Monograph Bookwerks

Monograph Bookwerks

John Brodie and Blair Saxon-Hill have opened a new art book store: Monograph Bookwerks. John and Blair are both visual artists, so the shop promises to be smart about architecture, design, photography, fashion, biographies and criticism. They will sell both used and rare books, studio objects and artwork! Keep up to date with their Twitter page.

Although I don't know Blair all that well, I do know that John is ceaselessly busy. John recently opened Store For a Month (much to the chatter of PDX). He also had a giant re-appropriated billboard-like art installation at this years Disjecta Biennial. Oh, and he owns Le Happy.

Artist behind Glass

Installation View of I Don't Know Anyone in Paris 2010 (via NAAU)

I love stopping by NAAU each week to put my hands to the glass and watch the artist in residence. Currently it is Gabriel Liston. The program invites gallery artists to work in the space for over a month. The gallery seems designed exactly for this purpose, with floor-to-ceiling windows facing the street. This is consistent with NAAU's process-oriented nurturing too.

I am still undecided if I'd ever really want to stop by when the artist is working - or if I like being able to see the process without the artist.

I really particularly enjoyed Timothy Scott Dalbow's residency last period. Cris Moss, who curated this years Disjecta Biennial singled him out as being one of his favorite painters working in Portland.