Into the Mystic: This week, artist Grisha Bruskin and writer Lidia Yuknavitch lead us along their paths for spiritual truth. Bruskin, fresh off the Venice Biennale, makes huge tapestries are the centerpiece of a a new museum in Portland. Yuknavitch has one of the hot reads for summer: a re-imagining of Joan of Arc as a savior for a dystopian future. Also: Robin Bacior's dark, lithe melodies for an Aquarian summer. Dive in.
This week marked a turning point in Jordan Schnitzer's effort to create new museums within the Northwest's public universities. Schnitzer is the heir to one of Oregon’s top philanthropic families. He's contributing $5 million for a new art museum at Portland State University, with another in the works in Corvallis. This would bring the number of museums bearing his name to four.
This weekend, the Oregon Jewish Museum and Center for Holocaust Education is reopening. And its first fine art exhibit is quite the eye-popper.
Russian-American artist Grisha Bruskin has hung the walls of the museum with towering tapestries that fuse the ancient and the modern, called "Alephbet: Alphabet of Memory." We lost ourselves, standing in front of Bruskin’s wall-sized works, taking in the rich colors and details of his 160 folkloric characters. It's on view at the Oregon Jewish Museum and Center for Holocaust Education through October. The museum’s grand opening is Sunday.
Remember Joan of Arc? The incredible 15th century woman of great military prowess and electrifying faith? Now imagine Joan of Arc in space.
That is exactly what Portland author did Lidia Yuknavitch in writing her spiraling sci-fi novel "The Book of Joan."
Her novel takes place in CIEL — a floating, technological world orbiting the solar system — that is reeling from the brutal wars that all but destroyed Earth.
Yuknavitch recently came into the studio and spoke with Allison Frost on "Think Out Loud" all about her new novel and why she considers astrophysics her religion. You can hear the full interview here, where they covered everything from space elevators to Joan’s supernatural powers.
"The Book of Joan" is out now. You can catch Yuknavitch’s Broadway Books reading on June 22 at 7 p.m. PST.
Few people can marry the celestial with the earthly like Robin Bacior.
Bacior proved herself to be one of Portland’s most dynamic musical transplants after capturing the attention of New York City’s folk scene with her lullaby-like compositions. Shifting between guitar and piano, her brilliant melodies wash across her 2015 album "Water Dreams."
She came into our studio just after the album’s release and spoke with Aaron Scott. You can hear the full interview and watch videos of her performance here.
Bacior's next album is in the works and is set to come out by the end of this year. She's at the Doug Fir Lounge on June 17 and the Fremont Theater on July 28.
Astoria is in the midst of a truly rich musical revival. In addition to the artists who are moving in to escape the expense and hassle of Portland, the town’s summer music festival remains a draw for folks in town, as well as classical music fans looking for amazing sounds in a fun, accessible setting.
It’s always been a challenge pulling off such ambitious visions, but this year, director Keith Clark is programming bigger than ever, with a solo recital by Northwest native opera star Angela Meade and a Phillip Glass composition, "Icarus at the Edge of Time," performed with simultaneous orchestra, narration, and a film screening.
We listen back to our 2015 Astoria Music Festival special, including an exclusive session and interview with Blind Pilot’s Israel Nebeker and world-renowned cellist Sergey Antonov.
The Astoria Music Festival runs from June 11-25 at the Liberty Theater. Nebeker will be collaborating with Antonov again this year at the festival on June 22 for the show: "Beethoven, Blue Jeans, and a Blind Pilot." You can catch a chat and a chamber performance with Antonov as part of the festival on June 17.
Also, you can see Blind Pilot at the Oregon Zoo in Portland on August 12.
Courtesy Harper Collins Publishers
/Lidia Yuknavitch's "The Book of Joan" explores astrophysics, environmentalism and love by placing the historical figure of Joan of Arc in a dystopian future.
Aaron Scott/OPB
/L-R: Cellist Sergey Antonov, Blind Pilot's Israel Nebeker and Ryan Dobrowski, and host April Baer onstage at the Liberty Theater in downtown Astoria.
Courtesy OJMCHE
/Grisha Bruskin's "Alefbet:The Alphabet of Memory" showcases his towering tapestries at the newly reopened Oregon Jewish Museum and Center for Holocaust Education.
Courtesy Portland State University
/The Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art plans to open at Portland State University in 2019. The museum will take shape in a newly-renovated Neuberger Hall, adjacent to downtown’s Park Blocks, and a stone’s throw from the Portland Art Museum.
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