Exquisite Language at the Heathman

Lately I've been focused on producing this event at the Heathman Hotel on November 6 involving exquisite corpse word collaborations:

Lautreamont said "poetry must be made by all and not by one." The Surrealists took this quite literally by creating word games called "exquisite corpses," in which one writer would write a phrase, fold the paper to conceal part of it, and hand the paper off to the next writer to continue. More than just a game, this process was considered to tap into the unconscious reality of the group.

In the spirit of immediacy, collaboration, and trust represented by the exquisite corpse, the third annual Enteractive Language Festival presents "Exquisite Language," an event of literary, musical, and performative exploits on November 4, 2004. Performers Sarah Dougher, Amoree Lovell, Miss Murgatroid (below left), Linda Austin, Haiku Inferno (with Kevin Sampsell), Nora McCrea (above right), and
Paul Ash will light up the Tea Room at the Heathman Hotel on SW Broadway and Salmon in Portland, Oregon, from 7-10 pm. The new issue of literary journal 2 Gyrlz Quarterly (2GQ) will also be launched. Attendees are asked to dress exquisitely.

Dozens of writers and musicians have joined in the creation of original exquisite corpses for this 2GQ benefit. Participants include musicians from bands like The Decemberists, Low, and Little Sue; writer/McSweeney's publisher Dave Eggers; performer/poets Beth Lisick and Leanne Grabel; novelists Poppy Z. Brite and Jonathan Raymond; poets Dave Memmott and Denel Bartsch; nonfiction authors Douglas Rushkoff and Douglas Wolk; and actor/writer Wiley Wiggins.

INFO CONTINUES BELOW, OR SEE 2GQ.org FOR ALL THE LATEST INFO ON THE EXQUISITE LANGUAGE PROJECT including benefit show, new issue of 2 Gyrlz Quarterly, and other fabulous stuff.

Musical interpetations of their efforts will be performed by Amoree Lovell (Human Genome Project) (below left), Sarah Dougher (Cadallaca, The Crabs, The Lookers)(right), and Miss Murgatroid.
"Lovell's mordant cabaret-style repertoire triangulates Nick Cave, Kurt Weill, some more blackhearted '80s New Wave and Danny Elfman, her personal hero," wrote Zach Dundas in Willamette Week. "Ms. Dougher sings as if she wants everything and expects nothing," observed Greil Marcus in the New York Times, offering a rave review of her album The Bluff. Dougher accepted a month-long residency at the prestigious Knitting Factory in New York and has been honored as one of Out magazine's "Out 100" Gay and Lesbian Americans. She is also known for her work with the Rock & Roll Camp for Girls and Ladyfest.

"Portland's Miss Murgatroid sings in a low, lush keen, and plays cryptic melodies on her accordion," The Portland Mercury explained. "Her instrument sounds modern and artistic as it crackles through her amplifier, but also channels magical mystery and musty witchery, as if the instrument itself has an historic memory." In her other life as Alicia Rose, she is known for her photography, heading up the indie music bastion NAIL Distribution, and booking the Doug Fir lounge.

Dancer, performer, and choreographer Linda Austin will interpret an exquisite corpse for the show as well. The co-director of Performance Works NW has performed in venues on both coasts to considerable acclaim. "Ms.Austin's powers of invention never failed her," said the New York Times of her work.

Haiku Inferno (right) will feature Kevin Sampsell, the founder of Future Tense Press and author of A Common Pornography. "Haiku Inferno is a trio of haiku slingers delivering rapid syllables with a humorous edge," their bio proclaims. "Call it a power trio a la Superchunk or Run-DMC, but instead of guitar riffs and rhymes, they deliver short blasts of clever wisdom, anger, sadness, and dirty secrets. Elizabeth Miller, Frayn Masters, and Kevin Sampsell are doing for haiku what the Ramones did for rock-n-roll."

Writer and performer Nora McCrea will present "All My Little Torch Songs." The evening will be closed with a piece from monologuist Paul Ash, author of What I Think About When I Go to the Job and proprietor of Sniffy Linings Press.

EL-Fest is a month-long festival of performance, music, visual arts, experimental film, and text-based performance occurring each fall in venues throughout Portland. It is produced by the 501(c)(3) non-profit organization 2 Gyrlz Performative Arts. The festival's partial preview calendar is online at www.2gyrlz.org.