie Fitch, whom has an installation piece at the Works at the Left Bank, Ryan Trecartin, a filmmaker that is showing his film, I-Be Area, and Jacob Hartman, another artist with an installation piece.
I have to say that Jacob Hartman was well spoken and you really got a sense of who he was as an artist. Both Ryan and Lizzie seemed wanting to impress more than connect with us. I left more angry and hurt than inspired, realizing that sometimes I really don't want to know what the artist is thinking. I was so much more content with my own interpretation.
I do recommend however seeing both installation pieces since they are very much "outside the box."

Go see a movie

Let's say you're into sports (namely soccer) and looking at art just isn't your thing....well here is the perfect fit for your required TBA:08 event, it is filled with sports and involves a big screen. Cost is $6 for members, $7 for non-members (my tip, if you're from out of town-Vancouver is not in Portland-technically you should get the "out of town" member price, work that angle).

There are enough showings this week to fit just about anyone's schedule. So here's a trailer if you need anymore convincing....

The Neal Medlyn Experience LIVE! TBA 08

I went to the Neal Medlyn Experience Live as part of the TBA 08 Festival assignment. He pretty much recreated the Beyonce Experience Live DVD. It was hilarious because the DVD was made in Los Angeles so when he came out he was referring to everyone as if we were in LA. He never got out of character and his back-up dancers, which were also his all female band (2 guys), even came out with a birthday cake at the end while the audience joined them in singing Happy Birthday to "Beyonce". I'm a die hard Beyonce fan so this was so much fun. I have never even heard of this festival and I've lived in the Portland-Vancouver area all my life. That's pretty sad! 

Anyhoo, here is a video for you all to enjoy!

If you aren't able to see anything here, go to my myspace page and check out the videos there!

http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=8561435

Mayra

FRIDAYS FREE TBA:08

So I promised I'd list some free events associated with TBA:08. This is a local event, created by MFA students at Portland State. Nice chance to see what young local artists are up to and how they interpret Portland neighborhoods. Opening reception is tonight in Portland, at 906A NE 24th Ave., from 6p-9p, there may be free pancakes involved.

Check out the Neighborhood blog for more info and times.

TBA:08 is Here

The time is here to participate/view/enjoy/ponder time based art at TBA:08. It all begins tomorrow with a FREE gala opening at Leftbank. You'll have a chance to rub shoulders with hot sweaty artists as they disco down the dance floor. If you really want to rev up the fun, how about participating in a happening inspired and arranged by Anna Halprin? This will be the pre-opening event that will set the stage for the night. You can strut your stuff, wearing white of course, while you carry a blank placard from PNCA in the Pearl District across the Broadway bridge to the opening at Leftbank. (Those folks in the photo look enthusiastic, don't they?) You'll be the envy of your friends when you tell them you were the art! Of course you can always just watch this happening happen. A good viewing spot will be the east side of the Broadway Bridge, allowing you to jump in if you feel the urge. In the past, many of these "TBA parades" have been a spectacle.

Any shuttle riders out there? I'm in the process of finding out the times/dates it will be leaving WSU. There is limited space. So send me an email if you need a lift. Also feel free to set up carpools using the blog....if you're heading over and want some company, put 'er on the site.

Okay, I'll give you more TBA tips in the upcoming days. I'm all about the "free".