GG at the Helm. With a Bronco Gallery tailgate invitation in hand, Midori Hirose returns to her familial Oregon roots and would like to take you on an Oregon expedition via curatorial investigations this Sunday, November 15th, 2016 to the Portland Women's Forum (the viewpoint which overlooks the gorge and Crown Point, 30 minutes from Portland.)
Members of the Portland Women’s Forum at Elmers, Portland, OR.
Pregame First Thursday tailgate with Maggie Heath and Emily Wobb of Bronco Gallery in promo mode.
Presenting GG at the Helm. An exhibition of visual, music, performative and written works at the Portland Women’s Forum from 3pm till sunset with: Julia Calabrese, Mia Ferm, Jennifer Keyser, Lola Milholland, Patricia No, Antonia Pinter, Lisa Radon, Morgan Ritter, Stephanie Simek, and Mary Sutton.
One theory according to the 2004 Oregon Historical Quarterly reveals that in the Mid 1700s, Major Robert Rogers may have named the state Oregon from his telling interest in the Alonquian word, olighin, meaning, “good and beautiful.”
As the story unfolds, a bronco cuts across the scenic byways of Oregon with GG at the Helm. The title, GG at the Helm is a playful play on words and an homage to Gertrude Glutsch Jensen. In 1950 Gertrude Glutsch Jensen took great stride to help preserve thousands of acres of land from private development, including what is now known as the Portland Women's Forum. Portland Women’s Forum is a viewpoint 30 minutes from the City of Portland which looks out at the Columbia River Gorge and provides a scenic view for the Vista House (also known as Crown Point.) Portland Women's Forum began with a group which held teas and fundraised to save the viewpoint. The group eventually gifted the land to the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department for all to enjoy.
From this arrived a calling and inquiry.
High upon the cliffs of the Columbia River Gorge, Bronco Gallery will roll up onto the Portland Women's Forum where it will set the stage for dialogue thru a cross section of ideas and mediums on Oregon history, how women have helped shape our history, contemplation on contemporary and looking to the future thru the eyes of women visual artists, writers, a composer, performing artists, shakers and thinkers on our land we call, good and beautiful. Our Olighin.
The universe inhales and exhales. Inhales no limits. Exhales no boundaries. No pocket watches or counting sand, nor times two. No limits can be placed on spirit.
Mary Sutton composed a piano composition and played via generator. Onsite footage can be found here.