Doman’s Art Show At The Office

• February 14 2006
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• 3 comments

Ah, vices. We all have them … nude lawn mowing, polishing the toilet in a gorilla suit, eating a whole box of Cheez-Its in one sitting … or maybe just beer, weed and women.

Nitro designer and all-around fantastic shred guy Dave Doman’s February opening at the Office’s Conference Room gallery in Portland’s took on just that—his favorite vices. With brushes, paint markers, spray paint and pencils, Dave’s art culls all the language he uses in daily life … um, basically lots of stuff I can’t write here, and applies them in visual format. Funny, provocative and totally Dave, Doman’s work was up on wood panels, cigarette boxes, even suitcases.

PDX shred scenesters packed into the snowboard/skate/fashion shop to eat and drink freely from manager Kevin Mimic’s fine selection of faux Cheetos and wine. Taking up the full space of the Conference Room gallery, Dave’s art created a space you could walk into, contemplate, perhaps feel insulted or entertained, and then walk way from. But you had to keep coming back … Dave’s instinctive use of pop-culture’s obsession with drugs, booze and women pushed a button in every viewer, and created a reaction- whether it’s disgust, panic or desire doesn’t matter- from which you can’t escape. You’re forced to deal.

Amid laughter and pained expressions, I cornered Portland’s number one twenty-something bohemian, Dave (yes another Dave) Wein and asked for an opinion. But Dave was lost deep deep in thought, and all I could get out of him was a scritch-scratch as he worried his mid-February beard and stared at the work. And for any artist, that is a fine review.