ArtPrize Grand Rapids

Have you heard about ArtPrize?

It's happening right here, right now. Here's how their website describes the competition:

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At ArtPrize, any artist—from established to emerging—has the chance to show work. Any visitor can vote. The vote will determine who wins the largest art prize in the world. We also took the unusual step to allow people in the city to open a venue and choose the artists to show in their space. There is not one official curator or jury for the competition.

The number of venues is fluid, so the number of competing artists is fluid. The possibilities are wide open.We can't predict what will happen, but it should be a lot of fun finding out.

Come and see.

• Top prize: $250,000
• Dates: September 23 - October 10
• Location: Grand Rapids, MI USA
• Winner is determined by public vote
• All attendees of the event can vote
• Top 10 entries will receive a prize
• Multiple artists can collaborate on an entry
• Artists may only submit one entry
• Property owners/renters in downtown Grand Rapids can become a venue
• Number of artists represented is only limited by number of venues that become available

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It's a radically different kind of contest - and the first of its kind from what I hear. Over the past week the media has been filled with ArtPrize info and downtown Grand Rapids has been an eclectic mix of visitors, artists, and art exhibits large and small. It truly is a spectacle!

With week one of the contest coming to a close at midnight last night, Travis and I headed downtown (finally!) to check things out and cast our votes.

The top ten finalists (of over 1200 submissions!) will be announced tonight, and voting for the top ten will go on for the next week until the grand prize winner is announced.

Here are some snaps from our adventures..



These portraits are done with push pins on a cork board! Incredible!


We voted via text message as we went from venue to venue...



Each piece had a five digit voting code and you could cast a vote up or down for it dependent on if you liked it or not...


This was crazy but cool. All kinds of charcoal stenciled "thoughts" from the artist on himself and his art process. There were pencils for you to add your own thoughts.



This sculpture is made from pieces of car tires...


These packing tape sculptures were kind of creepy...






Lego men and women?


See the resemblance?


Check out the HUGE table and chairs on top of the bridge behind me...


The Nessie Project!




This one is for you, Dad...

Phew! We didn't even see a quarter of the exhibits - there are so many all over the city! The atmosphere and traffic downtown was so exciting, though! We're going to go back next week to look some more and check out the top 10.

What a great thing for Grand Rapids and for Michigan!