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Add Texture to GoogleOn the 45th parallel north, where the Portland metropolitan area takes shape amid Oregon’s rivers and forests, contemporary art takes a moment for reflection. For its tenth anniversary, the Converge 45 triennial is presenting an edition titled “Here, To You, Now,” a title borrowed from the science fiction universe of Ursula K. Le Guin. Under the direction of New York-based curator Lumi Tan, this artistic event moves away from broad, overarching themes to emphasize the immediacy of the gesture and physical presence.
Ursula K. Le Guin’s Legacy as a Compass
Lumi Tan’s choice—whose career path has taken her from curatorial leadership at Luna Luna to the Frieze New York art fair, following a notable stint at The Kitchen art center—is rooted in a subtle semantic distinction. She draws inspiration from the novel *Always Coming Home* (1985) by Ursula K. Le Guin, a Portland resident for nearly half a century. In the novel, the author contrasted the written word—a vehicle for a message available “there, for anyone, at any time”—with the spoken word, which exists only “here, to you, now.”
This approach places the ephemeral at the center of the program. The 2026 edition of Converge 45 is intended as an ode to the arts of time: performances, long-form videos, and interactive installations. The stated goal of the organization, led by Derek Franklin, is to foster the emergence of “temporary communities”—spaces for encounter where the artwork is not consumed but experienced in the moment. It marks a return to the local ecosystem and serves as a way to celebrate the organization founded in 2016 by gallerist Elizabeth Leach and a collective of dedicated cultural actors.
A constellation of projects across the city
The triennial’s geographic scope reflects a bold urban ambition. Sixteen sites spread throughout the city host works by 28 artists and collectives. Among the venues are major institutions such as the Portland Institute for Contemporary Art (PICA) and the galleries at Portland State University, as well as more intimate or academic spaces such as the Cooley Gallery at Reed College, the PNCA, and the Native Arts and Cultures Foundation.
Of the 28 projects presented, 17 are new commissions, reflecting a commitment to supporting contemporary creation rather than repurposing existing works. Trisha Baga’s installation *MORE*, presented at PICA, stands out as the most impressive solo exhibition in this edition. It engages in a dialogue with works by Marcus Fischer, Gerald Clarke, Jacqueline Kiyomi Gork, and sidony o’neal, forming a diverse journey that explores the limits of perception and social interaction.
The Power of the Fragment in the Face of the Challenge of Cohesion
While observers widely highlight the individual quality of the works—particularly their visual power and conceptual rigor—the collection as a whole sometimes struggles to form an organic whole. Critical reception of this 2026 edition points to a certain disparity among the projects. The theoretical thread drawn from Le Guin’s work, while appealing, sometimes seems too loose to unify proposals as diverse as those by Tannaz Farsi, Ido Radon, Rob Rhee, or Linda K. Johnson.
This lack of a clear connection raises a question about the very nature of the event: what Converge 45 specifically seeks to “converge” on a city-wide scale remains, for some, a mystery. Yet this scattered nature can also be interpreted as a fidelity to the original concept: that of a multiplicity of voices that cannot be reduced to a single theme, preferring the brilliance of the fragment to the rigidity of a unified narrative.
A Model of Accessibility and a Future Under Construction
True to its principles of cultural democratization, Converge 45 maintains free and open access to all of its exhibitions and public programs. Following an opening weekend in late August 2026, most of the event’s venues closed their doors in early October, although some installations were extended through the end of the year at partner institutions.
As it celebrates its first decade, the organization is entering a phase of financial consolidation. A fundraising campaign was launched in October 2026 with a goal of $100,000 (approximately 91,500 EUR), supported by a matching grant of 25,000 USD (approximately 22,900 EUR) that remained active until mid-October. This funding is intended to ensure the long-term viability of this event at the 45th parallel, which continues to strike a balance between its deep regional roots and the demands of the international art scene.