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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (May 20, 2011)
•community+art WWW.JUSTOUT.COM ¥ Queer It Yourself Alternative publishing thrives in Portland The dream o f the artist’s book is alive in Portland. The Guerrilla Girls’ Ihe Guerilla Girls' Art Museum Activity Rook. Scott Treleaven’s Ihe Salvation Army Rlack Rook. A poster by artist collective Fierce Pussy that reads, “I AM A lez- zie hutch pervert feminist amazon bulldagger dyke AND SO ARE YOU.” These are a few of the gems on exhibition in Learn to Read Art: A History of Printed Matter, showing at the Pacific Northwest College of Art (1241 NW Johnson St.) until June 17. The exhibit, curated by the illustrious AA Bronson, chronicles over 40 years of history of Printed Matter, the famed New York City bookshop that moonlights as the world’s largest nonprofit dedicated to selling publications made by art ists. O ther well-known artists whose works are on display include John Baldessari, Martin Kippenberger, Rita McBride, Yoko Ono and Martha Rosier. Yet, defining exactly what an artist book is can be tricky. In an interview printed as part of the PNCA exhibit between Lucy R. Lippard and Julie Ault, Lippard offers this simple ad vice: “Artist’s book meant a book by an artist. I hate it when they are called ‘artist books,’which is ungrammatical and meaningless.” If anything, the Printed M atter show at PNCA mirrors a thriving ecosystem of alter native publishing in Portland. There are places of learning how to write and make books: the Independent Publishing Resource Center. There arc printers who help mass- produce work: Container Corps and Publica tion Studio. There are the stores to sell the books: Counter Media, Powell’s Books and Reading Frenzy. It comes as no surprise that many of the people involved at each step of the way are LGBTQjndividuals. The following is a small cross section of some of the people in Portland who help make the alternative printing scene a process of QJY: queering it yourself. byw aynebund than just consumers. This is especially true for people and voices who are not reflected at all or reflected accurately in the mainstream media.” Container Corps Left: Sights from PNCA’s Learn to Read Art: A History o f Printed Matter Above: Flipping through Death: a magazine for the enthusiast and non-enthusiast alike Rethinking Paper and Ink writing a piece and then reading it aloud back to the group,” says Mark Searcy, one of the creators of Little Read Writers. The collective, which includes Bowen Ames, Greg Berman, Tristan Bynum and John W ilmot, strives “to use words like art,” explains Searcy. There are currently five pocket books in the LRW roster, including the third, Legend o f the Swifts—which is, according to Searcy, “a book of art and writing that explores a trip to the Chapman School to see the legendary swarm of Vaux Swifts.” The books are on sale at lit- tlereadwriters.com. “My shop is centered around a small offset printing press,” says Gary Rohhins, the man behind Container Corps. “I t’s a versatile print ing method, can quickly make a lot o f copies of something and is relatively cheap.” Operating out of a small office on N. Killing- sworth, Robbins runs a one-person shop. “Con tainer Corps is a publication design studio, print shop, bindery and exhibition space that serves as a platform for the creation, distribution and discussion of new arts publications.” Robbins, who is also a visual artist, extends his practice into his printing press. “I think of the publishing projects as a part o f my art prac tice,” he says. Death Magazine “I obsessed over my own imminent death as a “Portland has a plethora of educated, progres kid,” observes Forrest Martin, the publisher, sive individuals who are active in these amazing creator and editor of Death: a magazine fo r the nonprofits and grassroots organizations,” says enthusiast and non-enthusiast alike. “It was a Jessie Carver, author of Rethinking Paper and combination of being an agnostic raised by a Ink, a book on sustainable practices within the hypochondriac and gay shame.” publishing industry, “so it makes sense that al Death's first issue came out in winter 2010, ternative modes of production are really thriving Independent Publishing Resource Center and Martin recently released its third issue. here, which is also really exciting to me.” Having worked at the I PRC for four years, Contributors have included Tom Spanbauer, Carver is a recent graduate of the Masters in A.M. O ’Malley knows a thing or two about Shawn Records and Lynda Barry. Death exists Publishing program from Portland State Univer self-publishing. outside of mainstream publishing, Martin ex sity. She used to consider herself mainly a writer “I am the program director,"admits O ’Malley. plains, in that “there are no ads, it’s printed on until she started attending the program at PSU. “I am in charge of all in-house workshops, demand and the whole operation is made pos “As an editor, my first priority is to harness events and happenings. I also spend about 60 sible by donated time and work.” and finesse the author’s voice, story and charac percent of my time teaching independent pub A designer at a local ad agency, Martin puts ters,” says Carver, “but this is concomitant with lishing in schools all over Portland and the together Death in his free time. He wants people my responsibility to the reader to ensure that surrounding area.” to check out the website for Death (deathmag. these elements are delivered accurately.” The I PRC seeks to provide a creative outlet com), as “the splash page, for instance, was done and promote individuals to make indepen entirely for free by the most remarkable website Little Read Writers dently published media and art. experience creator I know, Luciano Foglia, and if “Last summer I was kicking around the idea “It is important for people in our culture to you spend a little time with it, will take you down of starting a writer’s group that didn’t involve become creators o f media,” says O ’Malley, “rather a rabbit hole.” -I Innovative Treatments for Skin and Hair Problems 'PICKING UP WHERE»» LEAVE O F F LEARN INC ■ A R TS • SERVICE - FUN A Camp Fire CCHllM BlA Center for Dermato A N D LASER S U R G E R Y * Skin Cancer and Mole Evaluation, Rashes, Psoriasis, Eczema, Rosacea, Acne, Warts, Phototherapy, Photodynamic Therapy for Pre-Cancerous Spots and Acne Accepting Same Day and Urgent Care Appointments 503 297-3440 - 9427 SW Barnes RD., Suite 495 (Portland) 5880 NE Cornell, Suite B (Hillsboro) w w w .centerderm laser.com facebook/pdxdermatology Bernard Gasch, MD • Beata Rydzik, MD CAMPFIRECOLUMBIA.ORG Board Certified in Dermatology Holly Chandler, PA-C • Erik Zenger, PA-C
