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For our purposes, a salon is a gathering of stimulating people under one roof for the purpose of thought-provoking amusement. Here we seek to create a venue where we can refine our taste and increase our knowledge through conversation, readings, and the appreciation of art, music, and individuals from a variety of backgrounds. The salon has a long and rich history of supporting artists and providing a meeting place for people to discuss their works and ideas. An Italian invention of the 16th century, the salon flourished in France throughout the 17th and 18th centuries, inviting poets, writers, and artists of all kinds to share their works in an intimate environment of intellectuals and other artists. The most well-known of these salons were founded in Paris, and those who hosted and attended consciously followed Horace's definition of the aims of poetry, "either to please or to educate" ("aut delectare aut prodesse est"). What is PDX Salon? Our salon, a salon of the Portland variety, is a project started by three Portland women with the desire to re-create a salon environment where different types of artistic media coalesce in order to create a gathering rich with food, wine, art, and music. We work with local chefs, artists, musicians, and other visionaries in our community to curate a gathering where art, people, and ideas comingle, enriching every person present. We draw our inspiration from the salonnieres of Paris; women who sought to gather people under one roof, in part for enlightened diversion, but also to cultivate and improve one's taste while growing and sharing their knowledge through conversations, music, and the lubricating effects of great food and drink. Morgan Ennis, Sara Shaw, and Alisha Sullivan |
