The Burnside Blog
PNCA's FIVE Idea Studio is the Beginning of Something Bigger
Jacques Rancière has been called one of the world’s leading intellectuals, he’s a professor emeritus at the University of Paris, his insights have been the subject of an entire issue of the magazine Art Forum, he’s written more than 20 books, and thanks to the Pacific Northwest College of Art’s newly unveiled FIVE Idea Studios lecture series, the globally revered philosopher and political theorist Rancière will make his first visit to Portland on the 29th of February to give a lecture at PNCA.
He’s not alone. PNCA has renowned artist James Turrell slated for the 16th of next month, and I’m told there are more luminaries in the hopper, as PNCA seems to be finding excellent ways to spend the $15 million dollars gifted to the school by the late benefactor Hallie Ford (FIVE=Ford Institute for Visual Education) in May 2007. The once tiny school has recently added graduate studies to its repertoire, its President Tom Manley is young and dynamic, and PNCA may soon find a home in one of Portland’s most historic and iconic structures, the 511 Broadway Building.
What’s most exciting about Idea FIVE Studios is that it’s just one piece of a larger conversation that’s finally starting to happen in Portland. Portland is full of youthful vigor, but the city has lacked mature amenities, like a good lecture series. With Idea FIVE Studios, one appears to be on the way, but PNCA isn’t alone.
As reported here, Ziba’s forthcoming headquarters will include a 180-seat auditorium wherein Ziba will sponsor lectures of its own. Ziba’s headquarters won’t be completed until 2009, but Ziba founder and CEO Sorhab Vossoughi will sponsor events at the University of Oregon, both in Eugene and at the new Portland campus in Old Town—in the interim.
The next decade could well be Portland’s educational Golden Age. With PNCA, OHSU and the University of Oregon’s Portland Campus all expanding and bracing themselves for tremendous growth, we can only hope that these type of opportunities will become more common in PDX.
By Mike Thelin on Friday, January 18, 2008 at 04:14PM PST
Thanks Kevin for the feedback. To answer your question, folks at PNCA tell me the lectures will take place in their common area, which is located at 1241 NW Johnson. Tickets will be available for RSVP on February 4th. I’ll make another post before then so everyone is in the loop.
By Kevin on Thursday, January 17, 2008 at 01:08PM PST
Ah… James Turrell. perfect. Any idea if the lectures will be held at PNCA or elsewhere…
Nice work with the new mag & blog. Great to see well researched stories, rather than just opinion, connected to an area for comments and discussion. Makes a blog real journalism. Brilliant.