I'm told

that Japanese gardens were once called shima (島), a word that means "island," rather than the common word used for "garden" today.

Portland's Japanese Garden. You can view the webgallery here.

Languages change and spread, as if commanded to frustrate their physical containers—on the atlas and in our clumsy vocal cords. Fortunately, translations are still possible.

Try typing "japanese garden" into Google: Portland is actually the top hit. Although firmly locked within the continental US, the landscaping is faithful to the wabi-sabi aesthetic originated over on "that island."

Things I like:

1. This rock garden
2. This lion statue, also known as Mr. Grumpy
3. This contemporary sculpture by Jun Kaneko.

Context changes everything. Though these ordinary, Crayola hues usually put me to sleep, the contrast of bright-pastel-on-earth makes for a surprising seamlessness between old and new. The glass is just a little translucent.

Can we have more art outside?

Upper Playground

Deadly Towers 1, 2 & 3 (acrylic) and Asteroids (multi-media installation) by E*Roc. Click here for artist statement. I'm reminded of 1) Matt Relkin's towers and 2) Bean Summer's recent installation at MINT...

Photos by Sara Padgett: Watermelons, Miami, FL and Multitubes, Savannah, GA. Artist statement here. Those colors are exquisite. Padgett, an Arkansas native, confirms the sensation that Portland is also a "town of transplants."

Upper Playground is a design studio based in San Francisco. They also run two art galleries: Fifty 24SF and Fifty 24PDX. Kudos to Mike Germon for pointing the way.

I visited their Portland, OR, location this summer, and although I've delayed the photos for some time, I'm proud that I was able to attribute the artist to each and every work. It was a rare show for the space; instead of showcasing "established" talent from the California art scene, Seven was exclusively dedicated to rising artists in Portland. Fifth and Couch posted some photos of the opening here.

Feel free to browse the Picasa webgallery here.

Comments appreciated!

Ghostmap: Destination West

Thurs. July 10. From the Flying the Skies exhibit at the Phoenix Airport Museum. It made me hate Arizona even more...

Some interactive art at SITE Santa Fe. The current biennial focuses on ephemeral yet highly dynamic, multi-story exhibitions. More on the biennial this week.

The Student Center at the Santa Fe campus of St. John's College maintains a koi pond 365 days a year. It has a running waterfall... Yes - they have live koi fish.
My God.

I am now in New Mexico, busily stomping rattle snakes by the dozen and exorcising that notorious demon called "boredom" from the local population.

Several people have contacted me about seeing art in Atlanta this weekend. It pains me that I won't be able to see the "eyeball-scratching" goodness at Beep Beep, Wonderroot, and New Street. But I've planned this trip for some time - a fact I've shared with more than one reader - so I regretfully reiterate my position:

I am a Man of my Word.

Shouts out to everyone that helped me make it happen (Jennifer, Michi, Luciana, Shawn Marie)!

So Santa Fe, huh? Five days of concentrated gallery hopping, eavesdropping and general industrial espionage, and of course, carousing of the Dionysian variety. Tequila is a drink worthy of devils.

Plus the weather is beautiful. Don't let them tell you it's hotter in New Mexico than in Atlanta. It's a lie.

** I'll be visiting other places on the West Coast this month; if anyone has suggestions for galleries and art places - or just fun places in general (restaurants, dive bars, etc.) - to visit in Santa Fe, Seattle, and especially Portland -- please hit me with a comment, OK?

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