The Portland Center for the Performing Arts last week unveiled its latest art project, The New Brow of Portland, featuring pieces from 50 local artists who are contributing to a new kind of art form. Embracing Portland's strong underground art culture, the show challenges conceptions of art as stuffy, old and dusty by encompassing Portland's emerging class of alternative artists.
"New Brow" art is a redefinition of the terms "outsider" and "low brow," which originally signified lower art forms, and includes comic art, tattooing, paintings, skate art, fine art and poster art encompassing a more edgy approach to art appreciation.
This particular art form has long been part of a thriving underground art scene that, until recently, has gone largely unnoticed. Lately, however, "New Brow" art has gained national recognition and numerous installations and galleries have been hosted nationwide.
The New Brow of Portland is curated by artist Chris Haberman and is on display through Oct. 1 in the Antoinette Hatfield Hall lobby, 1111 SW Broadway.
The Portland Center for the Performing Arts is the region's premier performing arts venue management organization. PCPA manages the Keller Auditorium, Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall and the Antoinette Hatfield Hall, which houses the Winningstad and Newmark theatres and Brunish Hall. Portland Center for the Performing Arts operates under the guidance of the Metropolitan Exposition Recreation Commission, a subsidiary of Metro.
Participating artists include: Adam Ciresi, Angela Gay, Anna Magruder, Ashley Costa, Azad Sadjadi, Beth Myrick, Brenda Dunn, Brent Wear, Brin Levinson, Cathie Joy Young, Charles Aidan Howard, Chuck Bloom, Chris Haberman, Dan Ness, David Stein, Eatcho, Emek, Extremo The Clown, Gary Hirsch, Heidi Elise Wirz, Jason Brown, Jason Graham, Jennifer Mercede, Joel Barber, Jonathan Hill-Jacquard, John Gajowski, Johnny Tragedy, J. Shea, Kelly Williams, Kendra Binney, Kevin Darras, Klutch, Linda Womack, Luna Littleleaf, Mario Robert, Mark Randall, Mike Fields, Matt Schlosky, Michael Costello, Mona Superhero, Sam Arneson, Sarah Kamsler, Scott Chase, Tim Combs,Tim Karpinski, Tyler Corbett, and Zak Gere.