Opening Reception | Friday, May 5, 6 – 8:00 P.M.
We have found ourselves facing a sobering reality of the fragile and
threatened support for the arts. As institutional directions are frequently
changing and budgets continually diminished, the very foundations of creative
venues and organizations have become easy prey. Institutional, community and
civic priorities are expressed – or dismissed – through financial
referendums. Currently, this is a global, national, and ultimately local
truth.
Functionally United will serve as the final curated exhibition for White Box.
On July 1, following the University of Oregon Art and Technology graduating
exhibition the doors will close for the last time. An important and
influential chapter for the Northwest’s arts community will officially come
to an end.
This final line-up of exhibiting artists is a testament to the impact, depth,
and reach White Box has had locally, across Oregon, and nationally. This is
not an exhibition where the spacious, room-to-breath aesthetic of displaying
work will be implemented, but rather will be a wall-to-wall, floor-to-ceiling
collection of incredible talent. A group that formed out of solidarity for
one of Portland’s iconic art venues, many have previously exhibited in the
gallery and all have experienced, influenced and provoked White Box in some
degree.
White Box at the University of Oregon in Portland has served as a visual
laboratory invested in the exploration and presentation of contemporary
critical inquiry in the visual arts since 2010. Located in the historic White
Stag Block in Portland’s Old Town Chinatown neighborhood, White Box has a
vibrant history of bringing together artists, students, faculty, and regional
and global communities to research and present contemporary issues in art and
design. This history and collection of exhibitions cannot be properly
represented in a statement. But, I am hopeful it will serve as a symbol of
White Box continuing to fuel individual artists as well as Oregon’s
artistic, social and civic communities long after the lights are off.
Please join us in saying farewell.
Cris Moss
WHITE BOX | Director and Curator
Exhibiting Artists
Intisar Abioto
Holly Andres
Corey Arnold
Avantika Bawa
Carla Bengston
Pat Boas
John Brodie
Karl Burkheimer
Bruce Conkle
Peter Campus
Shelby Davis
Modou Dieng
David Eckard
Kristy Edmonds
Damien Gilly
MK Guth
Jesse Hayward
Sean Healy
Daniel Heffernan
Daniel Heyman
Craig Hickman
Laura Hughes
Malia Jensen
Todd Johnson
Kristin Kennedy
Elizabeth Malaska
Jenene Nagy
Liz Obert
Julia Oldham
Suzanne Opton
Melody Owens
Wendy Red Star
Patrick Rock
Crystal Schenk
Heidi Schwegler
Storm Tharp