Tag: ArtPrize

REVIEW: Art Outta Town ArtPrize

nina.j 2 Comments

ART OUTTA TOWN: ARTPRIZE

Two weekends ago, Art Outta Town ventured to Grand Rapids for the nation-wide festival, ArtPrize. I missed the boat on the Michigan affiliated trip, but I did make it on my own just in time for the closing weekend. From museums to galleries to restaurants to public parking lots to rooftops to bridges to store fronts and even in the river, the city was sprinkled with creativity and craft. The genres ranged broadly from installation pieces to sculpture, paintings, fibers, wood, glass, laser etching, metal, and photography.

Similarly, the mediums were also alternative and exploratory. In the photos below, the last is comprised entirely of jelly beans and just above that is a mosaic of water bottle caps. The second photo, one of my favorite pieces of the whole show, is made of twisted branches that resemble a stead of mustangs traversing the river. The piece is called ‘Stick-with-it-ness,’ a perfect title for the steadfast, life-like creatures. The photo just below the horses is an installation piece that reach from the bank of the river to a near-by rooftop. In fact, this piece is what brought me to ArtPrize: my friend is a Kalamazoo Art School grad and the man behind the metal. He is competitive for a prize in the show. The winners are yet to be announced, but fingers crossed!

Ever so conveniently placed beside each piece was a telephone number the viewer could dial to hear a recording of each artist explain his or her piece. There was also a code the viewer enter to vote for their favorite. The competition is juried but there is also a huge prize for the fan favorite. The entire ArtPrize experience was both inspiring and entertaining. It’s a great way to celebrate art in the community and art in the city. If only Ann Arbor held a similar exhibition! I guess we’ll have to wait til Art Fair next summer.

Similarly, the mediums were also alternative and exploratory. In the photos above, the last is comprised entirely of jelly beans and just above that is a mosaic of water bottle caps. The second photo, one of my favorite pieces of the whole show, is made of twisted branches that resemble a stead of mustangs traversing the river. The piece is called ‘Stick-with-it-ness,’ a perfect title for the steadfast, life-like creatures. The photo just below the horses is an installation piece that reach from the bank of the river to a near-by rooftop. In fact, this piece is what brought me to ArtPrize: my friend is a Kalamazoo Art School grad and the man behind the metal. He is competitive for a prize in the show. The winners are yet to be announced, but fingers crossed!

Ever so conveniently placed beside each piece was a telephone number the viewer could dial to hear a recording of each artist explain his or her piece. There was also a code the viewer enter to vote for their favorite. The competition is juried but there is also a huge prize for the fan favorite. The entire ArtPrize experience was both inspiring and entertaining. It’s a great way to celebrate art in the community and art in the city. If only Ann Arbor held a similar exhibition! I guess we’ll have to wait til Art Fair next summer.

PREVIEW: Art Outta Town Art Prize

nina.j

ART OUTTA TOWN goes to ARTPRIZE

Art Outta Town is a program through Arts at Michigan that organizes trips for students to attend art happenings outside the city limits of Ann Arbor. This weekend, the destination is Grand Rapids for one of the country’s largest art competitions: ArtPrize. This ‘radically open competition and social experiment’ features 1517 artist installations throughout the city. Unlike the Ann Arbor Art Fair, this festival utilizes pre-established spaces, like store fronts and window displays, such that the entire town transforms into an gallery. The goal of the giant display is to create both ‘harmony and tension among disciplines and between mediums.’ The grand prize for the winning artists is a large some of cash money. Finalists are determined both by a jury and by popular vote, which you can do via texting, so be sure to remember your favorites!

If you do find yourself at ArtPrize this weekend, there are a few important names and places to remember. The Prison Creative Arts Project is featuring three artists who are no longer incarcerated and are competitive members of the festival. On Saturday, September 29th there will be a meet n’ greet with the artists at the Urban Institute for Contemporary Arts (2 West Fulton). At 2:30 pm, all are welcome to join the PCAP Art Walk to the Department of Corrections where their work is displayed. This is an incredibly celebratory moment for both PCAP and the artists who have submitted work. Their names, images of their pieces, and codes for the popular vote are as follows, so be sure to send a text!

Brian Wagner, ‘Grist Mill at Sedona Arizona’ 52712:

Clifford Wade, ‘Ostracized’ 52624:

Fernando DeLezica, ‘Forethought’ 52487:

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Unfortunately it is too late to sign up for this week’s Art Outta Town. Luckily, however, ArtPrize runs until October 7th so you have a chance to see  it on your own. Follow the link here if you are interested in other Art Outta Town escapades, including next week’s Dlectricity. Click here to sign up! See you at ArtPrize!