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wanderlust - Historic and Contemporary: Portland, Maine's Art Scene
Elena Sarni
Despite being a native New Hampshire-ite, I was a bit insulted on behalf of Maine when I was once asked “What art scene?” when I told someone that I cover the Maine art scene for artscope. There certainly exists a vibrant Maine art scene, otherwise what have I spent the last two years writing about?
Maine has historically been a retreat
for artists, its landscape inspiring
artistic giants dating back to Winslow
Homer and Fitz Henry Lane. But,
you don’t have to travel to Maine’s
remote islands, or Downeast to enjoy
the work of Maine’s past and present
artists. A walk down Congress Street
in Portland’s Art District, which spans
from Longfellow Square to Monument
Square, is like walking down a less
polished, more offbeat version of
Boston’s Newbury Street in terms of
art galleries per block.
The city is home to nearly a quarter of
the entire state’s population, making
it a cultural epicenter and diverse
community. I would recommend
making your visit on a Saturday if
you are planning to visit Portland’s
plentitude of galleries, and reserve
Sundays for the larger institutions,
like the Portland Museum of Art.
Although, if you are lucky enough to
get out of work early on Friday, you
can take advantage of free admission
to the Portland Museum of Art,
courtesy of L.L. Bean, or Portland’s
monthly, aptly named First Friday Art
Walks from 5 to 7 p.m., when Portland
really comes alive. Nearly 70 venues
participate, and the streets are filled
with art and culture aficionados.
I recently spent a day enjoying the
city. I started in the Old Port, where an increasing number of galleries
have surfaced among the undeniably
charming cobblestoned streets and
varied architectural styles. Chic
shops and restaurants abound. Last
spring, gallery owner Andres Verzosa
made news when he moved Aucocisco
Gallery, one of Portland’s most
notable galleries, from the center of
the Arts District on Congress Street
to the tree lined Exchange Street of
Old Port. One thing has remained the
same — upon entering the gallery,
you will most likely be greeted by
Arrow, one of the many dogs that
act as mascots for Portland galleries
in this dog-friendly city. Verzosa’s
renovations of what initially was
a bank, built after the great fire
of 1866, included uncovering the
original, marble, mosaic floor tile;
opening up the space; brightening
the walls; and highlighting some of
the space’s archetypal architectural
features — making the gallery a work
of art itself. Aucocisco represents
some of Maine’s finest contemporary
artists, including Dozier Bell and
Lauren Fensterstock, both
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