'Graffiti Funhouse' gallery show opens

Last Thursday marked the opening night of Viewfinders photographer Bruce Forster's exhibition at the AIA Gallery in Portland's Pearl District. The multimedia installation entitled "Graffiti Funhouse: A Tribute to the Artists of Pirate Town" featured Bruce's colorful photographs and portions of Pirate Town walls that were scavenged during its demolition earlier this summer.

Kudos to Infinity Images, who produced the gorgeous large-format reproductions of Bruce's photos; and to longtime friend and colleague Mel Ulven, whose design expertise led to the creative arrangement of the installation.

The exhibit will remain in the AIA Gallery throughout the month of September. To see even more images that Bruce shot at the Pirate Town site, check out the "Graffiti Funhouse" gallery on his website.




Additional thanks to photographer Troy Klebey who captured last Thursday's event; his images are displayed here.

Pirate Town/Graffiti - Part Deux

A few weeks ago, I posted images of the now-demolished "Pirate Town," a punk/skater/graffiti haven in north Portland, as seen through the eyes of Viewfinders photographer Troy Klebey. Lead photographer Bruce Forster also paid several visits to the site (as always, with camera in tow), and captured a beautiful series of images that honor the color and artistry of the graffiti writers--an interesting contrast to Troy's shots, which exuded a spookier vibe.

A selection of Bruce’s photos taken on location at Pirate Town will be showcased in the American Institute of Architects’ (AIA) Center for Architecture in the Pearl District in September. As a quasi=preview, a few of my favorites of Bruce's are featured on this page.

Pirate Town

A few months ago, a friend of Viewfinders' founder and lead photographer Bruce Forster's told him about an abandoned industrial building in north Portland that had become a haven for graffiti artists and skaters. The friend thought Bruce would really appreciate the artistic value of the graffiti, and encouraged him to pay a visit to the site, and soon: University of Portland had recently finalized its purchase of the land on which the building was located, and was planning to tear down the structure.


Known in various fringe circles as Pirate Town, the building is part of the (formally-named) Triangle Park, a 35-acre former industrial site on the banks of the Willamette River. University of Portland has acknowledged the presence of multiple contaminants on the site, and has reportedly begun cleanup, as first step toward preparing the area for a new greenway and trail, as well as expansion of University facilities.


Both Bruce and Troy Klebey, Viewfinders photographer and studio manager, paid several visits to the site during the last few months, to capture the art and wonder of this unique space. Troy's photos are featured here.


One of my favorite shots from the Pirate Town series is of Tucker, Troy's faithful companion and unbelievably well-mannered, photogenic dog. For more shots of Tucker's adventures throughout the years, check out Troy's blog.