Fall Arts Guide 2018

A SECTION OF ®

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ARTS GUIDE

SEPT OCT

&

CHINA STORM Photo by Gia Goodrich.

Divas. Friends.

Deal with it!

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2018

Adam Arnold studio/showroom 338 SE MLK Jr Blvd Portland, Oregon adam-arnold.com adam@adam-arnold.com 503 234 1376

NOV 2–10, 2018 KELLER AUDITORIUM

Photo by Cory Weaver/San Francisco Opera

Sung in Italian with projected English captions

LA

TRAVIATA Verdi

Kaminsky

AS ONE MARCH 2019

A Special Concert

BIG NIGHT MAY 2019

Rossini

IL BARBIERE DI SIVIGLIA JUNE 2019

Mozart

LA FINTA GIARDINIERA JULY 2019

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Glass

IN THE PENAL COLONY JULY / AUG 2019

A SECTION OF

SEPT OCT

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TOP: China Forbes and Storm Large. Photo by Gia Goodrich. BOTTOM LEFT: Lila Downs. Photo by Marcela Taboada. BOTTOM RIGHT: Samantha Wall. Photo by Christine Dong.

portland

2018

ARTS GUIDE 7 LETTER FROM THE PUBLISHER

10

PORTLAND STROLL DOWN HISTORY LANE 9 AWeekend Script Rachel Randles shares her idea of a perfect weekend.

DIVAS 10 DUAL Ladies Leading Pink Martini’s frontladies address public perception and their unique friendship.

DOWNS 18 LILA In The Spotlight Activist and musician Lila Downs brings authenticity to the stage and Portland. Their gowns on the cover and pages 13–14 were provided by Ikram Goldman of ikram Chicago.

CALENDAR 21 SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER Artslandia Portland Arts Guide

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40

Ready? Set? Go! Artslandia celebrates our inaugural Arts Guide issue and the return of the fall’s bounty of arts.

WALL 40 SAMANTHA In The Spotlight Celebrated visual artist Samantha Wall unveils her latest deeply personal exhibit.

44 2018 DRAMMY AWARDS & PORTLAND ART

MUSEUM’S THE SHAPE OF SPEED OPENING Seen on the Scene

Catch a glimpse of who’s who at fabulous arts events.

10 HAPPY HOURS NEAR THE ARMORY 46 TOP The A list Word on the street is that the happiest place on Earth is at any of these happy hours.

FIND YOUR ART: 45th Parallel. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 Artists Repertory Theatre. . . 23–24, 33, 35 Bag&Baggage. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 BodyVox. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30, 33–34 Boom Arts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 Broadway Rose. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24, 33 Capella Romana. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Chamber Music Northwest. . . . . . . . . . . . 29 Corrib Theatre. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33, 38

Friends of Chamber Music. . . . . . . . . . . . 29 Lakewood Theatre. . . . . . . . . 23, 27, 33, 35 Literary Arts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25–26, 36 Milagro. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 Northwest Children’s Theater. . . . . . 24, 33 NW Dance Project. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 Oregon Ballet Theatre . . . . . . . . . . . . 30, 37 Oregon Children’s Theatre. . . . . . . . . . . . 35 Oregon Historical Society. . . . . . . . . . 26, 35

Oregon Symphony. . . . . . . . . . . . . 21, 29–31 Portland Art Museum/ NW Film Center. . . . . . . . . 24, 26, 35–36, 39 PICA. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 Portland Center Stage at The Armory. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22, 24, 33 Portland Piano International. . . . . . . . . . 29 Portland Playhouse. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24, 33 Portland Revels. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Portland Story Theater. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

Portland Symphonic Girlchoir. . . . . . . . . . 29 PSU Opera. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 Profile Theatre. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35 Russo Lee Gallery. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26, 36 Shaking The Tree . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 Third Angle New Music . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Third Rail Repertory Theatre. . . . . . . 23, 35 Vancouver Symphony Orchestra . . . . 21, 29 White Bird Dance. . . . . . . . . . . . . 30, 32–33

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OMG #literallydead

A Barbra Streisand shopping extravaganza.

An Austen-tatious delight.

l er y Ch e d ’s ay St r

Protect the water.

Remember the sacrifice.

Raw. Urgent. Necessary.

Sto

Forget nothing. Regret nothing.

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in

A boisterous backyard battle.

pcs.org/season-tickets • 503.445.3700

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THE PUBLISHER

#ArtslandiaWasHere

Behind the scenes at the photoshoot with Storm Large and China Forbes for the Artslandia Portland Arts Guide! @stormof69 @chinaforbes Photo by @saraceaphotography #ArtslandiaWasHere

PODCAST

Pink Martini w/ Jimmie Herrod last night. Speechless!

Again! Photo by @christoferpdx #ArtslandiaWasHere

8/21/2018

With this inaugural issue, we introduce a yearlong series highlighting formidable women in the Portland arts community: Ladies Leading. This feature brings together powerful women blazing trails through their arts atmosphere and invites them to confront and explore female archetypes, to reflect on perception and misperception of female relationships. A series of bold images, captured by the incredibly talented Gia Goodrich, provide a lush backdrop for these groundbreaking conversations. The series premieres with two ladies most widely associated with the archetype “DIVA”: China Forbes and Storm Large. We brought together these two brilliant women to discuss, for the first time in their working relationship, the perceptions of female power, confidence, rivalry, and competition in relation to their unique roles as the co-lead singers of the iconic Portland band Pink Martini. Our profuse thanks to both women for their unsurprisingly fearless approach to the experiment. The result is a raw and honest conversation that dismisses the notion that two women cannot share the spotlight without cattiness.

They can. They do.

8/28/2018

WELCOME to Artslandia’s Portland Arts Guide inaugural issue—a fresh approach to our Artslandia Annual Guide. In keeping pace with ever-evolving audience engagement landscape, this new format offers the same comprehensive listings our readers love, along with engaging, timely content and gorgeous photos in five bi-monthly magazines instead of a single tome.

FACEBOOK

Gia Goodrich, China Forbes, Storm Large, and Misty Tompoles.

PUBLISHER + FOUNDER

Misty Tompoles

ADVENTURES IN ARTSLANDIA WITH SUSANNAH MARS: MARGARET CHO

Thank you to Darren and Wilsonville Family Fun Center for hosting our day of friendly competition.

Cash and Cameron were especially appreciative.

Susannah joins forces with Dmae Roberts of KBOO's Stage and Studio, interviewing superstar artist and activist Margaret Cho. Subscribe and listen! Do you have an Adventure in Artslandia? Email smars@artslandia.com.

Follow us on social for more highlights and giveaways. Don’t forget to tag #Artslandia and #ArtslandiaWasHere on your event photos for the chance to be featured!

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SEPT / / O C T 2018

Only one art town comes with views like this.

®

PORTLAND ARTS GUIDE

PUBLISHER + FOUNDER

Misty Tompoles ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER + MEMBERSHIP MANAGER

Katrina Ketchum

MEDIA DIRECTOR

Chris Porras

SALES DIRECTOR

Lindsey Ferguson DESIGNERS

Lisa Johnston-Smith Dan Le Jackie Tran COPY EDITOR

Kristen Seidman

cannonbeach.org

EDITORIAL COORDINATOR

Blanche Minoza

ARTSLANDIA BOX COORDINATOR

Bella Showerman

PUBLISHING COORDINATOR

Sara Chavis

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Brett Campbell Emilly Prado Lucy Volker INTERNS

Audrey Gutierrez Dylan Palmer Kelly Pau Elena Steiert PHOTOGRAPHERS

Christine Dong Gia Goodrich Max McDermott

PODCAST HOST

Susannah Mars

Artslandia the Guide is published by Rampant Creative, Inc. ©2018 Rampant Creative, Inc. All rights reserved. This magazine or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher.

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w eekend s cript

a portland stroll down

HISTORY LANE RACHEL RANDLES serves as the Director of Marketing and Communications at the Oregon Historical Society. She lives in the Portland suburbs with her high school sweetheart Andrew, her one-year-old daughter Peyton, and their rescue terrier Joey. Follow her @rkrandles.

LEFT TO RIGHT: Cheryl Jutten, Visitor7, Max McDermott, Mimi L., Oregon Historical Society: Pioneer Courthouse Square Apr 1995 bb008511, @alanweinerphotos.

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

SUNDAY

SOUTH PARK BLOCKS From the prestigious OREGON HISTORICAL SOCIETY With award-winning exhibits on local and national history and a research library filled with the largest collection of archival materials relating to the Oregon country, a visit to the OHS should be on the itinerary of locals and tourists alike!

mansion-clad residential district of the 1870s to the heart of Portland’s Cultural District today, the ever-evolving South Park Blocks feature public art, iconic local institutions, and diverse architecture.

OREGON JEWISH MUSEUM AND CENTER FOR HOLOCAUST EDUCATION The museum’s main gallery features rotating exhibits of national and international stature, while its three core exhibits tell the stories of the experience of Jews in Oregon, Oregon survivors of the Holocaust, and the ways discrimination has affected groups of people across the region.

PIONEER SQUARE Head east to visit CAFFE UMBRIA After taking in a few hours (or more!) of spellbinding history, you can get your caffeine fix just around the corner at Caffe Umbria. With roots dating back to 1940, they blend the true essence of Italian-style espresso and coffee with the service of a local roaster.

“Portland’s Living Room,” Pioneer Courthouse Square. From the iconic Allow Me statue to the surprising “echo spot” near the brick staircase, the Square features entertaining design elements mixed with nods to its history, such as the wrought-iron gate that adorned the Portland Hotel that once occupied this space.

Do your weekends make for an incredible arts itinerary? Do you always know the coolest spots? Visit artslandia.com /weekend to submit your perfect weekend script.

PINE STREET MARKET One of my favorite places to grab lunch or a sweet treat.

The roasted chicken from Pollo Bravo (complete with homemade dipping sauces) is delicious, and Salt & Straw’s soft serve shop, Whiz Bang Bar, features the incredible locally inspired creations you expect from this Portland mainstay.

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c a t eg o r y t i tLeading: le Ladies

Written by Brett Campbell. Photos by Gia Goodrich.

Interview by China Forbes and Storm Large.

RIVALRY? WHAT RIVALRY! Though socially embedded gender roles and even misogyny lead some to ignorantly assume any two women sharing the spotlight equals “dueling divas,” the dual lead singers of Pink Martini—the original frontwoman, China Forbes, and her counterpart, Storm Large—share the true state of affairs. There is no rivalry.

They are a village, happily sharing the benefits and burdens of performing with Portland’s most diverse band. The two recently invited Artslandia to eavesdrop on their conversation about how they are “similar and different in the way that the Westminster dog show is similar and different to a pack of wolves” and yet one another’s biggest fan.

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t i t l e category

di·va ['d v ] noun • a famous female opera singer.

• a famous female singer of popular music.

• a self-important person who is temperamental and difficult to please (typically used of a woman).

Origin: late 19th century; via Italian from Latin, literally ‘goddess’

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l a d i e s l e a d i n g d u a l d i va s

P

ut two great male singers in a band, Lennon and McCartney or Henley and Frey, and what do you call it? Supergroup! But try it with two females, and... catfight?

That’s what a few haters snarked in 2011 when one of Portland’s best known vocal stars, Storm Large, joined one of its most beloved bands, Pink Martini— whose lead singer since its 1994 inception had been China Forbes. When vocal cord surgery sidelined Forbes, Large (better known at that point for hard rock swagger than PM’s arty lounge sound) blew in, replacing Forbes on a tour that summer and winning raves.

“I always hoped we could find a way to collaborate,” Pink Martini founder and pianist Thomas Lauderdale said when Large first joined. “She is a brilliant, beautiful, charismatic, and seductive star who would give Jayne Mansfield a run for her money.”

While Forbes healed, comparisons and questions inevitably arose, and some wondered: Did the band’s future lie with elegant, refined Forbes or with gritty, foul-mouthed Large.

Even though Pink Martini has always been classically trained pianist Thomas Lauderdale’s creation and has followed his quirky blend of classical, Latin jazz, and French cafe music, Forbes (previously an off-Broadway actress and singer-songwriter) has been its glamorous frontwoman and important songwriter from the get-go. Her charismatic singing, understated, even ironic, persona, and ability to command the spotlight with symphony orchestras and in the Hollywood Bowl—without making the show all about her—“made the band possible,” Lauderdale told The Oregonian. “The way into the music is through her voice. She helps articulate the romance and the lushness of the songs. China helped broaden the vision of what the band can be,” he said. “There’s been a huge folk, pop, rock influence that we wouldn’t have had. She’s the reason the band has been so successful.”

Forbes’ genius lies in the convincing delivery of everything from opera arias to retro-romantic stage musical ballads to cheesy pre-rock pop, in multiple languages. That’s why Lauderdale enlisted Forbes—his old Harvard classmate and buddy (they used to play and sing opera arias in their dorm common room at night)—when he started the band in the first place.

Over a decade and a half, the oddball ensemble of “musical archeologists” rose to international prominence, playing arenas, festivals, and clubs around the world. And then, in the summer of 2011, vocal polyps threatened the ensemble’s dominant voice, with surgery and an extended leave of absence the only option for a full but uncertain recovery.

Enter Large, lead singer of Storm and The Balls, reality television contestant, and star of the smash hit Crazy Enough— her autobiographical, one-woman musical that included such numbers as 8 Miles Wide, a tribute to her vagina. Her turn at the mic began with four soldout concerts with the National 12

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Symphony Orchestra at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. One can see where trouble might have ensued, particularly upon Forbes’ triumphant return to the stage and the band she made famous.

Of course, women have shared the mike in bands for ages, from the Supremes to The Shirelles to Destiny’s Child. But with a few exceptions (Fleetwood Mac, Sleater-Kinney, Throwing Muses), usually a single alpha female takes the lead. It’s rare for bands to replace an established, popular, successful singer with another star—and then have both share the lead. That’s what Pink Martini was trying to do, amid sexist social pressures that tend to pit accomplished females against each other even more than their male counterparts.

But like all stereotypes, those assumptions and precedents didn’t account for the reality of the two individuals involved.

And both Large and Forbes, secure in their own artistry, had plenty of reasons to welcome the shared spotlight, since, for the most part, they alternate PM performances. Lauderdale was initially loath to invite comparisons by featuring both in the same show, but the shared role made a lot of sense.

At the forefront of Forbes’ reality is motherhood. She’d spent 15 years on the road before her hiatus, touring through her pregnancy and rejoining the band when her son was just nine weeks old. The demanding international touring schedule meant time away from her boy, a trade-off that made performing bittersweet. After having time at home to bond while recovering from surgery, sharing the spotlight afforded Forbes the gift of her desired work-life balance.

Large—who recommended the OHSU physician who ultimately treated Forbes’ vocal polyps—“relieved the pressure on my shoulders of keeping the band going,” Forbes told The Oregonian. “I don’t feel any competitiveness with her because now I’m secure in myself. Some songs she does way better than I did, and she’s so entertaining. Thank God for her because I would have been in the loony bin.”

For her part, Large welcomed both sharing the burden and the band’s variety. “One of the things I love about singing with Pink Martini is it’s not all about me for a change,” she said. “I’ve been a solo singer for 20 years. It’s so relaxing,” she said, not to occupy the solo spotlight for a whole show, as she’d had to do with her own bands. While she maintained a solo career, learning from Forbes and her occasional performances with Pink Martini allowed Large to stretch her musical muscles. “I have fought my theatrical and dramatic leanings for more than 15 years because I thought they weren’t cool or rock ’n’ roll,” she told Artslandia Magazine a few years ago. “Singing with the Symphony and Pink Martini, writing love songs where nobody >>>>

“ We have a unique situation that nobody else has. We’re sharing.

It’s different.”

—China Forbes

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fceaat teg u roer yn et ietdl et i t l e

“ I consider us to be soloists in a big posse of soloists.”

—Storm Large

14

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d u a l d i va s l a d i es leading

continued from page 12 >>>> dies at the end, is the next step in my artistic evolution. It forces me to be soft, vulnerable, and feminine…qualities that, a few years ago, I would have considered to be the most humiliating to ever take on.”

The joint venture also benefited the band, allowing Lauderdale to vary the musical menu as he’d long desired. It also gives fans yet another reason to see Pink Martini, maybe even twice in a brief span.

The answer to the “China or Storm?” question turned out to be: Better with both. As their conversation reveals, they’re a mutual admiration society and part of something bigger than both of them. “I consider us to be soloists,” Large says, “in a big posse of soloists.”

CHINA: I guess people think we have a rivalry.

STORM: Yeah. Do they ask you?

CHINA: People from time to time say, “Is it hard for you when Storm sings when you’re not there?” They’re curious.

But I don’t think that they assume it’s a rivalry. I think they assume it would

be hard for anyone to surrender their position to someone as amazing as you.

I think it’s just that it’s a natural curiosity that people have, but I don’t assume that it’s negative or catfighty.

STORM: I get more questions with the gravitational pull toward competitive, catty. I’ve found that, more with women artists, it is assumed that we are not going to get along, that we’re going to be difficult to deal with. In the hip-hop world, men get together, and they’ll rap.

Or they’ll rap and have a female singing, and it’s awesome. It’s not assumed that one is vying for the most attention.

When it’s two women, there’s this very traditional opinion in entertainment: the word “diva.” When “diva” is applied to a female entertainer, it signifies that we need to be manhandled; We need to be managed, and we can’t get along with each other. We compete with each other.

And I always found that to be hilarious.

When I was coming up in rock bands, I had women all the time say, “So, I guess, you’re the competition.” I was like, “I could not be more different than you as a singer, as a performer, as a writer.” I don’t know why there would be competition.

Why can’t we just rock together and hang?

CHINA: I feel like, in pop music, there are tons of collaborations, but I think it’s different when it’s “soand-so collaborating with so-and-so” versus “so-and-so singing instead of so-and-so.” We have a unique situation that nobody else has. We’re sharing.

It’s different. In addition, it’s not just women; It’s singers—men and women.

We’re different. Thomas has always said that dealing with singers is different from dealing with everyone else in the band. I think it’s that we want to sing, and we want to sing our songs. And when other people sing, well, then we’re not singing. With women historically feeling threatened by other women, I think it’s because there’s only one position historically that a woman might be able to fill. There’re not hundreds of opportunities for women. So I think that set us up for this dynamic of “If I’m going to be the ONE woman who gets the job, then other women are my competition.”

I feel like that has to be considered. It’s not everyone’s fault for assuming that; It’s sort of the way it’s always been. >>>>

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l a d i e s l e a d i n g d u a l d i va s

continued from page 15

>>>> STORM: I guess so. I’ve never felt threatened by other women, mostly because I never felt like I was a threat, to anyone. I started being a musician out of loneliness and wanting to be a part of a community and belong somewhere where I wasn’t a problem, where I could maybe get free beer, maybe get something to eat. Hopefully, at some point, people would look at me and clap and think what I did was good. I’ve been in the place where I’ve heard a song, by a man or a woman, and been like, “Oh God, I wish I wrote that. I wish I thought to put those words together.” But I’ve never felt competitive with anybody. Or maybe I’ve compared myself to China in the sense of “China totally knows how to dress!

I look like I’m coming to teach people weightlifting, and they’re going to pay me with cigarettes.” I’m just sort of a tomboy dude, right?

CHINA [in a funny voice]: But you clean up real well!

STORM: It takes a village. I don’t know what I’m doing! But it’s fun, and it’s awesome. And you’ve been such a great teacher in terms of being in this band, and that’s always how I’ve perceived it. We were friends. And then, when you were recovering from vocal surgery, I was terrified because I know that perception outside. There’s this thing: It isn’t Pink Martini if China’s not there. It is China or nothing. And I understood that because you guys have such a history. But you notice this in magazines and in entertainment everywhere that to lift a woman up, they tear another one down. Why can’t you just admire and lift up another woman? Why does it have to be on the back of the abuse you give someone else?

CHINA: I don’t know. Maybe people need to have their person that they idolize and worship; Maybe they don’t feel like they can give all that energy to more than one person if they’re going to be that kind of fan.

STORM: When I was dating Toby, who does sound sometimes for Pink Martini, I went somewhere with a symphony. Everybody was acting scared of me, making sure everything was OK, acting like I had flipped out and eaten a baby or something. I was texting Toby, “What’s up with this? Do you think

maybe my contract makes me sound like a bitch or something?” because he’s worked with so many singers. He said, “This is kind of the norm—that female singers are scary and demanding and stuff like that.” So there is maybe some truth (or at least experience) to the origins of a stereotype, possibly.

But not allowing for individual experience is what I have a problem with.

CHINA: Well. I mean, what you just said is frustrating to hear because I feel like (and we all know this), women who are strong and demand what they really need are “bitches,” and men just do that anyway. That’s just being a man, being a professional.

STORM: That’s why I just punch.

CHINA: That blows.

ARTSLANDIA: Ok, just one prompt. I would like to hear you both describe each other.

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“Today @pinkmartini released the brand new single I Am Woman. @chinaforbes and @stormof69 duetting at long last.”

—@chinaforbes (July 13, 2018)

d u a l d i va s l a d i es leading

possibly bring.” I felt, suddenly, a little embarrassed.

You have such precision with your mind and with your instrument. And there’s zero phoniness. Any good singer could get up in front of Pink Martini and be the instrument and have vocal chops, but you have such grace and genuine character. And your wit and your intelligence are laser-focused but so natural and disarming. And you’re a glamour puss!

You’re beautiful and wild and refined.

CHINA: Now! But when I first performed with Pink Martini, I was just flying by the seat of my pants. It’s like nothing I had done or thought I would ever do.

And so, at first, it was just chaotic and random. And then, we started performing with orchestras. That’s when I was like, “This is a different level, and I can’t just be half-assed anymore.” Singing feels different because, when I had vocal cord surgery, I realized I’m never going to let myself get to that point again where I’m singing through colds and straining. I rest my voice more. It feels very supple. There are no residual issues, and (knock on wood) it’s been reliable. And now that I study pretty regularly, I feel like I have more tools in my kit.

STORM: Yeah, I was saying to my band, I want to take opera, not because I want to sing opera, but because I want more tools. I’ve heard opera singers function vocally with a horrible cold. It’s a muscular difference in their approach.

CHINA: Well, I’ll go first. When I first saw you perform, I said to Thomas, “She is really a good singer!” I just felt that your voice was almost like musical theater. And your personality is Courtney Love. Like if Courtney Love did musical theater and was fearless and dove into the audience. You’re riveting, and you’re strong and powerful. Your banter is hilarious. And you’re so smart... quick. And the voice... I feel like there’s nothing you can’t sing or do. It’s amazing. And you’re very kind.

STORM: No, I’m not! I’m ferocious!

CHINA: I think you swear a lot because you’re actually just nerdy and sweet, and you’re trying to be bad.

STORM: I felt the same way. I was friends with you and Thomas before, so I learned about the band and the music from within it. I first saw you with Pink Martini at the Greek Theatre, and I was so excited.

You were so perfect. I was just like, “I don’t know why I’m in this band. I don’t know what I could

CHINA: And also I think is a psychological difference, knowing how to sing over the cold.

STORM: …which is crazy. I just… ugh.

CHINA: But, hopefully, we will never do that.

STORM: Oh, yeah. Knock on wood. We don’t have to do that. .

Next up for Pink Martini is the LA Philharmonic 100th Anniversary Gala, September 27, in Los Angeles, California. See pinkmartini.com for additional tour dates. See Storm Large at the Britt Festival, September 8, in Jacksonville, Oregon, and in a special, 10th anniversary engagement of Crazy Enough, June 25–30, at Portland Center Stage at The Armory. See stormlarge.com for additional tour dates.

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LILA DOWNS

In The Spotlight:

Written by Emilly Prado.

Photo by Marcela Taboada.

Photo by Marcela Taboada.

Downs belts canciones that’ll move you to dance, cry, swig mezcal, and raise your picket signs proudly.

Artslandia caught up with her in anticipation of her October show in Portland.

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l i l a d ow n s i n t h e s potlight makes music for the people. Long M before carving her own niche in the exican-born musician Lila Downs

musical landscape with her self-released debut album, Ofrenda, in 1994, winning a Grammy and several Latin Grammys, or studying classical voice as an undergraduate student at the University of Minnesota, Downs began singing songs steeped in tradition just a few short years after learning to use words. “I was five or six when I imitated the performers in old films with Pedro Infante and Lola Beltrán,” she says. “I think, by nature, I was attracted to those songs.”

[experience] a denial of existence, in a sense, so it’s very difficult to be proud of yourself,” she says. “I ended up having a crisis of identity.”

Her musical journey also shares her continued and relevant story of unlearning and rejecting the potent, lingering effects of colonization on the Americas.

When Downs was 16 years old, her father suffered a heart attack and died suddenly. In addition to losing a parent, she felt like she was losing a tie to the

Salón, Lágrimas y Deseo (2017), her 16th album and latest release that winds subtly between genres, won her a fourth Latin Grammy for the Best Traditional Pop Vocal of 2017. On Peligrosa, Downs channels the deep-reaching howls of Chavela Vargas’ dramatic rancheras and showcases her everlasting operatic vocals, while Urge, opts for a mystical, horn-heavy cumbia soundscape. Indie singer Carla Morrison joins Downs on the downtempo ballad Ser Paloma, which pays tribute to the strength of women and speaks out against domestic violence. The music video debuted earlier this summer and featured 50 cisgender and transgender women and girls of varying ages, nationalities, and occupations, perfectly epitomizing her continued commitment to social justice and equal representation for all.

“[My mother] used to dance in clubs in Mexico City. My dad said that they were clubs, but of course, she said that they were cafes,” Downs recalls with a laugh. “She used to dance and sing in her very Indian manner—very sentimental and attached to rancheras, our traditional form of music, kind of like the blues of Mexico.

While holding intense love for culture was a household keystone for Downs’ parents—a Mixtec cabaret singer and a Scottish-American professor of art and cinema—it was an outlook Downs herself had to work diligently toward throughout her life to fully embrace. Now, she commands international audiences while decorated in vibrant huipils and rebozos, her thick black hair woven in braids with satin ribbon, and bellowing songs in native tribal languages, but embracing her rich indigenous roots wasn’t always second nature.

“I happen to be from an Indian, or Native American, family in Mexico—the Mixtec— but I wasn’t taught to be conscious of that when I was younger,” she says. “You learn what you’re taught, and [in Latin America, it] is usually about trying to erase your Indianness and trying to be more European or Spanish. That is a constant contradiction in our identity, and it continues to be an issue in all of Latin America. It’s the story of a lot of us Latin people. [It’s] what we are taught in schools and our socialization.”

Downs grew up in flux, evenly splitting her time into yearly intervals between the United States and Mexico with her family, but confrontations of her biculturality were constant on both sides of the border. “On top of being kind of denied by our Anglo family and Anglos around me in the U.S., [indigenous people] also

U.S. and a tie to the identity she learned to be synonymous with value. “I was left with my short and dark Indian mother with a thick [Mixtec] accent. I was very unhappy and uncomfortable,” Downs says. So, she left to the United States to become a Deadhead (a fervent follower of musical group Grateful Dead) and spent years roaming without a clear sense of direction or purpose. But one fateful trip back home to the Tlaxiaco valley of Oaxaca, Downs’ mother sat her down for a frank conversation.

“I remember she locked the door to the room and said, ‘OK, we’re going to have it out now,’ says Downs. “I said to her, ‘I’m ashamed of hanging out with you because you don’t speak correctly.’ She confronted me and [asked why.] That’s when the turning point started.”

By singing in indigenous languages such as her native Mixtec and Zapotec and Nahuatl, Downs reclaims her heritage while offering a spotlight for the languages and peoples pushed to the margins for centuries. Even when Downs hasn’t experienced a particular struggle, such as crossing the perilous U.S.-Mexico border, her deep empathy for others and aptitude for songwriting and storytelling serve as a profoundly influential podium.

Although indigenous rights and women’s rights have slowly garnered more attention on a global scale over the past few decades, Downs knows the collective fight is far from over. “We have a lot of stigma and racism and ethnocentricism toward original peoples of the Americas to overcome. We still have to work very hard to legitimize our lives. We are on the sidelines of society.”

In addition to creating music fueled by equal parts passion and protest, Downs engages in further political activism by speaking boldly against the oppression of all peoples, encouraging people to vote, and joining the nonviolent, nonpartisan initiative El Día Después to urge for peace following the 2018 Mexican presidential elections. Downs is also, naturally, currently working on her 17th album.

As she gears up to visit Portland for her show at the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall and continue her tour of the U.S. alongside the likes of Emmylou Harris and Jackson Brown with the Lantern Tour: Concerts for Migrant and Refugee Families, she says she’s excited to continue helping foster community through her work: “I believe that music can really change society.” .

See Lila Downs with the Oregon Symphony, October 22, 7:30 p.m. at the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall. orsymphony.org ARTSLANDIA.COM

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SoundStories Three unexpected, vividly imagined collaborations

PETRUSHKA

HANSEL AND GRETEL

PEER GYNT

The tale of Petrushka comes to life with exhilarating stage creations by Doug Fitch, weaving together themes of love, loneliness, and brutality, all set against the hustle and bustle of St. Petersburg’s Shrovetide Fair.

The Chicago-based Manual Cinema lights Humperdinck’s fairy-tale opera, set in the depths of the thick German forest, with the dazzling, phantasmic effects of shadow puppetry.

The redemptive journey of Peer Gynt, from his humble peasant village to the troll-infested mountains of Norway, is depicted through the eyes of Peer himself in bold, animated photos and art projected on SoundStories screens above the orchestra.

NOVEMBER 3, 4 & 5, 2018, 7:30 PM

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7/15/14 5:59 PM

MU S I C

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SEPTEMBER 1

OREGON SYMPHONY AT THE ZOO Oregon Symphony, Oregon Zoo The Oregon Symphony launches its 2018–19 season at the Oregon Zoo. Join them in this gorgeous natural setting for a delightful two-hour program of classical favorites, including Gershwin’s American in Paris, Bizet’s Carmen Suite, and Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture.

Conducted by Carlos Kalmar. zooconcerts.com SEPTEMBER 5

RODRIGO Y GABRIELA Oregon Symphony, Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall World-renowned acoustic guitar duo Rodrigo y Gabriela joins forces with the Oregon Symphony for a captivating night of epic riffs and intimate instrumentals. Conducted

by Norman Huynh. orsymphony.org SEPTEMBER 7–9

STAR WARS: A NEW HOPE IN CONCERT Oregon Symphony, Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall Luke Skywalker begins a journey that will change the galaxy, as he leaves his home planet, battles the evil Empire, and learns the ways of the Force. Don’t miss A New Hope in Concert, with the Oregon Symphony orchestra performing John Williams’ score live. Conducted by Norman Huynh. orsymphony.org

DANCE

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ARTS GUIDE SEPTEMBER 9

SEPTEMBER 22 & 23

SEPTEMBER 23

40 ANNIVERSARY SEASON GUEST SOLOIST PREVIEW: CHAMBER CONCERT SERIES

THE VIGIL: THE RACHMANINOFF VESPERS

AUTUMN EQUINOX PUB SING

Cappella Romana, St. Mary's Cathedral / Trinity Episcopal Cathedral

Portland Revels, British Overseas Restaurant Corporation

TH

Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, Kiggins Theatre The exclusive preview of upcoming guest soloists for the Vancouver Symphony’s 40th Anniversary Classical Concert series, featuring local piano virtuoso Dimitri Zhgenti, pianist Dr. Michael Liu, and VSO principal musicians. vancouversymphony.org SEPTEMBER 13 & 14

CONTRALTO Third Angle New Music, PICA Described as “imaginative, resourceful, witty, defiant” (Steve Smith, National Sawdust), Sarah Hennies’ powerful work for film and live instruments unites voices of transgender women with a dense and varied musical score.

This work exists in between the spaces of experimental music and documentary and is presented as part of PICA’s TBA Festival. thirdangle.org SEPTEMBER 15

MUSIC OF U2 Oregon Symphony, Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall Join the Oregon Symphony for a classic rock tribute to U2 performed as you’ve never heard it before. Take a musical journey spanning four decades of unforgettable hits including With or Without You, I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For, Pride (In the Name of Love), Sunday Bloody Sunday, Desire, One, and many more. Conducted by Brent Havens with vocals by Tony Vincent. orsymphony.org

This is Sergei Rachmaninoff’s All-Night Vigil as you’ve never heard it before, directed by Slavic choral expert Benedict Sheehan from St. Tikhon’s Seminary. The program is enhanced with Znamenny Chants for the Holy Cross and selections by Rachmaninoff’s Russian contemporaries. Featuring superstar basso profundo Glenn Miller as a soloist, this concert is not to be missed! Free pre-concert talk and discussion with conductor Benedict Sheehan one hour prior to each performance. cappellaromana.org SEPTEMBER 22

LILY TOMLIN Oregon Symphony, Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall Get ready for an unforgettable night of fun and sidesplitting laughter with the incomparable Lily Tomlin. The Oregon Symphony does not perform. orsymphony.org SEPTEMBER 23

OPENING NIGHT WITH RENÉE FLEMING Oregon Symphony, Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall The timeless Renée Fleming returns to transfix us all with her legendary voice and spellbinding artistry. Conducted by Carlos Kalmar. orsymphony.org

Welcome the autumn with traditional tunes and some wonderful favorite seasonal songs led by Dick Lewis and other song leaders. Enjoy food, drink, and revelry! portlandrevels.org SEPTEMBER 29 & 30

OPENING CELEBRATION: CLASSICAL CONCERT Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, Skyview Concert Hall Maestro Brotons and the VSO celebrate Leonard Bernstein’s 100th anniversary with excerpts from some of the composer’s most beloved masterworks. VSO welcomes back critically acclaimed violin virtuoso Mayuko Kamio, Gold Medalist of the International Tchaikovsky Competition. vancouversymphony.org SEPTEMBER 29–OCTOBER 1

BRAHMS’ FOURTH SYMPHONY Oregon Symphony, Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall Filled with urgency and beauty, Brahms’ monumental final symphony boldly affirms the composer’s masterful touch. The exceptionally nuanced Inon Barnatan lends sophistication and flair to Copland’s jazzy Piano Concerto. Conducted by Jun Märkl. orsymphony.org

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SEPTEMBER 15–OCTOBER 28 // U.S. BANK MAIN STAGE

THE COLOR PURPLE PORTLAND CENTER STAGE AT THE ARMORY

FEATURED SHOW: THE COLOR PURPLE From Alice Walker’s Pulitzer Prize-winning bestseller comes a powerful musical with a fresh, joyous score of jazz, ragtime, gospel, and blues. This stirring family chronicle follows the inspirational Celie from the early to mid 20th century in the American south, as she journeys from childhood to womanhood, through joy and despair, anguish and hope to discover the power of love and life. With a soul-rousing, Grammywinning score, The Color Purple is an unforgettable and intensely moving American classic.

pcs.org Lana Gordon (Shug), Felicia Boswell (Celie). Photo by Kate Szrom.

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sep t em b er calendar D A NC E

SEPTEMBER 6

16TH ANNUAL TBA FESTIVAL OPENING NIGHT: THE BEAUTIFUL STREET PICA To kickoff the 16th TBA Festival, step into the thriving Pacific Northwest street-and-club dance community and experience a seven-to-smoke freestyle dance battle, The Beautiful Street, where dancers will compete, round for round, in the styles of breakdance, hip-hop, house, locking, popping, vogue, waacking, and more. Celebrating individuality, creativity, and technique, freestyle dancers are fueled by the music, each other, and the crowd. This battle will engage and inspire. The dance battle will be followed by an epic dance party! pica.org/tba SEPTEMBER 27–29

CARMEN + WORLD PREMIERE NW Dance Project, Newmark Theatre Celebrating their 15th anniversary season, NWDP welcomes the return of Ihsan Rustem’s smash hit Carmen. Experience the mayhem and passion of Rustem’s work featuring original costumes from Portland fashion designer Michelle Lesniak and an inventive set from award-winning designer Luis Crespo.

Topping off the program will be a world premiere work from Artistic Director Sarah Slipper that brings new meaning to the words flare, satirical, dark, and dramatic. nwdanceproject.org T H E AT E R

SEPTEMBER 2

NATIONAL THEATRE LIVE: MACBETH Third Rail Repertory Theatre, World Trade Center Theater Third Rail's hi-definition screenings feature amazing productions from London's National Theatre, captured live onstage and presented locally in high-definition video. Shakespeare’s most intense and terrifying tragedy, directed by Rufus Norris (The Threepenny Opera, London Road),

will see Rory Kinnear (Young Marx, Othello) and Anne-Marie Duff (Oil, Suffragette) return to the National Theatre to play Macbeth and Lady Macbeth. thirdrailrep.org SEPTEMBER 2

NATIONAL THEATRE LIVE: THE CURIOUS INCIDENT OF THE DOG IN THE NIGHT-TIME Third Rail Repertory Theatre, World Trade Center Theater Third Rail's hi-definition screenings feature amazing productions from London's National Theatre, captured live onstage and presented locally in high-definition video. This critically acclaimed production, adapted for the stage by award-winning playwright Simon Stephens and directed by Marianne Elliot (Angels in America, War Horse) has astonished audiences around the world and has received seven Olivier and five Tony Awards. thirdrailrep.org SEPTEMBER 2–30

SKELETON CREW Artists Repertory Theatre, Morrison Stage It's 2008, and one of the last auto plants in Detroit is dying on the vine.

Amidst the backbreaking work and brutally long shifts, employees have somehow shaped themselves into a makeshift family. Heartbreakingly tense with moments of ethereal beauty, Skeleton Crew reveals the struggle to stay relevant in a society that constantly changes. artistsrep.org SE PT E M BE R 7– O C T O B E R 1 4

PIPPIN Lakewood Theatre, Lakewood Center for the Arts Join Lakewood Theatre in the world of Pippin, a young prince and heir to the throne, who is eager to find his “corner of the sky.” Will he discover his purpose in life and find what it truly means to be extraordinary? With infectious tunes

by Stephen Schwartz (Godspell, Wicked) and sizzling choreography influenced by Bob Fosse, Pippin is a show-stopping fantasy tale that questions the choices we make in life that lead us to happiness. lakewood-center.org

Modern American Realism: Highlights from the Smithsonian’s Sara Roby Foundation Collection at the Portland Art Museum, October 20–April 28.

Edward Hopper, Cape Cod Morning (born Nyack, NY 1882– died New York City 1967), 1950. Oil on canvas, 34 1/8 x 40 ¼ inches. Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of the Sara Roby Foundation.

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John Ellingson and Joellen Sweeney in Elephant & Piggie's We Are In A Play!, September 22–October 21, at Northwest Children's Theater. Photo by David Kinder.

joy and despair, anguish and hope to discover the power of love and life. With a soul-rousing, Grammy-winning score, The Color Purple is an unforgettable and intensely moving American classic. pcs.org SEPTEMBER 20–OCTOBER 14

ORDINARY DAYS Broadway Rose, New Stage Auditorium A romance on the rocks, an artist’s vision stalled, and a graduate thesis in peril lead four young New Yorkers through a series of intersecting vignettes in this captivating new musical.

While Claire and Jason struggle to confront the fracture in their relationship, Warren and Deb form a quirky friendship over an unshared love of the Met. Unfolding through an intricate, original score, their individual journeys ultimately overlap in one extraordinary moment that alters the course of their lives and reveals the simple beauty of letting go to truly live. broadwayrose.org SEPTEMBER 22–OCTOBER 21

ELEPHANT & PIGGIE'S WE ARE IN A PLAY! Northwest Children's Theater

SEPTEMB ER 8 –1 2

UNEXPLODED ORDNANCES Artists Repertory Theatre, Alder Stage With the personas of a bombastic general and an ineffectual president, this playfully urgent interactive piece encourages discussion about our political landscape. In the Situation Room, 12 audience members are invited to become a ‘Council of Elders’ and discuss the global issues of the day, as the company weaves in satirical insights and humor.

Combining a Dr. Strangeloveinspired performance with a daring forum for public conversation, Unexploded Ordnances (UXO)

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explores aging, anxiety, hidden desires, and how to look forward when the future is uncertain. artistsrep.org SE PT E M BE R 15– OCT O B E R 2 8

THE COLOR PURPLE Portland Center Stage at The Armory, U.S. Bank Main Stage From Alice Walker’s Pulitzer Prize-winning bestseller comes a powerful musical with a fresh, joyous score of jazz, ragtime, gospel and blues. This stirring family chronicle follows the inspirational Celie from the early to mid 20th century in the American south, as she journeys from childhood to womanhood, through

Meet “bestus friends” Gerald the Elephant and Piggie the Pig. Together, they tackle friendship’s big questions: What happens when two friends want to play with ONE toy? What DO you wear to party? And will ANYONE say “Banana"? nwcts.org

pleasures. (All of which might sound dreary, but there’s a chance this will be a really good experience.) portlandplayhouse.org SEPTEMBER 29–NOVEMBER 11

A LIFE Portland Center Stage at The Armory, Ellyn Bye Studio Nate Martin is hopelessly single.

When his most recent breakup, another in a lifelong string of ill-fated matches, casts him into a funk, he turns to the only source of wisdom he trusts: the stars.

Poring over astrological charts, he obsessively questions his past and his place in the cosmos. But in Adam Bock's wickedly funny, insightful, and disarming new play, the answer he receives, when it comes, is shockingly obvious —and totally unpredictable. pcs.org C U LT U R E

THROUGH SEPTEMBER 16

THE SHAPE OF SPEED Portland Art Museum The Portland Art Museum is pleased to announce The Shape of Speed: Streamlined Automobiles and Motorcycles, 1930–1942, a special exhibition that debuted at the Museum Summer 2018. Featuring 19 rare streamlined automobiles and motorcycles, The Shape of Speed will be on view through September 16. portlandartmuseum.org THROUGH SEPTEMBER 16

SEPTEMBER 26–OCTOBER 21

SUZUKI HARUNOBU AND THE CULTURE OF COLOR

WAKEY, WAKEY

Portland Art Museum

Portland Playhouse

Featuring 28 prints from the Museum’s collection, including several designs that are the only known impression, Suzuki Harunobu and the Culture of Color offers a rare opportunity to see a rich assembly of work by one of the most celebrated artists in the history of the Japanese print. portlandartmuseum.org

What are we here for? Is time a friend or an enemy? Do we all eventually end up in the same place but take different routes to get there? This funny, moving, and thought-provoking new play challenges the notion of what really matters and recognizes the importance of life’s simple

SEPTEMBER 20 // ARLENE SCHNITZER CONCERT HALL

DERAY MCKESSON:

ON THE OTHER SIDE OF FREEDOM TOUR Literary Arts

DERAY MCKESSON: ON THE OTHER SIDE OF FREEDOM TOUR Join civil rights leader DeRay Mckesson for a timely conversation on culture, social justice, and politics.

As a leading voice in the Black Lives Matter movement, co-founder of Campaign Zero, and host of the podcast Pod Save the People, Mckesson is at the forefront of progressive activism around social justice. $40 ticket includes a copy of On the Other Side of Freedom: The Case for Hope by DeRay Mckesson (a $25 value).

literary-arts.org

Photo by Blair Caldwell.

FEATURED SHOW:

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THROUGH SEPTEMBER 23

THROUGH OCTOBER 28

THROUGH MARCH 17

SEPTEMBER 6–29

RICHARD DIEBENKORN: BEGINNINGS, 1942–1955

SU-MEI TSE: L’ECHO

SAMANTHA WALL: PHANTOM LIMBS

Portland Art Museum

L’Echo (2003) finds the artist and her cello near the edge of a vast mountain canyon. She bows her instrument, listens and waits, then begins to play a duet with the resulting reverberations in the landscape. The moment instills wonder and inspires a physical and psychic connection to the sublime. portlandartmuseum.org

PORTLAND PSYCHEDELIC: MUSIC AND CULTURE IN THE ROSE CITY AND BEYOND, 1966–1972

Featuring 100 paintings and drawings from the collection of the Richard Diebenkorn Foundation, Richard Diebenkorn: Beginnings, 1942–1955 traces the Portlandborn artist’s evolution from representational landscape, to surrealist-inspired work, to his abstract expressionist paintings. portlandartmuseum.org THROUGH OCTOBER 21

IN THE BEGINNING: MINOR WHITE'S OREGON PHOTOGRAPHS Portland Art Museum This exhibition of White’s rarely exhibited early works celebrates the artist’s influence on the region and honors the Museum’s dedication to acquiring and exhibiting photography as the institution enters its 125th year. portlandartmuseum.org THROUGH OCTOBER 28

THE PLAYFUL BRUSH: WORKS BY THE MEITO SHODO-KAI CALLIGRAPHY ASSOCIATION Oregon Historical Society In Shodo (Japanese calligraphy), the brush creates living art by exploring the balance between lines and space. The Meito Shodo-Kai Calligraphy Association pursues the graphic beauty of Kanji (Chinese characters imported to Japan that are still used today) through various aspects of style and expression. ohs.org

Portland Art Museum

Russo Lee Gallery

Arena, the resulting series of this dedicated two-year study, is a conceptual counterpoint to the exhibition The Shape of Speed, demonstrating the starkly complex and beautiful systems that support car culture. portlandartmuseum.org

Portland served as a common West Coast stop for touring bands in the 1960s and 1970s, with a number of nationally known musicians playing shows in the Rose City. Local music thrived at the same time, centered on psychedelic coffeehouses across Portland. Featuring posters, handbills, autographs, and other memorabilia representing bands including The Doors, Jefferson Airplane, and Buffalo Springfield, Portland Psychedelic includes over 100 objects recently donated to the Oregon Historical Society Research Library by donor Peter Glazer. ohs.org

For the month of September, the Russo Lee Gallery will present Phantom Limbs by gallery artist Samantha Wall. Phantom Limbs is an exploration of family identity, cultural history, and loss. The drawing exhibition interweaves portraiture with Korean ritual narratives, summoning the past in order to decipher the present.

Originally from Seoul, South Korea, Samantha Wall immigrated to the United States as a child.

She received her BFA from The University of South Carolina and her MFA from Pacific Northwest College of Art. Her work has been featured in both solo and group exhibitions regionally and nationally. russoleegallery.com

THROUGH DECEMBER

THROUGH JUNE 9

SEPTEMBER 20

WE. CONSTRUCT. MARVELS. BETWEEN. MONUMENTS.

CCNA: NOT FRAGILE Portland Art Museum

Portland Art Museum

Not Fragile features artists from across the Pacific Northwest who use glass in innovative ways to impart messages of strength, resilience, and insubordination. In this exhibition, artists underscore the power of traditional iconography, craft bold social statements, and reflect the beauty, vulnerability, and transformative power of glass. portlandartmuseum.org

THROUGH OCTOBER 28

ROBBERT FLICK: ARENA Portland Art Museum

We. Construct. Marvels. Between.

Monuments. is a dynamic, artist-led exhibition series that invites a range of emerging and established voices to ask questions about how the Museum can become more artist-centered and inclusive in its practices and more critically engaged with a broader array of emerging and established artists in the region. portlandartmuseum.org THROUGH FEBRUARY 10

APEX: AVANTIKA BAWA Portland Art Museum APEX presents a new body of work by Portland-based artist Avantika Bawa. Looking at a singular Portland architectural structure, she presents her ongoing series of drawings, prints, and large panel paintings of the Veterans Memorial Coliseum. portlandartmuseum.org

Oregon Historical Society

THROUGH AUGUST

PICTURING OREGON Portland Art Museum In conjunction with the Museum’s 125th anniversary, Picturing Oregon offers an extraordinary opportunity to reflect on the importance of place and to celebrate the incredible geographic diversity of Oregon and the artists whose work it inspired. portlandartmuseum.org

DERAY MCKESSON: ON THE OTHER SIDE OF FREEDOM TOUR Literary Arts, Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall $40 ticket includes a copy of On the Other Side of Freedom: The Case for Hope by DeRay Mckesson (a $25 value). Join civil rights leader DeRay Mckesson for a timely conversation on culture, social justice, and politics. As a leading voice in the Black Lives Matter movement, co-founder of Campaign Zero, and host of the podcast Pod Save the People, Mckesson is at the forefront of progressive activism around social justice. literary-arts.org

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SEPTEMBER 7–OCTOBER 14 // LAKEWOOD CENTER FOR THE ARTS

PIPPIN

Lakewood Theatre Company

PIPPIN Join Lakewood Theatre in the world of Pippin, a young prince and heir to the throne, who is eager to find his “corner of the sky.” Will he discover his purpose in life and find what it truly means to be extraordinary? With infectious tunes by Stephen Schwartz (Godspell, Wicked) and sizzling choreography influenced by Bob Fosse, Pippin is a show-stopping fantasy tale that questions the choices we make in life that lead us to happiness.

lakewood-center.org

Photo by Triumph Photography.

FEATURED SHOW:

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MUSIC

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THROUGH OCTOBER 1

BRAHMS’ FOURTH SYMPHONY Oregon Symphony, Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall SEE PAGE 21 for full description. orsymphony.org OCTOBER 5

THE BIG BANG

45 Parallel, First United Methodist Church th

Join 45th Parallel for a special evening of friends and great music as they celebrate Greg Ewer’s brilliant leadership of 45th Parallel over the past decade. The program will feature the debut of Helios Camerata, Portland’s newest chamber orchestra, performing works by Britten, Lopez, and Rossini. 45thparallelpdx.org OCTOBER 5

DOVER QUARTET: MADE IN AMERICA

Chamber Music NW, Lincoln Performance Hall, PSU CMNW’s 2018–19 artists-inresidence, the dynamic young Dover Quartet, is back and this time bring us a program of music made in America. Works all either commissioned by American presenters or written in the United States. Don’t miss out on this extraordinary concert! cmnw.org OCTOBER 6 & 7

OLGA KERN

DANCE

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ARTS GUIDE

of her generation's great artists.

With her vivid stage presence, passionately confident musicianship, and extraordinary technique, the striking pianist continues to captivate fans and critics alike. Kern was born into a family of musicians with direct links to Tchaikovsky and Rachmaninoff and began studying piano at the age of 5. portlandpiano.org OCTOBER 6 & 7

STAR TREK BEYOND IN CONCERT Oregon Symphony, Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall The third installment in J.J. Abrams’ franchise reboot, Star Trek Beyond is an epic scifi adventure that honors the series’ roots while delivering the mind-blowing action expected of today’s hottest blockbusters and a soaring orchestral score by Michael Giacchino. Conducted by Norman Huynh. orsymphony.org OCTOBER 7

PIANO EXTRAVAGANZA— RETURN OF THE DUO GRAND PIANOS: CHAMBER CONCERT SERIES Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, Kiggins Theatre Enjoy the VSO's third annual Piano Extravaganza, Return of the Duo Grand Pianos. vancouversymphony.org OCTOBER 8

GREGORY ALAN ISAKOV

Portland Piano International, Lincoln Performance Hall, PSU

Oregon Symphony, Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall

Russian-American pianist Olga Kern is now recognized as one

With songs that tell a story of miles, landscapes, and the search

for a sense of place, the indie folk troubadour joins the Symphony for a night of lyrical and emotionally charged music. Conducted by Norman Huynh. orsymphony.org OCTOBER 12 & 13

THE HUMAN VOICE (LA VOIX HUMAINE) PSU Opera, Lincoln Studio Theater Breaking up is hard to do in Francis Poulenc’s rarely performed opera based on a play

by Jean Cocteau. Guest artist Malinda Haslett draws us into the world of a woman who surrenders to love and refuses to let it die. To begin the evening, we explore Poulenc’s formative years and hear some of Cocteau’s poems set to music by Poulenc and others. pdx.edu/music/opera OCTOBER 13–15

KAREN GOMYO PLAYS SIBELIUS Oregon Symphony, Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall Sibelius’ only concerto contains such profound and enigmatic beauty that it can only be described as transcendent. Karen Gomyo adds her “first-rate vitality, brilliance, and intensity” (Chicago Tribune) to this timeless work.

Conducted by Michał Nesterowicz. orsymphony.org OCTOBER 15 & 16

HERMITAGE PIANO TRIO Friends of Chamber Music, Lincoln Performance Hall, PSU Descending from the great Russian musical tradition, the Hermitage Piano Trio is distinguished by its exuberant

musicality, interpretative range, and sumptuous sound. The Trio embodies the majesty of its Russian lineage, while at the same time including in its immense repertoire works from the great European tradition to contemporary American commissions. focm.org OCTOBER 16

GARRY TRUDEAU Oregon Symphony, Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall Social observer and creator of the Pulitzer Prize-winning comic strip Doonesbury, Garry Trudeau has been drawing electoral commentary for nearly a half-century.

No political figure has been spared his biting humor. Now, on national tour, Trudeau shares highlights from his latest book, #SAD!: Doonesbury in the Time of Trump. The Oregon Symphony does not perform. orsymphony.org OCTOBER 20

PSG AFTER DARK! Portland Symphonic Girlchoir, The Portland Racquet Club Come bid on vacation homes and baskets, plus a Wall of Wine!

Enjoy music, delicious hors d’oeuvres, and no-host bar featuring beer and Apolloni wines.

Last year's party was a blast!

Don't miss the 2018 version and the opportunity to support the award-winning Girlchoir. girlchoir.com

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calendar october featuring live performances of onstage Pilobolus works alongside transmedia digital creations. In this brand new repertory show, we invite audiences to come back to their senses and explore the connection between the human body and the analog world around us. whitebird.org

Contemporary Australian circus company Circa connects strength and integrity through movement, October 11–13, at the Newmark Theatre. Photo by Sarah Walker.

OCTOBER 6– 13

NAPOLI Oregon Ballet Theatre, Keller Auditorium Oregon Ballet Theatre’s audiences went wild in 2015 when OBT presented the final act of Napoli. In a complete U.S. production premiere, this Bournonville ballet is as iconic in Denmark as The Nutcracker.

Storytelling at its finest. A young Italian couple, thwarted in their love match, fall prey to an evil sea spirit. It is their true love that breaks the spell in an exuberant spectacle. This uplifting and joyous ballet has become the symbol of The Royal Danish Ballet. obt.org OCTOBER 11– 13

HUMANS (CIRCA) White Bird Dance, Newmark Theatre

OCTOBER 20 & 21

SWING IS THE THING Oregon Symphony, Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall Jump ‘n’ jive from the 1940s right into the jukebox tunes of the ‘50s and ‘60s with hits like Tuxedo Junction, Great Balls of Fire, and Rock Around the Clock. Dancers, vocalists, and clarinet sensation Dave Bennett join in the fun.

Conducted by Jeff Tyzik. orsymphony.org OCTOBER 22

LILA DOWNS Oregon Symphony, Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall Get ready for Día de los Muertos with Grammy Award winner Lila Downs, whose unique voice, 30

ARTSLANDIA.COM

compelling stage presence, and poignant storytelling bridge traditions from across the Americas.

Conducted by Norman Huynh. orsymphony.org

OCTOBER 4– 6

OCTOBER 27–29

White Bird Dance, Newmark Theatre

TCHAIKOVSKY’S SYMPHONY NO. 4 Oregon Symphony, Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall A foreboding opening from the horns sets the stage for an epic journey through fate and destiny in Tchaikovsky’s powerful Symphony No. 4. Portland favorite Jeffrey Kahane performs a “hyperactive fantasy for piano and orchestra,” composed especially for him. Conducted by Carlos Kalmar. orsymphony.org

D A NC E

PILOBOLUS: COME TO YOUR SENSES Co-Artistic Directors Renée Jaworski and Matt Kent.

Astounding transformations.

Mesmerizing movement. Named after a sun-loving fungus, Pilobolus is renowned for blending humor with piercing imagery. After a seven-year absence, Pilobolus returns with a thrilling new program that showcases their remarkable shape-shifting performers who are as much super athletes as dancers. This show is a multisensory experience,

Returning to White Bird for a second time, Circa is at the forefront of the new wave of contemporary Australian circus.

In their newest work, Humans, 10 acrobats take us on a stirring journey of what it means to be human. They show incredible strength and integrity as they connect each moment seamlessly in a thrilling heart-stopping performance. whitebird.org OCTOBER 11– 20

BLOODYVOX: DEADLINE OCTOBER BodyVox, BodyVox Dance Center Funny, bloody, and full of great dancing, this is Halloween as only BodyVox can imagine it.

BloodyVox mimes cinema, folklore, and our collective

continued on page 33

OCTOBER 22 // ARLENE SCHNITZER CONCERT HALL

LILA DOWNS Oregon Symphony

LILA DOWNS Get ready for Día de los Muertos with Grammy Award winner Lila Downs, whose unique voice, compelling stage presence, and poignant storytelling bridge traditions from across the Americas.

Conducted by Norman Huynh.

orsymphony.org

Photo by Marcela Taboada.

FEATURED SHOW:

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OCTOBER 4–6 // NEWMARK THEATRE

PILOBOLUS: COME TO YOUR SENSES White Bird Dance

PILOBOLUS: COME TO YOUR SENSES Co-Artistic Directors RenĂŠe Jaworski and Matt Kent. Astounding transformations. Mesmerizing movement. Named after a sun-loving fungus, Pilobolus is renowned for blending humor with piercing imagery. After a seven-year absence, Pilobolus returns with a thrilling new program that showcases their remarkable shape-shifting performers who are as much super athletes as dancers. This show is a multisensory experience, featuring live performances of onstage Pilobolus works alongside transmedia digital creations. In this brand new repertory show, we invite audiences to come back to their senses and explore the connection between the human body and the analog world around us.

whitebird.org

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Photo by Hibbard Nash Photography.

FEATURED SHOW:

oct ob er calendar continued from page 30

Sierra Leone, Nigeria, Cuba, Bosnia, Vietnam, Argentina, and inner-city Dublin—is formed and compete in the very traditional and ancient Irish sport of hurling.

Led by an alcoholic priest and a washed-up trainer, the team battles discrimination and bureaucratic barriers to make its way to the All-Ireland finals. With humor, wit, and energy, Hurl explores what it means to be Irish in the 21st century. corribtheatre.org

nightmares to bring the season of spirits and All Hallows Eve to life.

Bring family and friends to revel with the spirits and sprites and things that go bump in the night! bodyvox.com OCTOBER 18–20

SPLIT (LUCY GUERIN INC) White Bird Dance, Newmark Theatre

O C T O B E R 5 – N O V EMB ER 3

In Split, space is getting tight and time is getting shorter. Acclaimed Australian choreographer Lucy Guerin’s work is “teeming with rage and passion, movement, and complex relationships,” (The Age, Australia). With delicacy and complexity, Split reveals Guerin’s sharp, elegant choreographic investigations. whitebird.org

_____ THE WOLF Shaking The Tree _____ the wolf is a visual and auditory exploration of desire, longing, and miscommunication of the sexes through the fairy-tale lens. Inspired by Charles Perrault’s Le Petit Chaperon Rouge (Little Red Riding Hood), _____ the wolf invites the audience to go on a forest walk, happen in on five living dioramas, and ask “what if?” shaking-the-tree.com

T H E AT E R

THROUGH OC TO BER 14

PIPPIN Lakewood Theatre, Lakewood Center for the Arts

Catch Karen Gomyo Plays Sibelius, October 13–15, at the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall.

Photo courtesy of Oregon Symphony.

O C T O B E R 7 – N O V EMB ER 4

SMALL MOUTH SOUNDS

SEE PAGE 23 for full description. lakewood-center.org

Artists Repertory Theatre, Alder Stage

TH ROUGH OC TO BER 14

T HROUGH NOVE M B E R 1 1

OCTOBER 5

ORDINARY DAYS

A LIFE

URBAN TELLERS

Broadway Rose, New Stage Auditorium

Portland Center Stage at The Armory, Ellyn Bye Studio

Portland Story Theater, The Old Church

SEE PAGE 24 for full description. broadwayrose.org

SEE PAGE 24 for full description. pcs.org

TH ROUGH OC TO BER 21

OCT OBE R 4– 31

ELEPHANT & PIGGIE'S WE ARE IN A PLAY!

DEATHTRAP

Northwest Children's Theater

The longest-running thriller on Broadway comes to Main Street in downtown Hillsboro. A fiendishly clever plot, with nerve-jangling twists and turns, Deathtrap is a true classic of American theater.

Sidney Bruhl, a once-successful writer of stage thrillers, is in the grip of chronic writer’s block when young playwright Clifford Anderson sends Bruhl his brilliant new whodunit, Deathtrap.

Desperate to set Broadway alight once more, should Bruhl kill the newcomer and pass the play off as his own? bagnbaggage.org

Want to know what Portland is really like? Listen to its stories.

Urban Tellers® shows give people an inside look into the heart and soul of Portland. Every live storytelling show creates a sense of community—an extraordinarily rare experience in this digital age.

Urban Tellers® brings together six people who live among us and features stories of our mutual human experience. pdxstorytheater.org

SEE PAGE 24 for full description. nwcts.org TH ROUGH OC TO BER 21

WAKEY, WAKEY Portland Playhouse SEE PAGE 24 for full description. portlandplayhouse.org TH ROUGH OC TO BER 28

THE COLOR PURPLE Portland Center Stage at The Armory, U.S. Bank Main Stage SEE PAGE 22 for full description. pcs.org

Bag&Baggage, The Vault Theater

®

OCTOBER 5–28

HURL

Tired of not living their 'best life,' six broken individuals gather at a wellness center in the middle of the woods for a weeklong silent retreat to breathe and reset. As the voice from an omniscient guru drones on in broken self-help speech, the attendees struggle to find their inner calm while awkwardly combating their mental and physical desires. Over the course of five days, the group inexpertly attempts to navigate through hurt feelings, crippling faux pas, and exposed vulnerabilities to reach enlightenment. Absurdly funny and profoundly poignant, Small Mouth Sounds encourages us all to put down the phone and just be in the moment. artistsrep.org

Corrib Theatre, New Expressive Works Tradition, desire, and bodies collide when an Irish team made up of immigrants, refugees, and asylum seekers—originally from

Download the Artslandia App to have all these listings in the palm of your hand.

ARTSLANDIA.COM

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OCTOBER 11–20 // BODYVOX DANCE CENTER

BLOODYVOX: DEADLINE OCTOBER BodyVox

BLOODYVOX: DEADLINE OCTOBER Funny, bloody, and full of great dancing, this is Halloween as only BodyVox can imagine it. BloodyVox mimes cinema, folklore, and our collective nightmares to bring the season of spirits and All Hallows Eve to life.

Bring family and friends to revel with the spirits and sprites and things that go bump in the night!

bodyvox.com

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Photo by Michael Shay Polara Studio.

FEATURED SHOW:

oct ob er calendar OCTOB ER 12 –2 1

FIRES IN THE MIRROR Profile Theatre, Artists Repertory Theatre, Morrison Stage 1991 Crown Heights, NY: Simmering tensions between Jewish and African-American residents explode into riots after a tragic accident. Dramatist Anna Deavere Smith’s stunning exploration of the events leading up to and following the conflict utilize her unique style of docu-theater to create riveting portraits of real people involved in and affected by the unrest using verbatim excerpts from personal interviews. profiletheatre.org OCTOB ER 18 –NO VE M BE R 1 1

¡ALEBRIJES!

Milagro, Milagro Theatre Once upon a time, a man, Pedro Linares Lopez, falls deathly ill. In his waking fever dream, he arrives in a forest, and the landscape slowly morphs into a flurry of hybrid creatures. As he escapes their noise, they scream one word: “Alebrijes!” This year’s Día de Muertos performance brings the mysterious tale of the alebrijes to our main stage, where puppetry and mythology abound. milagro.org

hypnosis that Daisy is the reincarnation of a well-bred English lady—with whom he finds himself falling in love. lakewood-center.org

THROUGH OCTOBER 28

THROUGH DECEMBER

THE PLAYFUL BRUSH: WORKS BY THE MEITO SHODO-KAI CALLIGRAPHY ASSOCIATION

WE. CONSTRUCT. MARVELS. BETWEEN. MONUMENTS.

OCT OBE R 20– NOVE M B E R 1 8

Oregon Historical Society

ELLA ENCHANTED

SEE PAGE 26 for full description. ohs.org

THROUGH FEBRUARY 10

THROUGH OCTOBER 28

Portland Art Museum

Oregon Children's Theatre, Newmark Theatre Ella of Frell is anything but ordinary. At birth, she was enchanted by a foolish fairy’s spell: the “gift” of obedience. For the rest of her life, she must obey any command she is given, no matter how absurd or dangerous.

At 15, Ella sets out on a quest to reverse the spell and break the curse forever. A fairy-tale musical full of nasty ogres, evil stepsisters, and—if she has time—a handsome prince! octc.org

SU-MEI TSE: L’ECHO Portland Art Museum SEE PAGE 26 for full description. portlandartmuseum.org THROUGH OCTOBER 28

ROBBERT FLICK: ARENA Portland Art Museum SEE PAGE 24 for full description. portlandartmuseum.org

Portland Art Museum SEE PAGE 26 for full description. portlandartmuseum.org

APEX: AVANTIKA BAWA SEE PAGE 26 for full description. portlandartmuseum.org THROUGH MARCH 17

PORTLAND PSYCHEDELIC: MUSIC AND CULTURE IN THE ROSE CITY AND BEYOND, 1966–1972 Oregon Historical Society SEE PAGE 26 for full description. ohs.org

OCTOBER 28

NATIONAL THEATRE LIVE: THE CURIOUS INCIDENT OF THE DOG IN THE NIGHT-TIME Third Rail Repertory Theatre, World Trade Center Theater

Kailey Rhodes and Benjamin Tissell in Ordinary Days, September 20–October 14, at Broadway Rose New Stage.

Photo by Craig Mitchelldyer.

SEE PAGE 23 for full description. thirdrailrep.org OCTOBER 28

OCTOB ER 19 –2 7

TSESHO?/WHAT'S THAT? Boom Arts, The Paris Theatre Boom Arts proudly presents Teatr-Pralnia (Laundry Theatre) with CCA Dakh of Ukraine in their first U.S. tour. This fearless music-theater ensemble draws on real-time events, Facebook feeds, iconic Ukrainian poetry, catchy vamps, and improvised action to bring their audacious, supercharged puppet cabaret production TseSho?/What’s That? to life. boomarts.org OCTOB ER 19 & 20

ON A CLEAR DAY YOU CAN SEE FOREVER

NATIONAL THEATRE LIVE: KING LEAR Third Rail Repertory Theatre, World Trade Center Theater Third Rail’s hi-definition screenings feature amazing productions from London’s National Theatre, captured live onstage and presented locally in high-definition video. Jonathan Munby directs this contemporary retelling of Shakespeare’s tender, violent, moving, and shocking play, considered by many to be the greatest tragedy ever written. thirdrailrep.org C U LT U R E

THROUGH OCTOBER 21

Lakewood Theatre, Lakewood Center for the Arts, Side Stage

IN THE BEGINNING

When Daisy Gamble decides to visit a psychiatrist to cure her nasty smoking habits, her psychiatrist discovers through

SEE PAGE 26 for full description. portlandartmuseum.org

Portland Art Museum

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calendar october THROUGH JUNE 9

CCNA: NOT FRAGILE Portland Art Museum SEE PAGE 26 for full description. portlandartmuseum.org THROUGH AUGUST

PICTURING OREGON Portland Art Museum SEE PAGE 26 for full description. portlandartmuseum.org OCTOBER 4–27

KO KIRK YAMAHIRA: DECONSTRUCTION AND RECONSTRUCTION Russo Lee Gallery Seattle artist Ko Kirk Yamahira's work is a tactile and unusual approach to minimalism, involving the removal of individual threads from the weave of the canvas. In deconstructing his paintings, he converts surface into form and presents new ways to see classically modern shapes. His work inhabits the entire space, hanging from wall and ceiling,

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revealing the original bones of the painting while creating softer, elegantly draping forms russoleegallery.com

OCTOBER 13–JANUARY 13

OCTOBER 11

Drawn from one of the finest private collections in North America, the paintings and calligraphy in Poetic Imagination span from the eighth through the 20th century and represent courtly, Buddhist, and literati spheres of artistic activity. Most of them are unveiled to the public for the first time here. portlandartmuseum.org

PORTLAND ARTS & LECTURES: JILL LEPORE Literary Arts, Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall The 34th season of Portland Arts & Lectures features some of the most engaging writers at work today. They are novelists, essayists, and journalists whose award-winning works cover the most compelling issues of our time. The series begins with Jill Lepore, author of The New York Times bestseller The Secret History of Wonder Woman and National Book Award finalist Book of Ages, discussing her new book, These Truths. literary-arts.org

POETIC IMAGINATION IN JAPANESE ART Portland Art Museum

OCTOBER 20–APRIL 28

MODERN AMERICAN REALISM Portland Art Museum A selection of treasured artworks from the permanent collection of the Smithsonian American Art Museum, Modern American Realism includes 44 paintings

and sculptures from the 1910s to the 1980s that encompass the range of what can broadly be called modern realism, from sociopolitical to psychological, from satirical to surrealist. portlandartmuseum.org OCTOBER 27–FEBRUARY 24

MEMORY UNEARTHED: THE LODZ GHETTO PHOTOGRAPHS OF HENRYK ROSS Portland Art Museum Together, Memory Unearthed at the Portland Art Museum and the Last Journey of the Jews of the Lodz Ghetto at the Oregon Jewish Museum and Center for Holocaust Education will offer an extraordinarily rare glimpse of life inside the Lodz Ghetto through the lens of Polish Jewish photojournalist Henryk Ross (1910–1991).portlandartmuseum.org

Download the Artslandia App to have all these listings in the palm of your hand.

OCTOBER 6–13 // KELLER AUDITORIUM

NAPOLI

Oregon Ballet Theatre

FEATURED SHOW:

This season, you and your family can experience the holiday spectacular of The Nutcracker, the enchanted Cinderella, and a ballet brought to you only by OBT titled Napoli—all performed with the OBT Orchestra.

Three ballets with extraordinary savings. Tickets up to 50% off with the Family Pack!

obt.org ARTSLANDIA.COM

Photo by Christopher Peddecord.

NAPOLI Oregon Ballet Theatre’s audiences went wild in 2015 when OBT presented the final act of Napoli. In a complete U.S. production premiere, this Bournonville ballet is as iconic in Denmark as The Nutcracker.

Storytelling at its finest. A young Italian couple, thwarted in their love match, fall prey to an evil sea spirit. It is their true love that breaks the spell in an exuberant spectacle. This uplifting and joyous ballet has become the symbol of The Royal Danish Ballet.

37

OCTOBER 5–28 // NEW EXPRESSIVE WORKS

HURL

Corrib Theatre

HURL Tradition, desire, and bodies collide when an Irish team made up of immigrants, refugees, and asylum seekers—originally from Sierra Leone, Nigeria, Cuba, Bosnia, Vietnam, Argentina, and inner-city Dublin— is formed and compete in the very traditional and ancient Irish sport of hurling. Led by an alcoholic priest and a washed-up trainer, the team battles discrimination and bureaucratic barriers to make its way to the All-Ireland finals. With humor, wit, and energy, Hurl explores what it means to be Irish in the 21st century.

corribtheatre.org 38

ARTSLANDIA.COM

Photo by Ros Kavanagh.

FEATURED SHOW:

OCTOBER 13–JANUARY 13

POETIC IMAGINATION IN JAPANESE ART

SELECTIONS FROM THE COLLECTION OF MARY AND CHENEY COWLES

Portland Art Museum

FEATURED SHOW: POETIC IMAGINATION IN JAPANESE ART: SELECTIONS FROM THE COLLECTION OF MARY AND CHENEY COWLES Drawn from one of the finest private collections in North America, the paintings and calligraphy in Poetic Imagination span from the eighth through the 20th century and represent courtly, Buddhist, and literati spheres of artistic activity.

Most of them are unveiled to the public for the first time here.

Poetic Imagination in Japanese Art: Selections from the Collection of Mary and Cheney Cowles at the Portland Art Museum, October 13–January 13.

Yosa Buson (Japanese, 1716-1783), Thatched Retreat on Cold Mountain, early to mid-1770s, ink and color on silk, Courtesy of Mary and Cheney Cowles, L2017.67.39

portlandartmuseum.org ARTSLANDIA.COM

39

SAMANTH WA

c a t eg o r y t i t l e

In The Spotlight:

Written by Lucy Volker.

Photos by Christine Dong.

Visual artist Samantha Wall leads Artslandia through her creative process and shares insight on her sources of inspiration and hope.

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HA ALL

ever felt,” says Samantha Wall, a IKorean-born Portland artist, of the feel more like an immigrant than I’ve

current political climate.

The last time she experienced this sense of insecurity, she was a child transplanted from South Korea to South Carolina.

“That young,” she says, “I wasn’t really able to process it. Assimilating is so much of a part of the fiber of my being.” And it’s from this complicated, emotionally nuanced experience that Wall explores with her art. Her most recent body of work, Inheritance, presents “the story of an immigrant family, told in a way that’s very honest, both beautiful and agonizing, so the truth of it is undeniable.”

Wall credits a move to Portland from South Carolina in her early 20s with granting her first opportunity to let her guard down and figure out who she was as a person and as an artist, finally “able to shed the internalization of other people’s expectations, fear, and anger.”

She clarifies, “I don’t want to diminish it or make it seem like there aren’t problems in Portland, because there are, but I also feel like there are a lot of people here that are open to listening.”

sa m a n t h a w a l l i n t h e s potlight They were like sponges. They were fearless.”

Wall herself appreciates the unpredictable nature of the India ink, and it’s part of the reason why she’s featured it so prominently in her recent collections.

“This way of working with ink and water can be kind of chaotic—there are so many variables,” she says, “and I think that’s why I’ve grown to enjoy it so much. Lately, I’m drawn to this process of surrendering to the materials, and there’s something very freeing about that.”

Every piece Wall creates begins with human contact. For her previous body of work, Indivisible, she took as many as 700 photos of each model while engaging them in conversation to help them forget about the camera and capture what Wall calls, after Roland Barthes, the “air” of the person.

For Inheritance, the process of collecting subject matter began a bit more

I love being able to

create something that helps to shape the world in a way that I

want to experience it.

organically. Wall felt the first inspiration for the series at a recent family gathering in South Carolina to celebrate her mother’s 60th birthday where she was able to capture the essences of her female relatives on film like never before.

“It’s the women in my family who have been an inspiration to me,” Wall says.

The collection includes seven haunting,

Since her move to Portland, Wall has accumulated an impressive roster of accolades, proving that people are, indeed, listening. She earned her MFA from Pacific Northwest College of Art in 2011 and has since won a Hallie Ford Foundation Fellowship from the Ford Foundation, the Arlene Schnitzer Prize from the Portland Art Museum, two residencies at the Joan Mitchell Center in New Orleans, and the Golden Spot Residency Award at Crow’s Shadow Institute of Art. Holding the attention of so many people has given Wall a sense of responsibility to be a positive role model for fellow artists and people of color. She serves as a mentor for MFA candidates at the Pacific Northwest College of Art and, this past year, she worked with fifth-graders at the ethnically diverse Martin Luther King Jr. School in NE Portland through the King School Museum of Contemporary Art. Wall showed the children how to use the same materials she’d been working with for Inheritance—India ink and water. “I was worried that the students would be frustrated with the process,” she says, “but they were at ease from the beginning.

ARTSLANDIA.COM

41

PORTLAND ARTS

at your fingertips.

Download the ARTSLANDIA APP!

®

your cultural concierge

Discovery. Delight. & Culture.

MONTHLY SUBSCRIPTION BOX FOR PORTLAND.

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ORDER AT ARTSLANDIABOX.COM

sa m a n t h a w a l l i n t h e s potlight NEW SEASON! SERIES STARTS AT $90.

continued from page 41

Subscriptions are available at literary-arts.org.

All events are held at the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall.

JILL LEPORE

TARA WESTOVER

TAYARI JONES

JENNIFER EGAN

JACQUELINE WOODSON

PORTLAND ARTS & LECTURES 2018/2019

OCTOBER 11

abstract portraits in India ink and gold leaf that evokes a sense of mythos. Her subjects’ faces dissolve into swirls of ink that seem so fluid it’s almost as if they haven’t had the chance to dry, yet in almost every painting, photo-realistic eyes break through the aqueous mask, making direct, unwavering eye contact. Their wispy forms, when paired with the word “inheritance,” seem to comment on the amorphous shape immigrants’ identities can take when placed in new contexts.

In addition to the portraits, Inheritance includes six images of golden rings also inspired by her mother’s 60th birthday.

Turning 60 is a significant milestone in Korean culture, in part because, historically, the life expectancy of the population has been short. A traditional first birthday gift for a Korean baby is a hefty gold ring, the start of the child’s savings account. In exploring Korean rituals like this in her art, Wall says she’s discovered a “wealth of history and culture that fuels me. It’s allowing me to push some of that negativity aside, and I’m finding a way to move forward.”

For her upcoming body of work, Phantom Limbs, Wall is continuing to explore Korean culture as a lens for examining her personal experiences. She lost her sister several years ago, and the American funeral didn’t seem to honor her sister’s memory or to bring comfort to her mother. The new work, she says, “is a way of coming back to the beginning of our story and reclaiming my family’s identity, and creating a tribute to my sister… I feel like it’s renewing me.”

JANUARY 17

APRIL 4

DECEMBER 4

FEBRUARY 21

Bank of the West | Hoffman Construction | Maybelle Clark Macdonald Fund | Miller Nash Graham & Dunn LLP | ZGF Architects

Stories Start Here

Building Community Through Still & Motion Photography

With current events becoming less and less a source of hope, especially among immigrants, one must find revitalization wherever possible. “Inheritance and this newest body of work are me finding a way to move past the initial reaction of fear and rage and this deep sadness, trying to reach out to something that’s larger than me,” she says. .

See Phantom Limbs at the Russo Lee Gallery in Portland, September 6–29. russoleegallery.com

WEB > prophotosupply.com • STORE > 1112 NW 19th Ave. | 503-241-1112 RENTAL > 1801 NW Northrup St. | 503-517-3637 • PHOTO LAB > 1815 NW Northrup St. | 503-517-3639

ARTSLANDIA.COM

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SEEN on the scene

3

2018 Drammy Awards & Portland Art Museum's The Shape of Speed Opening View more photos at ARTSLANDIA.COM.

1

5

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2

6

4

BEST

1

TRICIA MEAD and NICOLE LANE accepting the Fertile Ground Festival's Lifetime Achievement Award.

2

YASMIN RUVACALBA, Community Engagement Coordinator, and JANE VOGEL,

dressed

Founder of Advance Gender Equity in the Arts.

3

This year’s emcee, CLAIRE WILLETT, Portland’s own playwright, novelist, and freelance writer.

4

CYCERLI ASH, nominated for Best

5

JAY LENO, KEN GROSS, and BRIAN FERRISO.

6

Artslandia Founder and Publisher, MISTY TOMPOLES with husband DEREK.

7-8

Supporting Actress in a Play.

Attendees of the opening night of The Shape of Speed.

Photos by Max McDermott.

EVENTS: The annual DRAMMY AWARDS recognize exemplary actors, directors, and designers from a pool of over a hundred Portland-area theater productions.

(Photos 1–4) In celebration of the opening of THE SHAPE OF SPEED: STREAMLINED AUTOMOBILES AND MOTORCYCLES, 1930–1942, the Portland Art Museum hosted Jay Leno for a conversation with the exhibit’s guest curator, Ken Gross.

The exhibit showcases early designs of vehicles that embraced aerodynamics for fuel and speed efficiency. Open through September 16. (Photos 5–8) 7

WHAT’S the

word

Amazing exhibit!

Decided to go a second time because it was so good.

8

— Rupesh S., Artslandia App review of The Shape Of Speed.

ARTSLANDIA.COM

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t o p 1 0 h a p p y h o urs

the

list

TOP 10 HAPPY HOURS NEAR THE ARMORY

TEARDROP COCKTAIL LOUNGE

Count yourself among our city’s cocktail connoisseurs? Looking to impress a date?

Belly up to this hot spot’s conversation-friendly curved bar for the best in craft libations and inventive small plates.

6

CLYDE COMMON Given that the bar

manager, Jeffrey Morgenthaler, literally wrote the book on cocktail-mixing technique, expect playful concoctions alongside elevated gastropub fare with the much-loved option of communal dining.

7

VERDE COCINA Gluten-free? Paleo?

Vegan? This is your spot. Be prepared to suppress your urge to drink the salsa––made fresh daily from locally sourced vegetables–– straight from the bowl.

8

524 NW 14TH AVE, PORTLAND (503) 894-9321 // VERDECOCINAMARKET.COM

4

ANDINA Stop in to vibrant Bar Mestizo

to sip their colorful cocktails while enjoying the festive Peruvian ambiance and deliciousness. We suggest the sacsayhuamán, made with habanero pepper vodka, to spice up your evening.

BLUEHOUR A Pearl District staple since

2000 brought to us by renowned Portland restaurateur Bruce Carey (who is also the man behind Saucebox, 23Hoyt, Clarklewis). Yum. 250 NW 13TH AVE, PORTLAND (503) 226-3394 // BLUEHOURONLINE.COM

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honey? Together? On a pizza? Yes, and it’s divine. Their chef, nominated for four James Beard Awards, knows her stuff.

BAMBOO SUSHI Clearly, Portlanders

can’t get enough of the world’s first certified sustainable sushi restaurant, now with locations in every quadrant of the city.

The shishito peppers are a must.

404 SW 12TH AVE, PORTLAND (503) 444-7455 // BAMBOOSUSHI.COM

9

MEDITERRANEAN EXPLORATION COMPANY It would appear that the

peoples of Israel, North Africa, and Turkey have nailed the art of fine snacking, which you can experience for yourself without leaving the Pearl.

333 NW 13TH AVE, PORTLAND (503) 222-0906 // MEDITERRANEANEXPLORATIONCOMPANY.COM

1314 NW GLISAN ST, PORTLAND (503) 228-9535 // ANDINARESTAURANT.COM

5

OVEN AND SHAKER Salami and

1134 NW EVERETT ST, PORTLAND (503) 241-1600 // OVENANDSHAKER.COM

1014 SW STARK ST, PORTLAND (503) 228-3333 // CLYDECOMMON.COM

3

This tiny slice of Portland weird is full of surprises, including heated sidewalk seating that welcomes dogs and an intriguing staircase to a subterranean bar.

1223 SW STARK ST, PORTLAND (503) 384-2700 // MCMENAMINS.COM/CRYSTALHOTEL/RINGLERS-ANNEX

1015 NW EVERETT ST, PORTLAND (503) 445-8109 // TEARDROPLOUNGE.COM

2

MCMENAMINS RINGLERS ANNEX

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ELENI’S PHILOXENIA This beloved

purveyor of Greek comfort food has delighted diners for nearly 20 years with a happy hour menu that includes their best dishes. And, of course, ouzo. Yamas!

112 NW 9TH AVE, PORTLAND (503) 227-2158 // ELENISRESTAURANT.COM

1: Tina M. 2: Chris Huynh. 3: Verde Cocina. 4: Andina. 5: Marna Gatlin. 6: Carol Lee. 7: John Valls. 8: Sustainable Restaurant Group. 9: David L. Reamer. 10: Erin Peterson.

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729 SW ALDER ST. 503.2 2 3 .66 4 9 MER CANT ILEP OR TLAND. COM

Love your jewelry Maloy’s Jewelry has been a downtown Portland tradition for over 30 years, with one of the finest selections of fully restored jewelry on the West Coast. A glittering jewel box full of treasures from all the most beautiful periods of jewelry design, you will find everything from Edwardian engagement rings to Art Nouveau pendants, Victorian lockets to Art Deco earrings. We also have a full staff of expert bench jewelers right on site, so we can work our restoration or redesign magic on your own family heirlooms.

With vintage treasures in every price range, an exceptional

M-F 10am to 5:30pm Sat 11am to 5pm 717 SW 10th Ave Portland, OR 97205 503.223.4720 www.maloys.com

memento of your trip is always in reach. Come visit with our friendly staff and explore cases brimming with delights.

Conveniently located on both the MAX and streetcar lines.