Good Days was presented July 2 – August 18, 2021 at Portland Public Library in partnership with SPACE Gallery. The exhibition was made possible with support from Maine Humanities Council and Maine Arts Commission. An elaboration on the installation Life Tonight by Hi Tiger, Good Days extends the concept of hybrid retail, art and community space to the Portland Public Library’s Congress Street atrium. Inspired by pioneering fashion and music stores such as Liquid Sky Design and Patricia Field that helped catalyze the culture around dance music production in the 80’s and 90’s, Good Days was punctuated by live DJ performances in July and August. The exhibit featured textile, photography, print, sculpture and sound. Soul Slinger, legendary DJ and co-founder of Liquid Sky Design joined a host of local performers for an electronic music set from 5 to 8pm on Friday, August 6th. The audio was projected live in Monument Square facing the library.

Hi Tiger's curatorial vision for Good Days reflected an exploration of mental health as it relates to cultural production. The title, based on the song by SZA, was meant to indicate Hi Tiger’s intent to address our collective well being by creating a gathering place inspired by the retail stores, cafés and clubs that were crucial to the formation of community in the days before social media.

DIY publications, event flyers, street art and fashion were forms of outreach around new music genres such as House, Techno, Drum & Bass and Jungle. Stewarded by artists whose innovation in visual design and production technique we now broadly refer to as electronic music, the culture was rooted in social, economic and environmental activism.

Featured artists included Chris Clay, Alexa Rhynd, Kaitlin Thibeau, Hi Tiger, Soul Slinger, Nic (Nicotine) Edwards, Tough Fluff, letterfounder, Bodie Chewning, Other Order and Elusive Dreaming, Technical production by ClayProjex. Production support and documentation by Zak Taillon. Carpentry by Connor Linde.

Good Days Events

Friday, June 4, 5 - 8pm - First Friday with Tough Fluff
Tough Fluff is a Dj duo based out of Portland, Maine consisting of DJ and producer cybergiga and DJ KTTNMTTNZ. Both cut their teeth in the New York City music scene, DJing for artists as L13f, Ian Isiah, and Paperboy Prince of the Suburbs respectively. The duo explores the evolution of dance music in their sets, blending an eclectic variety of sounds from various genres such as techno, drum and bass, electro, hip hop, and hyperpop.

Friday, July 23rd, 5 - 8pm - Unsolid Frequency experimental music collaboration
Unsolid Frequency invites you to to scavenge audio and nestle into urban dreamscapes. Skittering beats, analog synths and chopped word. Passion, trance and liminal states await. The performance is being presented by founders and contributors to the Unsolid Frequency zine published in Lewiston and available online at https://unsolid.square.site/

Friday, August 6th, 5 - 8pm - Soul Slinger & guests
Carlos Slinger aka Soul Slinger was a founder of Liquid Sky Design, the rave emporium that was at the center of dance music culture, art and design in the early nineties. A proponent of open source performance, Soul Slinger often collaborates with other DJ’s, musicians and vocalists during improvised sets where multiple artists are performing at once. Although credited with having helped bring Drum and Bass to the US, he incorporates many different styles and genres. Soul Slinger will be joined by locals Nic (Nicotine) Edwards, Hi Tiger and Other Order.