Dressed with a Hint of Salt

ArtPrize 8 starts up in Grand Rapids next month, and honestly, I'm finding that each year is really just more of the same... large sculpture, even larger paintings, enormous recycled "piles" and even more enormous crowds. Which is why I'd love to see something like the "Salt Bride" show up in GR.

For this project, Israeli artist Sigalit Landau submerged a black gown in the salt-rich waters of the Dead Sea for two months. 
The artist checked in on the dress at various times to document the gradual crystallization process. After two months, the "Salt Bride" emerged, a glittering, magical masterpiece. 

The dress will be on display at London's Marlborough Contemporary for one more week. Which means, we'll have just missed it when we land in London in a couple weeks!

Read Her Like a Book: Artprize #7

ArtPrize 7 kicked off last month and I've spent the last couple weeks trying to play nice with #artprize. 

For someone who spends a lot of time in downtown Grand Rapids, ArtPrize has became an annual struggle between being a joy and a burden. 

But yesterday I finally found a piece to get excited about — Jacqueline Baerwald's Melondy  in Fountain Street Church, has completely captured my attention.

Painted on thrifted and found books, the series addresses insecurities that imprison teenage girls every day, such as diet, heartbreak, rivalry, and addiction.

The 20+ sculptures are created from books which were selected specifically for their titles, and when read together create a poem  and arranged to create a poem. It's the partnership of the mages and words that makes this piece so successful. 

The stocking footed paintings of "Melondy"represent the average teenage girl, dealing with high school, fears and her own frustrations. Her body language aptly depicts these insecurities.

To see more of Baerwald's work and read more about Melondy, visit hoursof.me.

You have until midnight Saturday to vote for your favorite ArtPrize pieces in Round 1. Be sure to check out Melondy at Fountain Street Church and if it strikes you, as it has me, vote for #61997.

And if you find yourself out artprizing in search of an unique, inspiring and well-curated venue worth visiting, try Processing Fibers at 250 Monroe, which features traditional and nontraditional art made from diverse fiber materials. I was impressed with basically every piece in this space — though a may have a bias towards textile and fiber arts. 

Anyhow... Stay Calm and #ArtPrize On ....

On the Last Day of ArtPrize

Well the 2014 ArtPrize has come and gone and I've said essentially nothing about it. The 6th year of ArtPrize was to what I expected.... big crowds, great energy in the city and, overall, underwhelming art. 

The rules were different this year, and I still don't fully understand them, which means I voted incorrectly. Instead of voting for best art in general, we were supposed to vote for best art by category. Which means in the final round, you could vote more than once, and in fact should, per vote at least once per category (i have yet to meet a person that knew this).

I think the public results would have been different had this change been made clear. 

Voting mishaps aside, here's 5 pieces that struck me and I appreciated (it's going to take me a moment to come up with 5....).

1. Intersections: The winner (both public and critic choice) of this year's ArtPrize, it's impossible to forget Intersections. This is one I noticed before I even saw it, people posting about it on facebook led to an intentional hunt. While this is by no means an original concept, the scale and angles at which it hits the walls make this a striking piece. (GRAM)

2. Snow: Love white on white. I love the materials here and I love the dimensionality. I didn't want to walk away, it's so obviously snow, yet the piece is so warm and welcoming. (Women's City Club)

3. 1001 Coffee Cups: This piece is kind of silly, but at the same time, I love taking a piece of daily trash and turning it into a catalog of the places you've been. She writes the date/location of where she had each coffee on the cup and then doodles it up. It's like ticket stubs, but more.... generic?  (Harris Building)

4. Somewhere we've never been: I thought the piece looked cool. And then I read the description and I loved it. (106 Gallery – Calvin Space)

I was sitting by myself in a familiar place when I wrote, "Even the places we didn't go together, but places where I've only thought of you, even those remind me of you." I love the idea that someone can have a memory of a person in a space only because they have thought of them there before.

5. Urban Tumbleweed: This piece is definitely silly. And if it wasn't for the noise it makes, you may not even notice it. But I've never seen people more engrossed in a video entry. I think the video could have been edited better, but the idea is sound. And it's worth talking about. (Catherdral Square)

I could never be disappointed in ArtPrize, I think it's an amazing concept and I love what it does for the city. But I think every year it becomes less about the art and more about the people watching and the hanging out downtown. And I'm not gonna lie, I'm ready for everyone to go home and get out of my city— I want the streets back!

Make an #ArtPrize Visit

If you're heading out to ArtPrize this weekend, be sure to stop by  First Community Bank at 60 Monroe Center to see Jenny Lynn's 2014 ArtPrize piece Rust Belt.

Rust Belt is a small textile piece that illustrate population declines in large US cities from 1950-2010. Each black and white square represents the population of a major US city in 1950. The rust colored inset is their population in 2010. Using US Census data, the top 100 US cities in 1950 were compared to their 2010 populations. Of the 47 cities which saw declines, this piece depicts the 25 cities with the largest percentage of decline.

Rust Belt is showing at First Community Bank at 60 Monroe Center at the corner of Ottawa. Vote for Rust Belt using code #57195.

Dressed in Transparency

The most intriguing piece I saw at ArtPrize wasn't so intriguing until second passing. In a small photography studio on Division hung 12 sheer dresses. At first I just thought they were pretty/interesting dresses, but once the artist, Clare Murray Adams, handed me the "key" I was enthralled.

"In Her Closet" is an installation of twelve organza dresses addressing the transparency of one's identity; characteristics of the human condition that one might not think are obvious but are usually readily apparent to others. Grounded. Guarded. Wounded. Fragile. 1-Dimensional. 

The sheer fabric reveals the physical structure of the dress, as well as the emotional structure of a person. "In Her Closet" refers to personal attributes one might often try to hide.

The nature of the hanging dresses allowed you to walk amongst them and interact with these feelings. It was an encompassing and moving departure from the crowded streets outside. 

Crowded Top Ten

The ArtPrize Top Ten have been announced and I was finally able to make it downtown to see some of the art (or parts of art, as seen behind crowds and between strollers). 

The crowds have taken over ArtPrize, and where I was weary at the beginning of Season 5, I am now simply exhausted. It's been an anticlimactic year, where the crowds are thick, the conversation has actually been quite thin. No one is clamoring "you have to see _________!" 

The Top 25 were essentially all located, in 4 Center Center locations, which leads me to gripe about ArtPrize's primary flaw... location, location, location. 

I haven't quite decided what I'm going to vote for with my final remaining vote. While there are few things that are fine and lovely, there's nothing I really want to give $250,000 to. I'm still waiting for that "wow" factor! At this point, I almost feel like I'm voting based on what i Don't want to win!

Here We Go Again: ArtPrize 5.0

Year Five of ArtPrize kicked off at noon today. I have to say, I wasn't feeling up to it. ArtPrize? Already? Again? I was dreading the crowds, the spectacle, the public chatter. 

But after all the excitement and everything I've seen in the last 24 hours, all the things I was dreading, I'm now looking forward to— the people, the craziness, the conversation! With the hustle of the city, it's hard not to get swept up in the momentum of it, and want to get out there and see as much as you can — especially in our fleeting snow-free days. 

For an opening night sneak peek, we spent an hour or two strolling the edges of ArtPrize.The greatest stumble-upon this evening was the Western Michigan University building (which i didn't even know existed). It's large gallery was an unexpected display of appreciable art. It's not one of the main exhibition centers, so be sure to seek it out. 

And if you head down to Artprize, be sure to stop by the Acton Building (lovely recent renovation) and see Crazy Revisited by my very own, beloved mother, Jenny Lynn! And then Vote 55026!

So now that my ArtPrize dread has subsided, I plan to spend as much time downtown in the next few weeks as I can. Looking forward to the spectacle, the talent, the beauty and the unexpected. 

ArtPrize Pride

ArtPrize winds down today, and with Friday's announcement of the winner, I think it's safe to say that Year Four has restored my faith in ArtPrize.

Adonna Khare's Elephants is more than just elephants. It's a menagerie of animals, setup as a large, exaggerated triptych. This piece wasn't just my favorite in the Top Ten, it was my number Two overall, so I guess my right to disparage public opinion has been revoked for the year. 

Khare is a California based artist that creates with a carbon pencil and eraser. Her drawings are not pre-planned and it was rather amazing to watch her work, with no reference imagery, while hundreds of people circled around her. The final piece is an imaginative world where animals coexist, tangled together, and juxtaposed with ordinary objects and events. The manner in which this world breaks free from the paper and continues on the wall adds additional depth and freedom. 

I am very happy this piece will be staying in Grand Rapids. 

The rest of the Top Ten line-up is available on the ArtPrize website, along with the Juried Awards. 

My Favorite Art that you Haven't Seen

Chances are, that even if you've been to ArtPrize, you haven't been to Independent Bank. If this is true, then you've missed several fantastic art pieces, but more specifically, one of my absolute favorites.

Weightless is a photography series by Miranda Haddix, a student from GRCC. It explores what would happen if gravity was an option. Beyond that though, there's something very poetic about it. The loss of control, and the (sometimes) calm feeling of giving in ala "come what may".

I'm quite impressed with the elegant simplicity of these images—surreal scenes appearing quite natural and possible.

You can check out Miranda's photographic work via her Flickr stream.

When Light becomes Art

I realized I've let the GR Lights in the Night event pass without comment— and lord knows I have an opinion...

We went downtown to see the lights last week with pretty low expectations. But from the moment dusk hit and the lanterns began ascending we were awe-struck (and slightly terrified of all the flames surrounding us—it's amazing nobody or nothing burned up.)

The Lights in the Night ArtPrize entry has made the paper in the UK, the news in Sacramento and has lit up local-based news and blogs (get it? 'Lit up'?? And apparently it would have made the Guiness Book of Records had the official been in attendance.

I'm glad it made the Top Ten– it was a beautiful and moving experience. However, I am not hoping for it to win. While I think it was a breath-taking sight, it wasn't a new idea, and really took more in the realm of event planning than artistic talent. 

That said, I hope it becomes an annual event in GR. Because I sure want to be part of that magical feeling again. 

Public + Art = ?

I know you're all patiently waiting on my take of 2012's ArtPrize Top Ten....Well, yes, I was there for this afternoon's announcement. It would be hard to keep my away from a beautiful ArtPrize weekend (though the crowds did make it so I didn't stay long).

The Top 25 weren't too shocking, or entirely infuriating. But I am taken aback/disappointed in the Top 10. I had made my predictions last night, and I was only 50% correct.

I'm not going to go each one individually, but it is interesting to note, that GR sort of went away from our habit of selecting the cheesy larger than life things that have caused eyerolls in the past (SteamPig?). T-Rex and Norm (the dragon) made the Top 25, but were left behind for the Top 10 (phew!!). Instead we have four 3-D/sculptural pieces, four large fine art pieces, one performance art piece and (one) origami  (which i don't entirely know how to categorize). So it's a good variety, and there's some definite talent there, I would just like to see some "think piece" make it. Art with a deeper meaning, that's thought provoking, that makes an impact beyond a visual one.

That said, 3 of my personal Top 10 is in the public's Top 10. So I can't be too bitter. For lack of anything else disparaging to say about the public, here's my awards (and I know I'm hypocritical, these don't go that deep):
Plexus - Kendall
Elephants - GRAM
Origami - GRAM
Weightless - Independent Bank
Horses in the River (I'm not saying this one's real name again) - Grand River
Collective Cover Project - UICA
More or Less - UICA
Rainscape from East Broadway and Canal - Devos Place
Walk with Us - Calder Plaza
The Lake - Women's City Club

Best Venue Experience: Site:Lab
Best Gallery Experience: The Spot
Best Themed Venue: Calvin College 106 Gallery

Kudos to ArtPrize 2012— As far as art experiences goes, this year ranks second to Year 1 (I don't think anything will beat that first year of wonderment and surprise). My faith in ArtPrize is restored and I'm already looking forward to Year 5.

Art and Patience

One of the wonderful aspects of ArtPrize is it's duration. By spanning several weeks, it becomes a presence that you can interact with and explore in different ways. There's time to absorb, revisit, and reinterpret. Time to stop rushing and enjoy. 

I was back up at Site:Lab Thursday evening to visit the Not Design space, and actually participate in a print-making workshop. 

Not Design is a collaborative studio focusing on solving problems in unconventional ways. As they say, "We design but we are not about design. It is something more."

By identifying needs and filling them, Not Design endeavors "to leave the classroom, to meet individuals on a common ground, and to engage non-design issues through design thinking." The goal is to engage with people and to create responsible communication within the community. Think, Not Design. 

It was a very hands-on workspace, where I got to design, lay type and make my own prints. I saw the painstaking efforts behind kerning a single word (and said a silent 'thank you' to Adobe), and experienced the satisfaction of realizing I can spell correctly in reverse. 

There's something absolutely pure about leaving the computer and getting ink under the fingernails. (I discover how wildly difficult it is to obsess over alignment–but obsess I did!)

Not Design is going to have several more working session in this next week, you can see the Workshop Schedule here.

Must Be Art

I spent 18+ hours at ArtPrize this weekend— eating, drinking and critiquing my way through downtown Grand Rapids. I went into Year 4 determined to accept ArtPrize for what it is, to acknowledge that art is subjective, and that this is ultimately a popularity contest. The public has 200,000 dollars to give away this week... and the public loves a gimmick. 

Historically, the best art has been where the crowds aren't– but it's often difficult to see past the clutter and actually find the gems. So if you have limited ArtPrize time. May I make some suggestions...

Must See Venues
Site:Lab at the Old Public Museum - Last year Site:Lab won the juried award for Best Venue for their work at the Junior Achievement Building. However I think their work this year is superior. Located at Jefferson and State, their incorporation of art into the old museum is quite brilliant. 
The SPOT at the Federal Square Building - A hot spot in 2011, the SPOT is once again full of well-curated, manicured pieces.
High Five Gallery at Riverfront Plaza Building - Had never been in this building before, in fact, had never noticed it. But the open space allowed for a very unobtrusive gallery space. Nice window vies too. 

Must See Art

Elephants - Adonna Khare - GRAM - The public seems quite taken with this one. And I have to agree with them here. Love how the artwork bursts free from the confines of the page. Real imaginative, and done with incredible skill. 

Plexus No. 18 - Gabriel Dawe - Kendall - I find this piece mesmerozing. It's remarkable from every angle. I audibly gasped several times. If this faces off against Elephants in the top 10 I'll have a tough decision to make. 

Vista La Grand - Ernest Grof - High Five - I like this piece because of the story of it's creation. The b/w photo above it is the view of GR north from the Varnum penthouse balcony. The mosaic is inspired by this view and will be the new floor of the balcony. 

Origami - Kimi Tamashita - GRAM - Quite a surprise here. Amazed by the details seen in these portraits. 

Stick-to-it-tive-ness Richard Morse - Grand River - We've all seen Deborah Butterfield's Horse at Frederik Meijer Gardens of which this is reminiscent. Even so, I just love the visual of these horses in the river, so (despite it's ridiculous name) I find this quite striking. 

Must Experience

More or Less - ABCD 83 - UICA - This is a fun installation made from found objects. But the brilliant part is the audio visual loop (about 7 minutes) that plays right on top of it. It is amazing and worth fighting the crowd to get to the front to see. 

Wave of Waves - Scott Naylor - High Five Gallery - Check this out at night if possible. It's a relaxing audio visual experience. If there had been waitresses comign around with cocktails, we may have never left. 

Grand Rapids (the city) during ArtPrize. You can vote for this, but you can definitely enjoy it. ArtPrize makes me proud to be a Grand Rapidian. 

So there's my suggestions. You have till the 29th to get Round 1 votes in (they lengthened Round 1 this year, which I love). And tomorrow they will reveal who leaders are. I have some hunches. Some I agree with, others not so much. But hey, it's art, it's supposed to be controversial. What fun would it be if it was unanimous?