The 2023 edition of the Converge 45 biennial in Portland, Oregon, Social Forms: Art as Global Citizenship, is its most comprehensive iteration to date. The show (which was launched as a triennial by founder and gallerist Elizabeth Leach in 2016 before expanding to its current form) is spearheaded by artistic director Derek Franklin and guest curator Christian Viveros-Fauné, who extracted this year’s theme from his book Social Forms: A Short History of Political Art (2018). The exhibition aims to boost Portland’s art landscape, as well as that of the greater Pacific Northwest, featuring around 50 presentations across 15 venues that explore the role of art in political and social critique from the 1960s to today.
The biennial has an overarching focus on Indigenous histories, specifically as these relate to land and water rights and the ecological impact of imperialism and colonisation. Marie Watt’s installation Chords to Other Chords (Relative) (2023) at the Center for Native Arts and Cultures (NACF) (until 13 October) comprises a large-scale sculpture with the words “Turtle Island And” spelled out in neon, with the letters mounted on a plywood structure that has been pasted with photographs and documents related to Indigenous communities, from treaties to theatrical imaginings and images of Indigenous people. “Turtle Island” is the Haudenosaunee name for North America, which comes from the Haudenosaunee creation story. The neon “and” denotes the existence of an abundance of other Indigenous place names and origin stories.
Watt’s work aims to spark and deepen conversations around Indigenous people’s reclamation of the land, and the venue where it is presented tells an interesting story about Portland’s progressive, grassroots efforts to advance the Land Back movement through the donation of infrastructure and funds to support Indigenous-led organisations. The NACF site previously housed Yale Union, a contemporary-art space that transferred the building to the NACF in 2020 to recognise “the value of Native ownership”, Lulani Arquette, president and chief executive of the NACF, said at the time. As Converge 45 opened, other successful Land Back transfers were made in the city, such as the ten acres that house the Native American Youth and Family Center.
Installation view of Richard Mosse’s Broken Spectre (2018-22) Photo: Mario Gallucci
Elsewhere at the biennial, the consequences of resource extraction are explored in two presentations by the Irish artist Richard Mosse. In the multi-channel film Broken Spectre (2018-22) at the Ronna and Eric Hoffman Gallery of Contemporary Art at Lewis & Clark College (until 15 December), Mosse documents the state of the Brazilian Amazon under former president Jair Bolsanaro’s administration, which promoted ending the demarcation of Indigenous territories and overwhelmingly failed to respond to deforestation alerts. The second Mosse project, a photographic series titled Occidental at Blue Sky Gallery (until 22 October), explores other environmental catastrophes in Amazon, from oil spills to mining.
Powerful works at Converge 45 included the 26 August performance of the Chilean artist Seba Calfuqueo’s Flowing Like Waterfalls (2022-23) at the Portland Institute for Contemporary Art, where Calfuqueo evoked the flow of rivers through a choreographed presentation in conjunction with their video Alka domo (2017) (until 24 September)—reflecting on the sociopolitical and cultural status of the Mapuche people in present-day Chile. Meanwhile, the Portland-based artist Sam Tam Ham (Sam Hamilton) presents a visceral five-channel video opera, Te Moana Meridian (2022), at Oregon Contemporary (until 7 October), poetically considering the history of the British Empire and what it would mean to relocate the prime meridian, the “centre of the world”, from Greenwich to Polynesia.
Sam Tam Ham (Sam Hamilton), still from Te Moana Meridian (2022) Photo: Mario Gallucci
Several Converge 45 exhibitions are funded by Jordan D. Schnitzer, a philanthropist, real-estate magnate and collector whose name is ubiquitously emblazoned across cultural institutions in Oregon. His collection spans over 20,000 pieces, loaned to institutions worldwide or otherwise stored in his warehouse in Portland (where, last month, one of the latest pieces to come out of David Hockney’s studio was being prepared to be boxed for a forthcoming show).
Schnitzer makes a concerted effort to acquire complete series or career-spanning collections of particular artists’ work, and he has an eclectic range of post-war and contemporary art that is especially rich in prints. His collection includes a vast trove of works by the late Chinese American artist Hung Liu, some of which are displayed in the exhibition A Question of Hu: The Narrative Art of Hung Liu at the Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art at Portland State University (until 2 December).
The exhibition comes after Liu’s 2021 retrospective at the National Portrait Gallery (NPG) in Washington, DC—the first solo exhibition by an Asian American woman in the NPG’s history. Overlooked until recent years, Liu was a prolific painter, weaver and printmaker who spent her formative years living under the Maoist regime, where she developed a signature twist on the Social Realist traditions in which she was trained before emigrating to the US in the 1980s. Her work melds Chinese and Western artistic traditions to foreground stories related to immigration, exile, imprisonment and war.
Hung Liu, S-wan Quan Lake, Red Detachment of Women (1995) Courtesy Converge 45
Elsewhere in Portland, the Jordan Schnitzer Japanese Arts Learning Center at Portland Japanese Garden screened the fittingly meditative film Baku (2012) by the Mexican artist Bosco Sodi (closed 11 September). The film shows a Japanese temple gardener erasing and remaking a gravel garden, a metaphor for resilience and growth. And at the nonprofit Jordan Schnitzer Family Foundation, the exhibition We Are the Revolution (until 1 December), organised in collaboration with Viveros-Fauné, features works by more than 100 artists and is loosely themed around social critique. A maquette of Hank Willis Thomas’s The Embrace (2023)—an homage to Martin Luther King Jr. that was famously met with mixed reviews—serves as one of its centrepieces.
Another notable work from Schnitzer’s collection at We Are the Revolution is Robert Colescott’s satirical masterwork Homage to Delacroix: Liberty Leading the People (1976). It was acquired by Schnitzer’s mother, the art dealer Arlene Schnitzer, who founded Portland’s Fountain Gallery in 1961, when no comparable spaces existed in the region. She was one of the first to see the enormous talent of Colescott, who was then an unknown artist, as well as to believe in Portland’s potential as an arts hub—a vision that is just now gaining momentum with projects like Converge 45.
Aerial photography showing the damage that rabbits are causing to wildlife and habitat in Derrynane National Historic Park has been released by the OPW.
The Office of Public Works, which is responsible for the park, says there will be a rabbit cull to deal with overpopulation.
The OPW says the rabbit population has exploded in recent years at Derrynane causing extensive damage to dune grasslands which fall within two EU protected habitat designations – the Kenmare River Special Area of Conservation and the Iveragh Peninsula Special Protection Area.
This has resulted in large areas of bare sand that are subject to erosion.
Rabbit overgrazing also poses a threat to protected whorl snails, natterjack toads and choughs, according to the OPW.
The OPW has commissioned a dune grassland survey, following the completion of a biodiversity audit of Derryane.
Survey fieldwork has been completed and the OPW is awaiting the final report.
Ecologists have indicated that rabbit control will be one of their main recommendations.
The Office of Public Works says it’s intended that the control of the population will take place during the winter, and that control methods will include the use of humane traps.
The OPW has released a photo showing the damage caused by rabbits at Derrynane and says up until recent years, bare sand was not visible at these locations.
Damage to dunes in Derrynane caused by rabbits. Image supplied to Radio Kerry from OPW.
Photograph courtesy of Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute.
Happy Monday, everyone!
There’s a ton of fun things to do around town this week and weekend. The entire family can attend Panda Palooza, or Celebrate Petworth. Also, there’s new installations to view at the Washington National Cathedral and the Smithsonian.
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Arts and culture: Author Alicia Kennedy and chef Rob Rubba discuss the future of plant-based eating at Bold Fork Books (Mon, $10+, Northwest DC). View the contemporary works of nearly 50 living Native artists at the National Gallery of Art’s new exhibit “The Land Carries Our Ancestors” (Fri through January 15, free, National Gallery of Art). Awaken your inner creative at Yoga in the Galleries (Mon, Sat, $10+, Arlington). After a temporary closure, the Smithsonian American Art Museum’s modern and contemporary galleries reopen with a new installation (opens Fri, free, Smithsonian American Art Museum). Watch songful movie Pitch Perfect at Alethia Tanner Park (Wed, free, NoMa). Meet some of the cast of the hit TV show The Sopranos at Capital Turnaround (Sat, $55+, Southeast DC). Comedian Leslie Jones is in conversation with journalist Tiffany Cross at Sixth & I (Wed, $40 for book and ticket, $12+ for virtual, Northwest DC). View paintings by pioneering abstract artist Alma Thomas (through June 2, 2024, free, Smithsonian American Art Museum). Journalists and politicians face off in a spelling bee competition (Wed, $30, Penn Quarter). Take a swing dance class, and watch a movie screening of Soul (Fri, free, Columbia). There’s jazz and cumbia performances, art vendors, and food at the Hyattsville Arts Festival (Sat, free, Hyattsville).
Community and heritage: Observe the new collaborative exhibition America’s Voices Against Apartheid to learn about the U.S. anti-apartheid movement dating back to the 1880s (through November 5, free, Kennedy Center). Interactive outdoor history exhibit “Beyond Granite: Pulling Together” will close soon (Mon, free, National Mall). Celebrate Latino culture at Fiesta DC festival and parade (Sat-Sun, free, Downtown). The Congressional Black Caucus weekend is back with a prayer breakfast, town hall, and party at Walter E. Washington Convention Center (Wed-Sun, $150+, Downtown).
Theater and shows: ExPats Theatre presents new stage play Scorched at Atlas Performing Arts Center (Sat through October 15, $45, H Street Corridor). It’s your last chance to see Bohemians and aristocrats party in Moulin Rouge! The Musical (closes Sun, $45+, Kennedy Center). The DC Shorts International Film Festival returns to town for its 20th year with more than 12 films to binge (Wed-Sun, $15, various participating locations). The Arlington Players take on a revival show of popular musical Into the Woods (Fri through October 8, $30, Arlington). Comedian Ben Schwartz brings laughter to The Anthem (Thurs, $49+, Wharf). Nova Night Sky Theater performs Romeo and Juliet (Thurs, September 28, $25, Fairfax, Arlington). Listen to live storytelling at DC’s StorySLAM at Miracle Theatre (Tues, $15, Capitol Hill). Local performance artist Brian Feldman wants you to read a monologue while washing dirty dishes at his home in his new show Dishwasher 2: I Pay You (through October 2, $17, Cleveland Park).
Music and concerts: National Symphony Orchestra Music Director Gianandrea Noseda opens a new season at the Kennedy Center with a concert and gala (Sat, $65+, Kennedy Center). Art rock singer Peter Gabriel makes a tour stop in DC (Wed, $65+, Capital One Arena). Alternative rock band The Breeders play at The Filmore Silver Spring (Thurs, $39, Silver Spring). Rap legends Wu-Tang Clan and Nas are live in concert (Tues, $22+, Capital One Arena). Jonas Brothers will perform songs from their five albums all in one night (Sat, $72+, Capital One Arena). Singer-songwriter Frankie Cosmos sings tunes at 9:30 Club (Fri, $22, U Street Corridor). Rapper Macklemore is sold out at The Anthem, but there are resale tickets available on third-party sites (Tues, $40+, Wharf). Songwriter Julie Byrne sings folk melodies at Songbyrd (Tues, $18+, Northeast DC). Music stars Rick Ross, Monica, Black Alley and Kenny Burns are performing together at The Anthem (Fri, $79+, Wharf). Janelle Monáe sings songs from her latest album Age of Pleasure (Sun-Mon, $95+, Wharf). Five-time Grammy-nominated performer Michael Feinstein celebrates the music of Judy Garland at Music Center at Strathmore (Thurs, $28+, Bethesda).
Sports: Watch baseball with your furry friends at Pups in the Park (Sat, $35 for adults, $10 for dogs, Nationals Park).
Bites and beverages: Learn how to make handmade empanadas at Galería La Cosecha (Thurs, $59, Union Market). Don’t miss Wunderfest at Port City Brewing. The event includes a yodeling competition, a sausage toss, and live music (Sat, free, Alexandria). German fare, beer, and yard games are the highlights of Zinnia Oktoberfest (Sat, $45, Silver Spring). Weiner dog races and stein-hoisting competitions are a part of the fun at Lovettsville Oktoberfest (Fri-Sat, free, Lovettsville). Oktoberfest at The Boro features polka dancing, food trucks, and pumpkin beer (Sat, free, Tysons). Dine All Night is the newest culinary arts companion to next week’s Art All Night (Thurs through October 1, prices vary, various participating restaurants).
Things to do with kids: Kids can make playful art while adults enjoy frozen coffee treats from Rossana at MoCA on the Move at Met Park (Sun, free, Arlington). All ages can enjoy story time, museum tours, and dance workshops at Fotos y Recuerdos Festival (Sat, free, Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery). Youngsters can play with water toys and sift grain at Peirce Mill (Sat, free, Rock Creek Park). Kids can take an adventure through Maryland’s largest corn maze, drive a pedal kart, and race rubber ducks at Magnolia Meadow Farms (Sat through October 29, $15+, free for children under 2, Thurmont).
Plan ahead: Snag a timed-entry pass to Live! at the Library: Danzón Class with Corazón Folklórico, and join a conversation with journalists Bill Moyers and Judy Woodruff (September 28, free, but passes required, Library of Congress). Nationals and Commanders fans can celebrate together at Capital Crossover: Diamonds and Gridiron—a two-game series on both home fields featuring sport activations, music, and more (Thurs, October 5, $13+, Nationals Park, FedEX Field).
If you enjoyed these events, please don’t forget to share this post with a friend on social media, and sign up for our newsletter for more things to do.
Briana A. Thomas is a local journalist, historian, and tour guide who specializes in the research of D.C. history and culture. She is the author of the Black history book, Black Broadway in Washington, D.C., a story that was first published in Washingtonian in 2016.
Photos by Silverlens Gallery and Gregory Halili. All images © the artist, shared with permission
From a vast array of coral, shells, agates, and more, Gregory Halili (previously) shapes anatomical features and cosmic phenomena in intricate detail. The artist uses iridescent mother-of-pearl to accentuate round skulls or teardrops leaking from eyes, working with the inherent natural shapes and textures of materials he finds around his studio, located about an hour south of Manila.
Several years ago, Halili began carving lifelike miniature skulls into shells he found on beaches around the Philippines. He also uses oil paint to render minuscule details of individual eyes, painted on the reverse of transparent glass or crystal. Since then, his practice has evolved to include larger pieces that incorporate an array of smaller works and natural materials. He says:
I started to create these massive works filled with miniature paintings and objects. I’m a painter, but I learned to create sculptures, to weld, use cutting and power tools, and drill into stones and metals…My method and thinking process is still painterly, creating the works as layers, constructing and deconstructing them, and figuring out the forms and gestures as I create.
Halili’s Coments, a recent series of assemblages, expands on the ritual of searching for and recontextualizing found objects, ranging from metal to minerals to antiques. Each sculpture contains more than a hundred items found along beaches, at flea markets, and in antique stores. “These works are about renewal, return, and reincarnation,” he says, emphasizing how disused or abandoned objects find new life in his work.
Halili’s work is currently on view at the National Museum of the Philippines in Placuna placenta: Capis Shells and Windows to Indigenous Artistry. You can find more on Instagram.
Do stories and artists like this matter to you? Become a Colossal Member today and support independent arts publishing for as little as $5 per month. The article Anatomical Details Emerge From Found Coral and Shells in Gregory Halili’s Intricate Sculptures appeared first on Colossal.
