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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (Nov. 1, 2002)
1.2002 A R w T S cxindvision, the workspace of Portland gay artist TJ Norris, is one part gallery, one part laboratory. Incapable of separating science and art, he creates a moving space with an empha sis on the viewer’s experience. “1 like working in a laboratory of changing aesthetics,” he says. “1 feel that it’s important to present art and composition that is accessible and aesthet ically pleasing— a dialogue that is mutually inclusive.” The gallery presents contemporary work in all media with a special focus on 2-D and instal lations that include sound or relate to technolo gy and/or the sciences. There is also a strong focus on interactive environments. The gallery’s October inaugural exhibit, Bas ket: Black Walnut Drawings, featured intricate geo metric prints using homemade black walnut inks by Portlander Seth Nehil, who also performed a rare set of his own electroacoustic sounds from recent recordings. November’s show, disembod ied.reconfigured, is a display of photo work focusing on the 21st century male body by gay artists Bruce Eves, Chris Komater and Ira Tattelman. “Since they are from three distinct points in by J o d i D a r by North America— San Francisco, Toronto and Washington, D.C.— they form a triangle,” the One of Norris’ major exhibits, Homo/Macho- ing exhibitions for Binghamton University’s Arts Bear Icons: Art & Artifacts of Queer Masculinity, very perceptive Norris notes. Museum and Cambridge Multicultural Arts A recent transplant from Boston, he hopes deals with the politics of body image. Center, among others. to move his viewers to a more universal level of “The bear culture is something of a freedom Norris received a 1991 Massachusetts Arts emotion by incorporating visual art and music. movement,” he explains. “There has been such Lottery grant for an installation presented at His aspiration is to do what contemporary art is Somerville Art Museum titled Naked Skeleton. an obsession in the gay community with men’s sometimes reluctant to: give the viewer the free In 1992, auto-porto-matic, his first video short, bodies— that men have to have the traditional dom to experience art in a very personal way. was screened as part of the Downtown Commu YM CA athletic build or they won’t be seen as nity Television Center’s Video/Film Festival in attractive by anyone. It’s like some kind of orris’ love of art goes back as far as he can beauty pageant. The bear culture represents New York City. remember. There is nothing particularly I men growing into their bodies, being surprising to him about his life as an [ loved for who they are.” artist; it’s just something he has always In his photographic series Urban Ruins, done. “Making art for me is like breath Norris conveys a similar feeling of art as ing,” he says. icon, one that pays homage to beauty and After years of arts education, he power beyond disenfranchisement. Both received a bachelor’s degree from Massa represent markers of an urban subculture. chusetts College of Art’s Media and Per Whether pictures of bear men or crumbling forming Arts department. He also studied foundations, the artist’s images succeed in at Nova Scotia College of Art and Design conveying a steadfastness and strength. as part of an exchange program. Norris’ most recent series of paintings, From there on, the 37-year-old’s exhi 12SQFT, is another example of the con bition record is impressive in its length stant metamorphosis of his talent. The and diversity. “I never want to limit myself exhibit, on display through Nov. 30 at the to one medium,” he says of his work, Jantzen Beach Barnes & Noble, includes which varies from photography to installa 12 square canvases that are treated in a tion. “I like to let my art inform me where way that is, in the artist’s words, “both lov it wants to go.” ing and distractive.” And go it has. His intent, he explains, is to turn per Norris has exhibited his work through fect square canvases into something deci out New York, Massachusetts, Pennsylva sively imperfect. The images’ blue, black nia, Maryland and Oregon. During the and white vertical lines evoke a strong yet early ’90s he delved into a new career as an independent free-lance curator construct- Part of Norris’ 12SQ FT at the Jantzen Beach Barnes & Noble somewhat unclear feeling. T J Norris’ new gallery packs a wallop for your senses N KBOO The BIGGEST GAY LEAGUE in Portland bowls at 90*7 FM PorM and 91*7 Cofotvifrîa G n r g e “The more I moved away from definite images, the more subconscious images came,” he explains. “They started looking like bars— bar codes— which in turn made me think about the conscious realities of oppression, our consumer culture and how I have made a point not to align myself with it. Instead of plastering the canvas with overt images of Nike ads or supermodels, I chose to make a more subconscious point. I don’t believe in .. .art that [has! simple interpretations. I prefer images that you have to reckon with.” Norris’ influences, not surprisingly, are as varied as the art they inspire. He cites the work of Anselm Kiefer, Christian Boltanski and Mark Rothko, who, he says, “have always struck me in their beauty and the emotional responses that their work commands.” Internationally known Ohio art professor Ann Hamilton is also a favorite. “Her work is great in that you never experience her pieces from a voyeuristic place. She makes you feel as if you are as much a part of her installation as anything else.” When not busy curating for Soundvision and earning a living as a human resources assistant at CareOregon, Norris is focusing a good deal of energy on what he considers his “most impor tant work.” Tribryd — GenometricsINucleo/lnfini- tus will be a three-part interactive, multisensory experience. Norris has solicited some of his favorite musi cians to join the project. “I asked these people to collaborate with me in order to challenge myself,” he admits, noting these artists “were so inspirational to me when 1 was working on my own artwork...who knows what could happen if we made an effort to collaborate !" He contacted 15 musicians, and nine agreed to work with him. “I was thrilled,” he smiles. Utilizing music and imagery to construct installation environments, Norris plans to pre sent Tribryd as a conceptual piece, taking place in three separate locations and featuring the avant- garde music of New York’s Joel St Jermain, Bee- queen, Northern Ireland’s Aranos and others. The first installation, Genometncs, deals with the genetic markers of DNA and its minuscule attrib utes that give humans their unique characteristics and physical identity; it will be unveiled next March in Portland’s Gavin Shettler Gallery. Until then, TJ Norris will continue to live his art. J H presents disembodied.reconfigured through Nov. 23 at 625 N.W. Everett St., with a reception from 6 to 9 p.m. Nov. 7. TJ Norris’ 12SQFT runs through Nov. 30 at the Jantzen Beach Barnes & Noble, with a reception at 7 p.m. Nov. 8. For more information visit www.tjnoms.net. SOUNDVISION is a Portland graphic designer, free lance writer and radio producer. JODI D a r b y SYLVIE TESTUD JULIE-MARIE PARMENTIER mm 1 0 0 .7 W ft(ai*e+te / « K e y Independen* Us * ener - Spon* or ed CoiwmonDy Radí o IN A FILM BY JEAN-PIERRE DENIS 300 LANES! YOUR WILLAMETTE VALLEY FAMILY REAL ESTATE CONNECTION HONE FOR THE HOLIDAYS Confluence Chorus Concert: b ap Saturday. 12/7 at 8pm • IMJ. Congregation of Salem . 5090 Center Street IV Sunday, 12/8 at 4pm • U.L. Fellowship of Corvallis. 2945 NW Circle Blvd Information CLARK HOUSE S ales Associate (5 4 1 ) 75 8 -1 2 3 4 x 211 e-mail: clarRshousesOaol.com B ry a n t R .G M A C |T« 0 3 w m H w * R ealty rInc. ine.TTSS w v .> 1 3 7 5 MW 9 th Street Corvallis. 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