Grand Rapids’ ArtPrize Is a Grand Experiment

CITYBEAT
By Steven Rosen

MICHIGAN---ArtPrize, which is promoted as a “radically open, independently organized international art competition,” began in 2009 as a “social experiment” to rally a city — an entire region — around visual art. It was the creation of Richard DeVos, a local billionaire who co-founded Amway. Within the ArtPrize District, anyone whose property has public access — from an auto body shop in a gritty industrial strip to downtown’s prestigious Grand Rapids Art Museum — is free to select artists to display work. This year, there were 169 venues — including outdoor sites like parks and plazas. Artists and venues connect via the artprize.org website — ArtPrize does not curate entries. [link]

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Artist's Suggestion to Quiet Some Criticisms of 'Populist' ArtPrize Contest

THE GRAND RAPIDS PRESS
By Maurice Jacobson

Visitors look at photographs in Maurice Jacobsen's ArtPrize entry "Facing Al Aqaba" at Ah-Nab-Awen Park along the Grand River on Thursday, September 19, 2013. (MLive.com File Photo)

ARTPRIZE---Grumbling over the ArtPrize Top 10 and eventual first place winner persists every year. ArtPrize 2013 finalist Maurice Jacobsen has an idea about how to solve this problem and, perhaps, quell the naysayers who discount the contest as a mere popularity show. Jacobsen's "Facing Al Aqaba" was a "series of large photographic portraits of the men, wom6en and children of the village of Al Aqaba, Palestine." So is there a solution … perhaps yes … I offer one here for ArtPrize to consider. To pool both the expert short list and the popular short list into one list upon which the general public can vote. This would draw viewers to more challenging works and more deeply expose the entire viewing audience to art in its many forms other than that which is simply "easy on the eye".

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ArtPrize 2013's $100,000 "Juried" Grand Prize Comes From Spain

THE GRAND RAPIDS POST
By Jeffrey Kaczmarczyk

MICHIGAN---Carlos Bunga, winner of the ArtPrize 2013 $100,000 Juried Grand Prize, uses simple materials such as cardboard and tape. The Portuguese-born artist creates site-specific installations throughout the world in places such as the Kunstraum Kreuzberg/Bethanien in Berlin, the Biennale Internazionale di Scultura di Carrara in Italy and the Miami Art Museum. Bunga traveled from his home in Barcelona, Spain, to become the first international artist to win a top prize in the world's largest art prize. Bunga's installation, "Ecosystem," a site-specific, architectural intervention at SiTE:LAB @ 54 Jefferson, was selected from a field of all 1,524 entries in ArtPrize for the award given Friday evening at the ArtPrize Awards Night.[link]

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ArtPrize 2013's $200,000 "Public Vote" Grand Prize Sees Victory as Boost for Quilt-Making as Artform

GRAND RAPIDS PRESS
By Jeffrey Kaczmarczyk

MICHIGAN---ArtPrize 2013's $200,000 First Prize winner Ann Loveless thinks her victory in the fifth annual competition is going to be a game changer for her genre. "Sleeping Bear Dune Lakeshore," depicting a scene of Lake Michigan, had visitors at ArtPrize convinced it was something else. "They think it's a photograph or an oil painting. I'd tell them, no," Loveless said. "They'd say, 'No way." "When you get closer, you realize it's made out of fabric," she said. The four-paneled quilt, 5 feet tall, 20 feet long, is the first textile to win the world's largest art prize. "Textiles aren't considered fine arts. They think of the quilt on the bed. But definitely this is art," she said. "I think next year, we'll have a lot of textile entries. I think I'm paving the way for quilters in general." [link]

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ArtPrize's Online Youth Competition ArtStart Names 10 From 53 Winners

THE GRAND RAPIDS PRESS
By Monica Scott

MICHIGAN---The ArtPrize Education Team is calling ArtStart, an online youth competition launched this year, a success after drawing 53 entries in various art forms from around West Michigan. Ten unranked winners were recently named by artists from 1st grade to 11th grade. Besides an ArtPrize swag bag of items, students also received gift cards for art supplies or music, and a membership to the international art exhibition's partner of their choice, including Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park. [link]

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ArtPrize 2013 Top 10 Announced

GRAND RAPIDS PRESS
By John Serba

"Myth or Logic" by Robin Protz, one of the most popular Top 10 for 2013

MICHIGAN---Half of the artists in ArtPrize 2013's Top 10 popular entries are veterans of the competition, one of them celebrating his third time as a finalist. The Top 10 finalists, culled from 429,180 votes cast by 43,701 voters, were announced Sunday afternoon by ArtPrize founder Rick DeVos, during a ceremony at Rosa Parks Circle. The second round of voting began at 2 p.m. today, and will end at 11:59 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 4. [link]

Here's a breakdown of the Top 10:

1. Paul Baliker, Palm Coast, Fla. - "Dancing with Mother Nature" 
2. Anni Crouter, Flint - "Polar Expressed" 
3. Jason Gamrath, Seattle, Wash. - "Botanical Exotica a Monumental Collection of the Rare and Beautiful" 
4. Michael Gard, San Francisco, Calif. - "Taking Flight" 
5. Benjamin Gazsi, Morgantown W.V. - "Earth Giant"
6. Nick Jakubiak, Battle Creek - "Tired Pandas" 
7. Ann Loveless, Frankfort - "Sleeping Bear Dunes Lakeshore" 
8. Robin Protz, New Hartford, Ct. - "Myth-or-Logic" 
9. Andy Sacksteder, Port Clinton, Ohio - "Uplifting" 
10. Fraser Smith, St. Pete Beach, Fla. - "Finding Beauty in Bad Things: Porcelain Vine"

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Vandals Damage ArtPrize Installation Featuring Documentary on Controversial Subjects

GRAND RAPIDS PRESS
By Andrew Krietz

Vandals broke into a tent sometime Saturday morning hosting a documentary film featuring people discussing controversial topics. (Courtesy JD Urban)

MICHIGAN---The documentary "united.states: an everyday people project" is meant to spur conversations about sensitive and sometimes controversial topics people deal with on a daily basis across the country, its creator said. JD Urban, the Brooklyn, N.Y., based artist said he's heard a wide range of reactions to his work — some heated — at ArtPrize, which doesn't really come as a surprise considering the subjects: Gay marriage to gun control to politics and more. The damage comes almost a week after ArtPrize jurors named Urban's work as one of their top 25 favorite entries. [link]

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ArtStart: ArtPrize Launches New Online Competition for Youth

GRAND RAPIDS PRESS
By Monica Scott

MICHIGAN---ArtPrize is putting the spotlight squarely on youth this fall with its new online competition - ArtStart - challenging them to create an artwork as a reaction to their experience at the international event. The competition is for young people under age 18 and they can enter all forms of art, including video, short stories, photography, painting, drawing, and sculpture. Individuals, school groups, and families are all encouraged to participate. All artwork created must include three "ArtPrize Elements" such as ArtPrize registered works of art, or ArtPrize themes such as "the public vs. the juried vote." Winners will be selected by grade and everyone that makes the top 10 will be awarded a gift to be revealed at a later date. Education Team created an Education Youth Advisory Committee, made up of seven Kent County high school students, to help them with the initiative and develop other programing for young people. The students, who applied and were interviewed, attend City High-Middle School, Caledonia, East Grand Rapids, and East Kentwood high schools. They created a "How to" video about how to apply for ArtStart and will judge the competition. [link]

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ArtPrize 2013 Top 25 Juried Short List Entries

GRAND RAPIDS PRESS
By Jeffrey Kaczmarczyk

MICHIGAN---ArtPrize 2013's jurors, charged with awarding $100,000 in prize money, agreed they were looking for art that surprised them. Their surprises were revealed Monday night when jurors each unveiled their five finalists for one of ArtPrize 2013's five Juried Awards. A total of 19 artists and five venues are in the running for one of five medium-based $20,000 awards: best two-dimensional work, best three-dimensional work, best time-based work, best use of urban space and best venue. The finalists were unveiled at ArtPrize's HUB headquarters. [link]

Here is where you can see the 25 finalists for ArtPrize 2013 Juried Awards [link]:

Four SiTE:LAB entries are finalists for the Juried Awards. The four are:

• "Ecosystem" (3D) by Carlos Bunga, of Sant Andreu De Llavaneres, Barcelona
• "The Unfounded Future of the Untold" (3D) by Julie Schenkelberg, Brooklyn, NY
• "Angle of Repose" (Time Based) by Dance In The Annex (DITA), Grand Rapids, MI
• "Sonnet 27" (Time Based) by Arthur Liou, Bloomington, IN

Grand Rapids Art Museum, 101 Monroe Center NW, has three entries as finalists:

• "The Last Post" (Time Based) by Shahzia Sikander, New York, NY
• "Whispers of the Prairie" (Time Based) by Deanna Morse, Grand Rapids, MI
• "Tropical Migrants" (2D) by Alexis Rockman of New York, NY

Kendall College of Art and Design, at 17 Pearl St. NW, has two entries:

• "Through the Skies for You" (3D) by Kevin Cooley and Phillip Andrew Lewis, Chattanooga, Tenn.
• "The world's an untranslatable language II (for Charles Wright" (3D) by Charles Matson Lume, St. Paul, MN

DeVos Place Convention Center, 303 Monroe Ave. NW, has two finalists for Juried Awards:

• "Series 28 Untitled #1" (2D) by Mary Rousseaux, Royal Oak, MI
• "Rick Beerhorst Painting" (2D) by Rick Beerhorst, Grand Rapids, MI

Eight more finalists can be found in eight locations, including at Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park, an ArtPrize Exhibition Center, and at Cathedral Square of the Diocese of Grand Rapids, an ArtPrize Showcase Venue.

Here's where you can find all eight:

• "Facing Al Aqaba" (Urban Space and Time Based) by Maurice Jacobsen, Al Aqaba, Palestine, at Ah-Nab-Awen Park, adjacent to the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum, 303 Pearl St. NW.
• "Europa and the Flying Fish" (2D) by Kyle Staver, New York, NY, at Grand Rapids Brewing Company, 1 Ionia Ave. SW
• "Three and Four: Red, Yellow and Black" (2D) by Peter Crow, Birmingham, MI, at Cathedral Square, 360 S. Division Ave.
• "Watching" (3D) by Daniel Arsham, Brooklyn, NY, at Meijer Gardens, 1000 E. Beltline Ave. NE
• "Egg Prize" (Urban Space) by David Kail, Grandville, MI, at Van Andel Arena, 130 W. Fulton St.
• "united.states: an everyday people project" (Urban Space) by JD Urban, Brooklyn, NY, at Calder Plaza, 300 Monroe Ave. NW
• "Temporary's Pursuit of Permanence" (Urban Space) by Alexander Hanson and Daniel Feinberg, Minneapolis, MN, on the Gillett Bridge over the Grand River
• "I want to be different … (ladder)" (Urban Space) by Henry Brimmer, East Lansing, above Monroe Center near First Community Bank, 60 Monroe Center NW

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ArtPrize Entries for Sale: Competition Adds Button for Artists to Sell Work Online

GRAND RAPIDS PRESS
By Jeffrey Kaczmarczyk

ArtPrize 2013 entry "Ninkasi, the Sumerian Goddess of Beer" inside Founders Brewing Company

MICHIGAN---Artists participating in ArtPrize 2013 naturally hope to go home a winner, though only a handful will share in the $560,000 in prize money. Many of the rest have another financial windfall in mind – getting their work seen, garnering commissions and making a sale. ArtPrize is lending a hand by hanging a "For Sale" sign on its website. Go online to any entry's page on the ArtPrize website. If there's a blue icon with "Inquire" listed on the righthand side, that artist is ready, willing and, now, able to talk about a sale. [link]

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RELIGIOUS ART | NEWS OF WEEK

ALPHA OMEGA ARTS 
By TAHLIB

The Buddha taught that inspiration comes in groups. "The virtues, like the Muses, are always seen in groups. A good principle was never found solitary in any breast," said Buddha. This week, the world's attention focuses on the grouping of over 1,500 artworks from 47 countries. For 19 days in Grand Rapids, Michigan, over 400,000 visitors will descend on this city and vote for their favorite artworks in churches, galleries, museums, banks, bike shops, and even the riverfront. It's not a permanent collection but it is a group moment, and that makes "Tall Buddha" (above) by Philip Lynch at ArtPrize my NEWS OF WEEK.

In other religious art news from across the USA, and around the world:

1. Christian Art of Week: Marc Chagall's Jewish Jesus. [More News]
2. Hindu Art of Week: Manjari Sharma's Hindu Deities. [More News]
3. Islamic Art of Week: Canadian Outrage Over Hijab. [More News]
4. Judaic Art of Week: Debut of Jerusalem Biennale. [More News]
5. A&O Prize | News of Week: Nominations Now Open. [Vote 2013]

It's more than Art. It's Religion. We are believers (and skeptics too), united in the search for human meaning through art from the religious imagination. We believe in the artists and craftsman who dare to explore religious themes through their creativity. When you believe, you join other believers. Some of us join the Alpha & Omega Project for Contemporary Religious Arts as dues-paying members; others support the A&O Prize - Youth Scholarships as donors; most subscribe to this "free" weekly newsletter (or follow on: Tumblr, Twitter, Facebook or Soundcloud). All are welcome. Join us. 

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Vandalism Hits Grand Rapids Artist's Noah's Ark ArtPrize Entry

GRAND RAPIDS PRESS
By Angle Jackson

Adele Vanocker said her entry called "Calm before the storm!" was vandalized. A paper mache dove was stolen from a window of the ship crafted from an old boat and wood. (Angie Jackson)

MICHIGAN---On Adele Vanocker's Noah's Ark ArtPrize entry aimed at spreading a message of faith, she dedicated a dove made of paper mache and Styrofoam to her late husband. The Grand Rapids artist was slightly discouraged to discover someone apparently stole the dove - a symbol of love. Vanocker said the sculpture was snatched from the installment outside of First United Methodist Church on either Thursday, Sept. 19, or the night before.[link]

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ArtPrize 2013: Why I Voted for 1,427 Amazing Works of Art

ALPHA OMEGA ARTS
By Greg Disney-Britton

"Tall Budda" is at a courtyard of amazing outdoor works, and I voted for him.

Okay, I admit to being skeptical about enjoying 3-days at an artfair in the town of Grand Rapids, MI, but I loved this! I voted for 1,427 works of the art (real number later); and I wanted more time to see and vote for more! The Editorial Board for Grand Rapid's Press wrote: "As the voting for this year’s ArtPrize Top 10 heats up, it’s a good time to remember the biggest winner of this unique competition" is the Grand Rapid's community, but I disagree. The biggest winner was me.

Artist painting scene of The Last Supper
at entrance to Gerald Ford Museum (I voted for him)

There are over 1,500 pieces of artwork entered into the Artprize competition, but what makes this so much fun is my ability to vote, it's free but you have to go to Grand Rapids to register (smart!). I feel like I am in the driver seat for awarding over $560,000 in cash prizes, including $200,000 for first prize.

I found this sleeping giant fishing by the river (I voted for him).

There is no jury to say this artist-is-in, and this artist-is-out. Everyone is in, and the venues are everywhere. I voted for artwork in a gay bar, a Baptist church, a shoe store, an ice cream shop, a hospital, and the list goes on and on.

I was scared "not" to vote for her, and she was at a church.

Many of the pieces are large scale but many are also small scale, and the venues are negotiated between the artist and the venue host. For example, Kilwins Ice Cream picks their favorite artists and so does the Grand Rapids Art Museum. Everyone has an equal chance at display and at winning the grand prize of $200,000.

Ernest made me pose, but I voted for him.

I made Ernest pose, and I voted for him.

The interactive experience of this artfair is thrilling. It's like American Idol where there is really nothing to sell or buy, but there are lots of commercials. Traditionally, when I think artfair, I think of a booth with pressure to buy something from the poor artist hawking his ware, but this is not about commerce, it's about democracy and philanthropy engaged as one.

It's a pencil drawing, and at the end people will erase it.  I voted for it.

The art is everywhere you look (169 venues), and everytime you think you've seen it all....We'll you've not even come close. I mean, we stayed at the Holiday Inn and there was art in the lobby and on the front lawn. How I possibily voted for 1,427 I am not sure but that's what I counted up, and I did vote for a lot. This is not an art lover event, this is a "fun" lovers event, and my vote cost me nothing but it helped the artist get one step closer to winning one of the ARTprizes ($5,000 to $200,000).

It's Beeswax, and I voted for it.

I'll have to create a Pinterest and Tumblr account for all my pictures. It's insane the number of pictures I've taken. The ones listed here are just the ones where I'm included.

I love Milk Duds, and I voted for it. 

My favorite venues for artworks included the Calder Plaza where Quincy Owens had his piece "Confessions" which is across the street from the DeVoos Convention Center, which is filled to the maxiimum with artworks.

There were lots of serious themes here, and I voted for this one.

We were there for two nights, and three days (Arrived opening day on Sept. 18), so we could beat the crowds, and the hotel room-rate increases. Over 400,000 people are expected over the 19 days of the ARTprize festival.

Third floor of the contemporary art institute

Upon closer examination on 2nd floor

Yes, I voted for this one too.

There is no reason, that every artist I know shouldn't be part of ARTprize. It's a win for everyone. Congratulations to Grand Rapids, and thanks! I'm looking forward to finding out the winners, but also to returning next year for ARTprize2014. My real vote count? 122, but it seemed like 1,427.

More than 64 ways to vote here.

ArtPrize 2013 from ArtPrize on Vimeo.

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Controversial Artist SinGh, Booted Out of ArtPrize 2012 for Saddam Hussein Effigy, is Kicked Out Again

GRAND RAPIDS PRESS
By Jeffrey Kaczmarczyk

MICHIGAN---Artist SinGh, whose controversial installation of an effigy of Saddam Hussein was torn down shortly before the opening of ArtPrize last year, returned to ArtPrize 2013. And now he's out again. Artist SinGh's ArtPrize 2013 entry, "The World's Longest Painting," intended for Sixth Street Bridge Park, was removed before opening day of the fifth annual exhibition and competition. The problem, according to ArtPrize officials is the artist flagrantly disregarded the rules by expanding the scope of the project beyond the original, signed agreement, without permission. Last year, Gilmore, who had hosted SinGh's work the previous two years, summarily removed the installation titled "Captivity," concerned that SinGh's storyboards accompanying it alluded to bestiality, suicide and similar topics. After recovering "Captivity," SinGh later set fire to the installation in protest over its removal. [link]

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Six Steps to Making the Most of ArtPrize

PURE MICHIGAN

MICHIGAN---If you’ve never explored the unique buildings or graced the diverse streets of Grand Rapids during ArtPrize, you may be wondering where to start. No worries, there are few simple things you can do to make visiting the world’s largest art competition simple, fun and inspiring. Todd Herring, Director of Communications for ArtPrize, shares these steps with us below. [link]

• Step 1 – Get Inspired
• Step 2 – VOTE!
• Step 3 – Keep Moving
• Step 4 – Stay in the know
• Step 5 – Attend ArtPrize Events
• Step 6 – Make it Your Own.

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All Eyes on the ArtPrize in Michigan

THE WALL STREET JOURNAL
By John Miller

MICHIGAN---There may be more prestigious awards for artists, such as the Guggenheim's Hugo Boss Prize or the Tate's Turner Prize. Yet none gives away more money than ArtPrize, which begins its fifth season on Wednesday and runs to Oct. 6. Before it's over, organizers will bestow a total of $560,000 on winners in 16 categories, including a $200,000 award selected by the hundreds of thousands of people expected to visit the event here, a city otherwise known for furniture making, President Gerald Ford and a nickname it would rather forget—"Bland Rapids." [link]

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ArtPrize 2013: Exploring Event's Effects on Grand Rapids in Numbers

GRAND RAPIDS PRESS 
By Jeffrey Kaczmarczyk

Detail of 2012 Top Prize winner: "Elephants" at Grand Rapids Art Museum.

MICHIGAN---Last year, an estimated 400,000 visits were made to ArtPrize with viewers casting 412,560 votes to award Adonna Khare, of Burbank, California, the $200,000 ArtPrize First Prize for her large-scale drawing “Elephants.” Five years later, the conversation begins once again. ArtPrize 2013 opens on Wednesday, Sept. 18, for 19 days of looking at art and talking about art. Time magazine, earlier this year, named ArtPrize one of its “Five Festival Events You Won’t Want to Miss in 2013.” It’s safe to say $560,000 in prize money is plenty of incentive for artists. An economic impact study of ArtPrize 2011 determined it added $15.4 million to the local economy, attracted more than 320,000 visitors that year and created the equivalent of 200 new jobs.

Detail of 2011 Top Prize winner: "Crucifixion" 
by Mia Tavonatti at DeVos Place Convention Center.

2013 By the Numbers:

• 1,812 artists
• 1,524 works of art
• 169 venues
• 96 hours (minimum official open hours)
• 47 countries represented
• 45 U.S. states represented
• 31 percent of artists coming from outside Michigan
• 19 days in the exhibition
• 18 years old – the minimum age to enter ArtPrize as an artist
• 16 years old – the minimum age to vote in ArtPrize
• 14 public spaces – parks, plazas, parking places – showing art
• 11 days to vote in Round 1
• 10 cash prizes chosen by the people
• 9 Exhibition Centers and Showcase Venues
• 7 percent of artists are from foreign countries
• 6 cash prizes chosen by jurors
• 5 days to vote in Round 2
• 3 square miles in event’s main downtown district
• 2 National Endowment for the Arts grants awarded to ArtPrize to date
• 1 official beer: Founder’s Brewing Co.’s Inspired Artist Black IPA

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