It’s the second opening weekend for the Portland2010 with shows opening at Leftbank (240 N Broadway) and the Templeton Building (230 East Burnside but entrance is under the bridge at SE 3rd) tonight from 6-10 PM. That’s right, the Templeton Building, that sprawling vacant hulk that opens onto the Burnside Bridge and that once housed Disjecta, returns to its former glory as sensational art venue with work by photographers Holly Andres and Corey Arnold, sculpture from David Eckard, work by Pat Boas, John Brodie, and installations by those we’ve come to expect will hit it out of the park by Damien Gilley, Jenene Nagy, and Oregon Painting Society. A strong lineup of artists bringing photography, sculpture, painting, and killer installation: this is going to be very good.

At the same time, an exhibition by video artist Stephen Slappe (who recently had work in the Vantage show at Clark College and in PICA’s TBA:09) opens at Left Bank. Recall Slappe’s sculptural video installation at NAAU, and you’ll know why I’m heading there first tonight.

It’s been a while since I’ve seen new sculpture from David Eckard, as he’s been working on performance/video; eagerly anticipating. Pat Boas just had a very strong show at the Art Gym, (I reviewed Record Record) and has work in the group show currently at Elizabeth Leach. Damien Gilley’s (IGLOO Gallery) wall-based installations that comment on the space their in have rocked both Gallery HOMELAND and Homeland’s EAST/WEST Berlin in the past year. And Jenene Nagy (her recent Tidal at Disjecta was magnificent) is installing "Destroyer" in the Templeton basement. Oregon Painting Society’s performances and installations just keep getting more interesting.