Words from Kuujjuaq, Nunavik

It’s ok to feel intimidated by that first name of hers, Inuk language families are largely foreign to Western tongues. Taqralik (tuk-rul-ick) is from the extreme north of Quebec, Kuujjuaq to be exact, but she now lives in Montreal. She’s been writing and performing for over 6 years and 4 of her tracks can be heard on her myspace. Her performances are right up there with Zachary Schomburg in quality and tone. I’ve probably listened to her “battery” piece ten times now, I just discovered on youtube her explaining what it is and now I may have to listen again.

In case of fire
leave quickly and quietly
you will find yourself drawn
to things
Do not stop.

If you must bring things
pile them quickly and haphazard
into black bags
like you’re going to the trash.

Hide your most precious jewels
in your hair
or between your teeth.

The title of the piece is battery because she is speaking in fact not of fire, but of domestic violence. Domestic violence in the northern reaches of Canada’s arctic is a force many women must face alone. I’ve never been in a situation like that, but I understand how isolating and terrifying it could be, especially when just a few hours outside in the cold could kill you if you tried to run anywhere. These women must be strong.

And if they’re not, Taqralik does speak of empowerment. Here she performs at what appears to be a young girls school, a piece called Eskimo Chick. In this poem she makes reference to Inuit throat singing, if you are unfamiliar it may seem like an odd/out-of-place noise amidst the words. Throat singing is a talent and art explained here, performed here, that is part of the heritage of northern aboriginal women. They sing to eachother, arm in arm, rocking back and forth relaying stories, news, and sounds of the North. It comes from deep within the throat, and sounds at first like odd growling.

Other girls have
Louis Vuitton baggage and
Calvin Klein pasts but
you and me
we got seal skin hopes
and dreams

Your Grandma must’ve been a hottie
and she got down and naughty
with some fine
Inuk body.

And you’re not just surviving
you’re thriving
I hope I’m alive when you’re 90
so I can turn to you and say
Eskimo Chick
you are it.

In a couple youtube videos the artists talks about whether or not people are paying attention to her because of the novelty of an Inuk poet, or that in fact she’s doing something worthwhile. She’s obviously found the answer to that doubt in her continued performance, I’m so glad she did. If she can speak to a room full of young minorities and empower them to embrace their heritage, eschew endemic suicide trends, and become intellectually independent through the arts, then I throw my full support.

Hey Taqralik, Portland want’s to hear your fine Inuk voice. Bring your thick blood here, but in the meantime, you are totally enriching. Thank you ma’am.

The Labrador, a floating gallery

It would be hard to imagine something more awesome than an art gallery on a boat. We’re not talking about a yacht, a skiff, or a retail pleasure craft. Imagine a WWII Naval vessel, that after the war went up to Dutch Harbor, Alaska to join the crabbing fleets of the frigid Bering Sea. It’s 135 feet long and weighs 200 tons, and casts a long shadow on all the boats in the surrounding area, with its three story tower. This craft is so large last week I saw it from an airplane as we banked and prepared for landing at PDX. It’s a landmark.

FORTPORT did write a little spot on The Labrador project last year, but actually visiting the space is to be amused, enchanted, and envious of artists with such a bad ass venue at their disposal. I won’t lie, I want this boat. I want to live on it, I want to dress for it, and I want to take that show on the road.

To bring and old lady such as The Labrador to life is no small job. To keep her in working condition despite her seven decades of service is notable, but she not only works, she creates culture. It’s hard to not get poetic, but watching my three gracious hosts amid the cold steel and heavy rope talk about performance & sculpture, my mind started to buzz. This is filed under officially inspiring business.

Special thanks to those responsible for these works, they would be Kyle Thompson, Lewis Feuer, Caitlin Ducey, and Zoe Clark. There are more associated with what happens with The Labrador, and they can be found at their show website; 12128boatspace.com.

We also shot a little spot featuring the space, feel, and an exposition of some excellent studies in sculpture & form. Check it out below, but before you do I’d love to credit one Ryan Bush who helped out with this post. His images (1, 5, 8, 12-15 above) made more than half of the meat here, and having another excited designer along made things possible. Thanks Ryan!

Musicians at home in Portland

I showed up to photograph these two artists, musicians & friends of the Fort, 2 hours earlier than scheduled on a recent Sunday morning. Samuel wasn’t home, Hannah was enjoying her Sunday. My mistake in timing was met with smiles, magazines, ginger tea, and an invitation to creep around their incredible shared house in NW Portland at my leisure. I did so, and now I think I’ll show up 2 hours early to every photo appointment. It was such a lovely insight into the world of these two talented musicians called The Woodlands.

Over here at the Fort we don’t think of ourselves as The Selby or similar, but we do like their work. And so, here we are, inspired by The Selby, showcasing some of Portland’s finest musicians.

In honor of these two living artists, I’ll let their images do the talking, and for once, I’ll keep my comments to a minimum! But can I just say, these guys are so talented it’s almost sickening. And they’ve a new EP coming out in March! Listen to the Heavy Hands Remix, let it enrich your ears, and then buy two of their albums. One for you and one for your mother. Perfect soundtrack for image scrolling!:

These two are so lovely in the frame. Their promo for their music video for Summerland shows a bit of their personality and awesomeness. Check it out:

I can’t get enough of their Heavy Hands Remix, and I’m basically holding my breath until their new album is released, which is very soon. Pre-order here!

The Powell that giveth

We’re keeping it up in the Fort, thanks to a faithful reader!

The truth is I’ve let the busy get in between my grubby little fingers and I myself haven’t been able to keep up with the universe. But, never to fear, we are alive and well, and have plenty to share and plenty behind the curtain. Just you wait. In the meantime, I have (humility be damned) been given the honor of being Mayor of Powell’s books on Foursquare. Which means there are new books to share!

Luckily Powell’s Books is directly the midpoint between my dwelling and my working places, so it’s now a larger part of my life than it’s been in years. When I lived at the University I’d walk to the store once or twice a week. Now I have the pleasure of discovering the corners and districts within the City of Books that I’ve never ventured before. It always delivers. Every single time. Here’s what’s on the floor:

If this offends you I’m sorry, but I’ve never purchased or opened an idpure in my life. They bill themselves as “The Swiss Magazine of Graphic Design and Visual Creation.” Sold. And the content, it’s like The Giving Tree! Be-still my heart cavity. This is how to use color and grids, everyone. This is how you do it.

Monocle. Required reading for human folks. Plus it looks great on a wood floor or table. Or anything wood. Also I’d like to have that vest, it looks as crisp as a cracker!

Installation Art
Gingko Press, 2010, Sandu Publishing

This is a great collection of some work that blows brain cells consistently. The spread above for example – explorations on turning a room inside-out through reflective laser-cut triangles.

“The piece connects all of the openings in the room with a singular surface, turning it inside-out and giving viewers reference to the exterior of the room without physical access to it.”

I find this sort of work a direct challenge, and I’d like to devour every part of the corpus that created these works.

3 x 3 Illustration Annual no.7

Published by 3×3 Magazine, 2010

The cover of this year’s 3×3 by Alessandro Gottardo (Shout) is so sweet and incredible that it’s difficult not to pick this book off the shelf. It practically jumps in your tote and whimpers. A completely excellent catalogue of contemporary illustration, art directed beautifully and well considered. A great handbook of juicy, inspiring work. Careful though, the 3x3mag.com website apparently contains malware. Yuk!

Never Cry Wolf
Farley Mowat, Little, Brown, 1963

Mr. Farley Mowat is basically Canada’s spokesperson for all things wild. In the same way John Muir was a conservation writer to his generation, Mowat is to his. He writes from his now aged hands, tales of wild places, untouched splendor, and all the details that he cares to notice and record. What a hunk. Congrats on selling 14 million and one books sir. Long live Mowat! And check out that slick cover art! This one fits nicely in the palm of the hand.

Travels in Alaska
John Muir, Houghton Mifflin, 1915

Oh John, you tease. I hiked your trail last summer to the top of Half Dome, now you taunt me with writings on your travels in Alaska. It was actually a quiet day in Powell’s when I first read any of Mr. Muir’s writings. His days as a shepherd in the Yosemite Valley are chronicled by journal entries in another book that I can’t recall. I didn’t purchase it, I stood there in the aisle and read it for over an hour. I can’t really get my mind around that man. Thinking of him travelling north through Portland in 1879 makes him more real, though. Did he stop in at any bars I frequent in Old Town?

“The little steamer that had been my home in the wonderful trip through the archipelago departed on her return to Portland, and as I watched her gliding out of sight in the dismal blurring rain, I felt strangely lonesome.”

I’ve got you, John. Don’t be lonely!

Reed’s Maritime Flags
Thomas Reed Publications, 2002

This is only to appease my obsession with the maritime tradition, sadly I find myself only more frothy after flipping through this manual. Come. On. It’s actually developing into a problem. This little (actually it’s quite wide) book goes as far as to map out the ensign by region of the flag itself, i.e. canton, hoist, and fly. Then it goes on to describe in detail flag maintenance (a true shipman would never let his flag fly overnight), and the difference between house, builders, racing, and battle flags. Battle flags!

The Lore of Sportfishing
Tre Tryckare, E. Cagner, Crown Publishers, 1976

So this one isn’t for reading, unless I get really desperate. The 2,500 illustrations are excellently rendered and preserved in this, one of the most “lavish — and practical! — books ever produced on different aspects of fresh and saltwater game fishing.” Quite the title these publishers give, I do agree with the lavish part. Practical? Not sure how well it would last in the field. But spread after spread after spread of gorgeous illustrations was enough to make me want to snag this one. Sorry, that was in poor taste.

Good Shot, A book of rod, gun, and camera
Bob, Dan & Ray Holland, Knopf, 1946

This one, however, is on the top of the pile. The cover is simple, so not shown, but the silvery prints on each spread inside are so very lovely. Composed, authentic, and full of story. The entire package is a dream, from the copy to the smell of the pages. I can’t believe I found this piece of artwork, I feel very lucky to have accidentally found it at Powell’s. A passage:

“Any sportsman worthy of the name should put little fish back in the stream and let them grow up. That is one of the first things a trout fisherman should learn.”

“Whenever we hunt, we always give game to the farmers. It makes for better farmer-sportsman relationship, and it is the fair thing to do. You hunt on his land, and certainly you should share your game with him if he wants it.”

Music contributor – Ryan A. Schowen mixtape

It’s been an age since we’ve done anything with music in the fort. Thank goodness Mr. Schowen descended upon Portland from sunny Alaska recently, and brought in tow his excellent taste in music. Ryan isn’t a new transplant, he’s lived here before, but now he’s here for reals, for keeps, and is enriching our fair city with a nearly finished doctorate in Political Philosophy. I do not know how this man finds some of these tracks, beyond trolling the internet for months on end.

And it is true, by the way, that Ryan can’t stand the cold, which is the backbone of this mixtape.

Get your ears on it promptly, and warm up to the enriching tunes of Ryan Adams and his Van Morrison selections. Pull up a mug, a lover, or an ear muff, this stuff will keep your insides cozy for days. But don’t get too comfortable, this playlist isn’t a hibernation soundtrack, it smacks of warmer days just around the corner!

Album art downloads the mix!

Track list:

01. Money Grabber // Fitz and the Tantrums
02. Mango Tree // Angus and Julia Stone
03. Rocky Votolato // Sparklers
04. Favourite Food // Tokyo Police Club
05. Just a Common Love // The Go Find
07. Hallelujah // Jeff Buckley
08. Gimme Sunshine // Ryan Adams
09. Lately // The Helio Sequence
10. Ghosts in the Room // Radio Nationals
11. Weak Become Heroes // The Streets
12. Last Leaf // OK GO
13. Crazy Love // Van Morrison