Marci Macfarlane
is one of those rare specimens--a native Portlander. She's
also a prominent member of the hell-raising (yet peaceful)
Cacophony Society, an artist, co-curator of Powell's Books'
art gallery and all-around button-pushing prankster who gave
us the time of day to weigh in on Santa Claus, Martha Stewart
and the horror of graffiti.
Willamette Week: What are some of the Cacophony's
most memorable events?
Marci Macfarlane: The Santa event
of '96 where the Portland police--love them dearly--panicked.
We had about 150 people from San Francisco, L.A. and Denver
all meet up at the airport at the bar Flirts. It's a pretty
amazing sight to see an entire dance floor do "YMCA" in
Santa Suits. Anyway, the police followed us wherever we
went--downtown, roller-skating at Oaks Park. Some even sat
outside our houses.
Worse was at Lloyd Center. We were met by Lloyd Center
security and two Portland police who told us we were not
allowed to go into the center, they had their own Santa
and didn't need us. We respected what they said and didn't
go in. We did stand outside and sing Christmas carols, which
caused the police to pull out their riot gear. Can you imagine
what could have happened: You're a kid driving by Lloyd
Center and you see the Portland Police beating up, like,
50 Santa Clauses? Oh, Merry Christmas!
If any public figure could join the Cacophony Society,
who would it be?
Wow. At first I'd say Vera Katz, but
I'd like to see Michael Powell join us and loosen up a little
bit.
Wait. Don't you work at Powell's?
Yeah, I do. I think
he needs to get out and see what the public is doing. Powell's
employees are very creative; everyone's so different. He'd
be a good Santa Claus. He'd look really good in red.
What part of Portland needs to loosen up?
The Hawthorne
area--it's really changed, all those shops. They have what
they call the hippies over there, but hippies don't spend
$8 on a loaf of bread. We used to do the Hawthorne Street
Fair with art cars, and they didn't want to do it last year
because the merchants didn't think it would help their businesses,
even though people came from all over the U.S. for the event
and even shopped.
Do you do any art that doesn't involve yelling at people
with bullhorns?
I do printmaking. One of my recent projects
is making coasters with weird little sayings on them, and
whenever I go out drinking, which is usually, oh, once,
twice, three times a week, I leave them out. I think art
should be accessible.
Is there such a thing as bad art?
No. There are things
you don't like, but as long as people are making something,
taking energy and putting it down, it's a good thing. That
doesn't include graffiti. Don't destroy other people's property.
Spray-paint your clothes, your bike, your car.
You're very crafty. How do you feel about Martha Stewart?
I
loooove Martha Stewart! The general public didn't
think they could make a picture frame out of pinecones,
but they can! She'd be a great Cacophony member. She'd be
good at preparing bones. I bet if you asked her, she'd tell
you how to get the flesh off bones, how to render it.
What material item best describes you?
I collect
all bowling paraphernalia. I own about 120 bowling balls,
so I'd say a bowling ball: It's sturdy; it can live up to
the punches and keep going.
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Willamette Week | originally
published March 15,
2000
|
