You Were Here
Originally posted on August 30th, 2008
In October 2003, Randy Gragg curated a city-wide arts exhibition called Core Sample: Portland Art Now. Maybe it's better to say that he instigated it: each of the venues had its own site-based curator. I was still working with Sam Gould of Red76 at the time, and I contributed a piece to the Red76 Community Jukebox part of the show. My project was a series of 20 different site-specific installations. I was horrible at documenting my work back then (and I'm not much better now), so it was only recently that I came across the project list and the few photos I have. Here they are:
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David Campbell Sidewalk Memorial
Remembering our beloved Fire Chief, who died in an explosion in 1913.
SE Salmon & Water Streets
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"Lost Hotel" Lost and Found Fliers
Attempting to enlist the public in locating the seven-story Portland Hotel, last seen in 1951.
Vicinity of Pioneer Courthouse Square -
Riot at the X-Ray Cafe Posters
Advertising the evening in 1993 that turns into a full-scale riot.
Telephone poles on NW 23rd & SE Hawthorne -
Coontown Street Sign
Detailing an unpleasant neighborhood nickname from the 1930s.
NW Hoyt between 11th & 12th
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Badlands Street Sign
Directing people to the bad part of 1880s Portland.
NW Broadway between Everett & Flanders
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"Hello My Name Is" Portlanders Stickers
Become the Portlander you've always wanted to be. Styles vary: famous, infamous, faceless, etc.
Maytag Building Exhibition Space -
Skidmore's "111" Perfume Sample
An enticement to purchase the 1870s druggist's signature perfume.
Random magazines at Powell's Bookstore -
Depression Era Job Hunter Lists
Hand-written lists of employment opportunities.
Various pay telephones in the downtown area. -
Portland Brewing Co. "Blitz" Beer Table Tents
Encouraging patrons to order this 1918 brew.
Various NW Portland Bars -
Belmont Streetcar Time and Fare Schedules
Guides to riding the no longer existing Belmont streetcar line.
Inside #15 Belmont bus schedule racks -
Danford Balch Street Sign
Informing residents of the neighborhood about the unfortunate demise of the original landowner.
NW 23rd & Pettygrove -
Public Library Book Markers
Celebrating the opening of a library that is free to all members of the public.
Various books at Central Library -
Lotus Isle Concert Posters
Encouraging attendance at the briefly lived amusement par on Tomahawk Island.
Telephone poles on NW 23rd & SE Hawthorne -
South Portland Street Address
The street address and family information of a long-gone house in Portland's old Jewish and Italian neighborhood.
SW 6th Avenue as it passes over I-405 -
Water Level Marks
Approximate water levels of the 1894 flood.
SW 3rd and 4th Avenues, near Morrison -
Vanport Employment Inserts
Advertising employment and living opportunities in the town that will be washed away.
Randomly inserted in Pearl District newspaper boxes -
Japanese "Evacuation" Notices
An ugly bit of WWII revisits what used to be Portland's Little Tokyo.
Old Town/Chinatown Neighborhood -
1905 Lewis & Clark Exposition Ads
Newspaper boxes in the Pearl District
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Orpheum Theater Movie Posters
Advertising silent films from the 1910s.
SW Alder between 6th and Broadway -
Henry Weinhard Drink Coasters
Forget "Beer Means More Here", this is a Weinhard's ad from the days of the man himself.
Various NW Portland bars
The original intention with many of these pieces was to make many copies, so they would be easily found. The actual result was that in most cases, very few were made or distributed. In one case, I didn't install any of the Skidmore perfume inserts, because I became concerned that the Powell's staff would think I was up to something (I didn't obtain permission for any of the projects). Aside from a handful of "Lost Hotel" fliers, I don't have anything left from this project: the "Coontown" sign was taken down by someone the first night it was up, many of the originals were created on a work computer, and the rest were in a backpack that was stolen in 2004.