New Grand Rapids Art Museum

[GRDadof3]

Do they just do it on the interior courtyard? Or on the Monroe Center side too? Pretty sweet!

[Avocado]

It was too cold to do much investigating, but I assumed it was being projected from the opposite side of the courtyard.

Maybe they could set up a projector in one of the buildings on the other side of Monroe Center? That would probably draw a few more eyeballs.

[Veloise]

^bump...found it!

A testament to the symbiotic yet whimsical relationship between man and nature

GRAM director Celeste Adams is pleased to announce the latest installation to the new building and adjacent plaza: "Chair Stack."

Made specifically for Grand Rapids and created by an anonymous artist, "Chair Stack" was self-installed on the Rosa Parks Circle ice rink on September 3, 2007. Adams enthuses, "it really brightens up the whole space."

She invites the rest of us to be open to the possibilities that "Chair Stack" might create for each one of us. "It has a living spirit," she said, "a life of its own, separate of the artist. It's exciting to finally see the piece in place. It's very much an artistic counterpoint to the building."

"Like the Calder," said Adams, "it will become a part of the life of this city."

Art is not a drive-by experience.

[wingbert]

^bump...found it!

What made you think of that?

[fotoman311]

What made you think of that?

I think it was your suggestion that the broken crane be sold to GRAM as a piece of art.

[Veloise]

A testament to the symbiotic yet whimsical relationship between man and nature

GRAM director Celeste Adams is pleased to announce the latest installation to the new building and adjacent plaza: "Chair Stack."

Made specifically for Grand Rapids and created by an anonymous artist, "Chair Stack" was self-installed on the Rosa Parks Circle ice rink on September 3, 2007. Adams enthuses, "it really brightens up the whole space."

She invites the rest of us to be open to the possibilities that "Chair Stack" might create for each one of us. "It has a living spirit," she said, "a life of its own, separate of the artist. It's exciting to finally see the piece in place. It's very much an artistic counterpoint to the building."

"Like the Calder," said Adams, "it will become a part of the life of this city."

Art is not a drive-by experience.

Replacement tables cost $800 each

[x99]

Totally unbelievable. They are ugly, cheap, crappy tables. To have them be mandatory and cost $800 is criminal.

Replacement tables cost $800 each

[RegalTDP]

Totally unbelievable. They are ugly, cheap, crappy tables. To have them be mandatory and cost $800 is criminal.

Seriously! Put the expensive Maya Lin tables in a secure, less exposed area inside a courtyard or something. Put cheaper tables outside the museum. Bed Bath & Beyond has outdoor tables for $30.

[GR_Urbanist]

Why dont they just take the existing tables, sandblast them, and give them a new coat of paint?

That can be about 50.00-150.00 per table, and they could just pay the city to do that with the workers we have.

[fotoman311]

I don't think the tables are ugly, and I don't think that $800 seems terribly outrageous for a heavy piece of outdoor furniture that must withstand the elements and the abuse of being used/moved etc. by hundreds of people at dozens of events throughout the year. Expensive? Yes... Outrageous...No.

[suydam]

I don't think the tables are ugly, and I don't think that $800 seems terribly outrageous for a heavy piece of outdoor furniture that must withstand the elements and the abuse of being used/moved etc. by hundreds of people at dozens of events throughout the year. Expensive? Yes... Outrageous...No.

I agree. Bed Bath & Beyond has tables that cost far less, but there is no way they'd last a single summer. Furniture designed for public use costs more (but $800... wow).

[fotoman311]

I agree. Bed Bath & Beyond has tables that cost far less, but there is no way they'd last a single summer. Furniture designed for public use costs more (but $800... wow).

I think what's harder to believe is that there is only a single vendor that offers tables that are equivalent. People want to see that there has been a competitive bid process or it looks like someone is making out and overcharging. Maybe they are, maybe they aren't. I don't have the information to know that. But, it doesn't LOOK good to the average person.

[Gorath]

What are the design specifications for the tables?

Just speculating.

1. Table should be round. The ice skate rink, pond and mist (aka steam) fountain, are round so it make sense that the tables should be round too.

2. Table shouldn't rust and leave rust stains on concrete.

3. Table shouldn't otherwise damage fiber optic star field thingy.

4. Table shouldn't get really really hot when out in the sun.

5. Table shouldn't go airborne in the wind.

6. Table should survive abuse from unsupervised public. Resistant to scratches and carving ones initials. Easy to remove graffiti and writing.

7. Table should be unattractive and impractical so no one would reasonably want to steal it. Ok, maybe that's not really one of the design requirements :-)

I'm not going to dispute the price as I have no idea what they should cost. It does look bad when there is only one bid. And I don't know why the existing tables can't just be refurbished. Maybe all they need is to fix any broken welds, tighten the bolts and put new tops on them. Maybe they already do that every winter.

[joeDowntown]

Honestly, since it is paid for by a foundation that takes care of the property, who cares? When they chose Maya Lin to design Rosa Parks Circle, they knew that she had the final say on almost everything. Those were her terms before the park got built, and the city and foundation agreed.

If I'm not mistaken, they even had to consult with Maya Lin when building the Art Museum and how the two spaces would work together. This doesn't seem like news to me, and since the foundation is paying for it out of an endowment they set up (and paid for) for maintenance of the park it really seems like a non-issue, non-news story to me.

Joe

[GRDadof3]

Honestly, since it is paid for by a foundation that takes care of the property, who cares? When they chose Maya Lin to design Rosa Parks Circle, they knew that she had the final say on almost everything. Those were her terms before the park got built, and the city and foundation agreed.

If I'm not mistaken, they even had to consult with Maya Lin when building the Art Museum and how the two spaces would work together. This doesn't seem like news to me, and since the foundation is paying for it out of an endowment they set up (and paid for) for maintenance of the park it really seems like a non-issue, non-news story to me.

Joe

Exactly. Is the Press always this concerned with how foundations spend their money?

[RegalTDP]

Honestly, since it is paid for by a foundation that takes care of the property, who cares? When they chose Maya Lin to design Rosa Parks Circle, they knew that she had the final say on almost everything. Those were her terms before the park got built, and the city and foundation agreed.

You're right, but isn't a lot of what people do on this forum involve critiquing how other people invest their money? Why should Maya Lin be off the hook?

Exactly. Is the Press always this concerned with how foundations spend their money?

They're just trying to get stupid commenters who don't read the articles to complain about the city budget. It often works.

[GRDadof3]

You're right, but isn't a lot of what people do on this forum involve critiquing how other people invest their money? Why should Maya Lin be off the hook?

They're just trying to get stupid commenters who don't read the articles to complain about the city budget. It often works.

Ha, right, the new "newspaper" business model.

[ctpgr34]

it seems that  some machinery that is housed in the public bathroom is smoking. It is making an odd sound. The Fire Dept doesn't seem to concerned since they are just standing around.

[Quercus]

Looks like steam. Could be one of the steam fountain features malfunctioning or maybe they blow the lines out before the winter.

[discgrab21]

It sounded and looked like a steam locomotive from above. Was coming out of a vent stack from building that i believe houses the equipment to maintain the ice rink.  Went on for a long time then just stopped.  Was very strange.