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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (July 7, 2000)
july 7.2000 » J u s t oart .45 ART * ... Had more than a few anonymous partners in the last 6 months. ... Your partner is unaware you are playing on the side. ... Had sex while under the influence...regretted it in the morning. Found art, fqiind life Portland artist Paul Arensmeyer discovered a way to make his living in unexpected places by Then it is tim e to get tested . M arc A c it o ccording to the Bible, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own land”—a reference that could apply to artists in Portland, says local sculptor and curator Paul Arensmeyer. “There’s a huge element in the gay population who have no idea there’s good art in Portland,” he says. “They have this mentali ty that good things don’t come out of the place they live.” So Arensmeyer, like so many artists (and Biblical prophets) before him, will have to leave his hometown, if only for a while, in order to enhance his reputation. Paul Arensmeyer at his recent show This summer Arensmeyer begins a six-month National Endowment for the Arts His work wasn’t always so enigmatic. A for grant-funded fellowship in Houston with mer yuppie, Arensmeyer actually got a business Diverse Works, a leading art facility dedicated degree in college. “That’s what smart kids did,” to cutting-edge visual and performance arts. he says, but he was introduced to the art world Arensmeyer will be working directly with the when he became infatuated with a straight art visual arts curator setting up programs to major. Inspired, or perhaps just frustrated, increase cooperation between regional art facil Arensmeyer began making jewelry—“really ities. horrid, impractical jewelry”—which led to making sculptures in the storage space of his “I love promoting other artists’ work,” he apartment building. says. “I really believe the more we can support When asked how his sexuality influences each other, the farther we can go, both as a his work, Arensmeyer laughs. “My work used group and as individuals. And that’s across to be terribly phallic," he explains, “but it was genres, as well. Dancers need to support visual entirely subconscious. I guess a shrink would artists, visual artists need to support musicians, say, ‘Well, that’s the shape you’re basically etc. It’s all the same creative pool.” attracted to.’ ” When asked if his perspective is unique, In 1991, as “a committee of one” he suc Arensmeyer admits: “Sure, there are a lot of cessfully revived Cascade AIDS Project’s annu artists who don’t even go out and see other al art auction, which raised $5,000 in its first artists’ shows, but 1 think for the most part year back in business. A year and a half later, artists in Portland are really supportive of each he had his first solo exhibition of his own work other. Hey, I don’t make much money, but I’m at Jamison Thomas Gallery. Since then his always willing to shell out fifteen bucks to try work has been seen at numerous galleries, something new.” including Portland Institute for Contemporary It’s fairly unusual for a working visual artist Art, Quartersaw Gallery, Pacific Northwest also to curate art shows. A curator is to a col College of Art and the Vita Gallery. lection of visual artworks what an editor is to a Arensmeyer also sits on the committee that collection of written works, and much in the oversees the Percent for Art Program, which same way that writers and editors don’t fre requires any building built in the Portland quently overlap, neither do artists and curators. metro area with public money to use a portion However, Arensmeyer sees curating as of its total budget for public art. He uses the another form of expression and an opportunity position as a means of encouraging innovation. to explore an artistic vision beyond his own When asked to cite examples of successful pub personal minimalist aesthetic. Two of the shows lic art, he mentions the fountain at the Rose he’s curated, “Boy Mechanic” at the Quartersaw Garden Arena. Gallery and “The Tool Show” at the Portland "It has great patterns, great sounds— the Institute for Contemporary Art, expanded on piece sucks you in and invites interpretation," his fascination with how things work. he says. Arensmeyer himself makes found-object He also appreciates the provocative and sculptures— which is an artsy-fartsy way of say much-derided “bound trees" at the ODS Build ing that where others might see junk, he sees ing—“a gixxl, bold step and a nice contrast to art. From industrial castoffs found in scrap a feature-free building. I think good public art yards and foundries, Arensmeyer creates sculp is something where the public can’t walk by tures that are abstract, but with titles that without noticing there’s art there,” he explains. invite the viewer to explore the psychological There are many in Portland’s art communi meaning of the work. (Those titles go a long ty who will certainly notice when Arensmeyer way in helping the uninitiated, by the way.) is gone this year, but we can only hope that our With its fanciful and sometimes disturbing hometown artists, just like Biblical prophets, assortment of widgets and gadgets, Arensmey- return to us. er’s most recent exhibition at the Froelick Adelhart Gallery may leave one with more ■ M a r c : A c ITO’ s most profound artistic exfrres- questions than answers, but that suits him just sion is his comic strip, “The Boys N ext Door, tine. “Otherwise, there’d be no reason to kx)k u/hich must mean he's a very shallow person. at the work again,” he says. ’ Free walk-in HIV testing on Monday night at Washington County Health Clinic - Beaverton. 12550 SW 2nd (Between Hall and Watson) For more information please call (503) 846-4734 It's stunning. It's practical. It can only be a Vignette.® SPRING SALE Up to $100 Off! 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