What has got to be one of the largest independently organized art events in the world takes place every year in Grand Rapids, Michigan. For nineteen days in September and October artists from around the world showcase their work across three square miles of downtown Grand Rapids.
Through the ArtPrize website individual property owners offer up their space as a venue. Artists then contact venues to showcase their piece. Anyone over the age of 18 can contribute a piece of art. Thus, downtown is covered! Art is showcased in every major building and business from the Grand Rapids Art Museum to City Parks, Founders Brewery to The BOB (Big Old Building).
Every piece of art has a small placard located on or near it. As ArtPrize goes on the public votes on their favorite pieces. By the end of nineteen days the field has been slowly narrowed down until a grand prize winner of $200,000 is announced! Beginning this year they also began a juried vote. A board of art critics picks a winner for a $100,000 prize.
Eight of us from the Nature Center went to Grand Rapids to take a look on October 1.
Through the ArtPrize website individual property owners offer up their space as a venue. Artists then contact venues to showcase their piece. Anyone over the age of 18 can contribute a piece of art. Thus, downtown is covered! Art is showcased in every major building and business from the Grand Rapids Art Museum to City Parks, Founders Brewery to The BOB (Big Old Building).
Every piece of art has a small placard located on or near it. As ArtPrize goes on the public votes on their favorite pieces. By the end of nineteen days the field has been slowly narrowed down until a grand prize winner of $200,000 is announced! Beginning this year they also began a juried vote. A board of art critics picks a winner for a $100,000 prize.
Eight of us from the Nature Center went to Grand Rapids to take a look on October 1.
There were several of theses eight foot tall glass orchids. In the Top 10 public vote
Also in the Top 10. It changed colors! This piece was in a dark room that also housed a few other light based pieces.
One artist created minimalist posters for every state. I liked Washington's.
A mural drawn entirely with pencil and permanent marker
Crazy amount of detail.
All of these pieces were in the Grand Rapids Art Museum (GRAM). We spent the most time there due to the high density of artists and the little time we had to see art. After the GRAM the group split. Half of us went to Founders Brewery to experience another art of Grand Rapids - brewing. Luckily for us Founders was also a venue so we saw several great pieces and even met the artists as they were enjoying a brew too!
My favorite piece at Founders, and probably my favorite piece overall. "Ninkasi" (goddess of beer) contains over 500 pieces of handpainted colored glass.
Wow! What a cool event! Beautiful work.
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