Luke Butlers Captain XXX, on view at Elizabeth Leach Gallery

The First Thursday artwalk is going down tonight over on the west side, and the smorgasbord of openings is looking really strong. I'm particularly excited about Tyler Kohlhoff and Justin Gorman's Exhibit B: Field of Work at Wieden+Kennedy, Zerofriends at Upper Playground, as well as the new exhibits at Fourteen30 Contemporary, Grass Hut, PRESENTspace, Elizabeth Leach, and PDX Contemporary.

Click on for locations, times, and heaps of images.

Wieden+Kennedy is hosting Tyler Kohlhoff and Justin Gorman's collaborative Exhibit B: Fields of Work, a "collection of visual case studies [focusing] on the processes of industry and the practice of work along the Columbia River and Willamette Valley." Three local businesses were selected for the team's case studies, including "Rinella Produce, Foss Maritime Shipyard and Afton Field Farms." The resulting videos from Exhibit B are not only visually stunning, but they approach narrative in a subtle, compelling manner. Above is Kohlhoff and Gorman's recent (successful!) Kickstarter short, which does a good job summing up the visual and emotional appeal of the project. 224 NW 13th Ave, 6-10 pm.

Ken Fandells This May Be Perfect For Art, on view at Fourteen30 Contemporarys @ 937 satellite location
  • Fourteen30 Contemporary
  • Ken Fandell's "This May Be Perfect For Art," on view at Fourteen30 Contemporary's @ 937 satellite location

Take it away press release! "Ditch Projects is pleased to present Chicago Chocolate Tour, a group show of work by Ken Fandell, Scott Reeder and Tyson Reeder, featuring drawings, video and photography at Fourteen30 Contemporary’s satellite space, @ 937 in Portland, Oregon." Expect visual puns and conceptual wit from this group of artists. 937 NW Glisan, 6-10 pm.

Grass Hut is presenting Goodluck Again, a solo show from Scott Patt featuring "25 new rainbow powered penny-dutch pieces, some lucky bunnies, and two new tee designs." Added bonus: a "mini show" from Sergey Safonov featuring "a small batch of custom toys and some new laser etched works." 20 NW 5th Ave, #101 (inside Floating World Comics), 6-9 pm.

From the Ka-Pow! installation.
  • PRESENTspace
  • From the Ka-Pow! installation.

Veteran curator Mark Woolley is teaming up with PRESENTspace for Ka-Pow!, a two-person show featuring street-art inspired works by Kirby Kendrick and Dan Ness. A portion of the proceeds from art sales will benefit Portland's Public Art Murals Program. 939 NW Glisan, 6-9 pm.

Storm Tharps Bokashi, on view at PDX Contemporary

PDX Contemporary is hosting a group show, oomph [ʊmf]: enthusiasm, vigor, or energy. sex appeal, featuring new works by Marie Watt, Storm Tharp, Anna Gray & Ryan Wilson Paulsen, Joe Macca, James Lavadour, Tad Savinar, and Arcy Douglass. Need I say more? 925 NW Flanders St, 6-8 pm.

John Beechs Dumpster Drawing 171, on view at Elizabeth Leach Gallery

Elizabeth Leach Gallery is celebrating its 30th anniversary with Mise-en-Scène, "a group exhibition featuring artists whose work uses narrative imagery to forge abstract pathways through psychology and the imagination." Contributing artists are as follows: Luke Butler, Noah Davis, Robert Hanson, Justine Kurland, Vik Muniz, John Sonsini, Pamela Wilson-Ryckman. Also on view are smaller solo shows from Jack Pierson and John Beech. 417 NW 9th Ave, 6-9 pm.

Zerofriends at Upper Playground

Last but not least, Upper Playground's FIFTY 24PDX Gallery is hosting Alex Pardee's Zerofriends collective. There will be "shirts, prints, toys and other merchandise" from the collective. Check out Marjorie's post about the show. 23 NW 5th Ave, 6-10 pm.