March 1 Hyenas

I have seen hyenas in the wild. They are a disturbing, opportunistic predator.

A favorite film shows today at noon. It is Hyenas, based on Friedrich Dürrenmatt's the Visit of the Old Lady. The play is often recontextualized to new times and places. This, by Djibril Diop Mambety, it is a tragedy set amid stunning production design in Senegal. Some plot elements parallel critiques of World Bank activities in Africa.

It is said that there are only a few plots. The protagonist leaves town, the protagonist arrives in town. The Visit is the protagonist who left town, and returns to town, for revenge. The final revenge is a small death, but the enormity of contributing revenge is epic.

Playwright Dürrenmatt/Duerrenmatt is known for his tragicomedies. Three stand out. This is the most tragic, though the dialog is subtile and there is scattered humor.

The most humorous of his plays is Romulus the Great. The protagonist is a fictional last emperor of Rome. He encourages its fall to barbarians because he believes it corrupt. In the end, it is revealed the barbarians are invading to adopt the culture of the empire.

In the middle is The Physicists. It is a meditation on the responsibility of scientists and engineers for the commercial application of their individual work. Let's just say this has been one of my projects over years. I have had some successes. But in the play, the dénouement is the utter failure of ethics against commerce.

This is a fine rare film to see.

Hyenas at the Cascade Festival of African Films. At PCC Cascade Moriarty Arts and Humanities Building, Room 104. 705 N Killingsworth. Noon Free

February 28 Warm, Even, In Real Life

Keith J. Varadi and Rebecca R. Peel are visual artists and curators. Tonight they do readings: Warm, Even. More info on the gallery website. At Adams and Ollman Gallery, the second of two members of the New Art Dealers Alliance www.newartdealers.org, www.adamsandollman.com 209 SW 9th 6PM Free


In person openings are the coin of the creative realm in Portland, like irl///onlineonly at Surplus Space tonight. Tonight is PSU MFA students, accompanied by artist interviews and social media archives. The series rotates weekly through March with artists from different schools each weekend. At Surplus Space www.SurplusSpace.info 3726 NE 7th 6PM-9 Free

February 27 Urban Outdoor

Outdoor clothing retailer Evo operates a small gallery of art by artists connected to the outdoor industry. It tends to run to urban as does the store vibe. Tonight they have illustration by Stefan Hofmann, half of Spaceraft which produces graphic screened clothing for EVO. At Evo outdoor store, 200 SE Martin Luther King Blvd. 6PM-9 Free

February 26 Media, Art, Performance

Artist Kristin Lucas works in performance, video and other electronic media. She is fairly prolific. She discusses her work this evening at the art school. At PNCA www.pnca.edu 511 NW Broadway Map 6:30PM

February 24: How I Broke My Brain and Changed My Mind

Josh Berger speaks on brain injury. His own. As a result of a bicycle accident. Yes he was wearing a helmet.

He is a well known brand strategist and designer, you probably know him. His talk tonight is on his journey over the two and a half years since his injury.

A presentation of the Curiosity Club, you can tune into the free live webcast off the Core77 site, see the video archive on the Hand Eye Supply Website or visit the talk and demonstration in person at Hand Eye Supply www.handeyesupply.com/pages/curiosity-club 427 NW Broadway 6PM Free

February 21 On Masculinism

In 1978, structuralists Anthony McCall and Andrew Tyndall created the experimental film Argument. Inspired by Godard and Gorin’s Letter to Jane, it considered the image and expectations of men hidden in a then current edition of the New York Times.

The film was screened with discussions, post, by the audience. It is still relevant, and today's showing includes discussion too.

A longer fascinating explanation is on the project FB https://www.facebook.com/zenazezzaprojects/posts/1541514609461129:0.

At 1857 Hallock & McMillan, 253 SW Naito Parkway. Film noon. $7 general, $5 students, artists, seniors

February 20 Key Figures

Key Figures is a group show by self-taught artists that are better than average like Chris Bradley, Vaginal Davis, Luc Fuller, Arnold Joseph Kemp, Brian Kokoska, Michael Lazarus, Gladys Nilsson, Misleidys Francisca Castillo Pedroso and Brion Nuda Rosch. At Adams and Ollman Gallery, the second of two members of the New Art Dealers Alliance www.newartdealers.org, www.adamsandollman.com 209 SW 9th 6PM-9 Free

February 11 Be There Salon

The Sum of Its Parts is the first gallery salon by Jeffrey Thomas. The first Portland contemporary art gallery was Arlene Schnitzer's Fountain Gallery which became the Laura Russo Gallery. The second was his.

Thomas was coprincipal, with William Jamison, in that second Portland contemporary art gallery, the Jamison Thomas Gallery. www.jeffreythomasfineart.com 2219 NW Raliegh 6PM-9 Free