ArtPrize and Project 1 - Grand Rapids

[Allison Slater]

I kept expecting things to be less busy on Sunday. I was thinking that some places that seemed a little too packed would be more easily navigable today. After seeing today's crowds, I think ArtPrize should really throw out the age-old (and imho incredibly annoying) close-early-on-Sundays concept. I think this was the busiest day yet.

[sonic]

I cringe every time I see those photos.

I don't think it's so much a question of what is art, but of basic aesthetics... some things are just ugly. And, those table and chairs imho fit the bill. Again, i'm just voicing an opinion, but they just looked *tacky* up there on the bridge.

[therustymitten]

if i may...

i hope the current voting trend of the top 10 does not continue.

there are some well deserved artist that have seemed to be overlooked.

calvary, american officers, 1921 by chris laporte

grandfather monk luan by sunti pichetchaiyakul

pregnant self portrait by sara shamma

symbiosis by christina mrozik

just to name a few

i just think this misinterpreted chuck close idea of parts to whole is not as nearly original.

it doesn't take much talent to apply a posterize filter to a digital image and replicate it.

again, if i may, i just would like to see the prize money awarded to extremely talented, proven, imaginative, creative individuals not just creative.

[GR_Urbanist]

if i may...

i hope the current voting trend of the top 10 does not continue.

there are some well deserved artist that have seemed to be overlooked.

calvary, american officers, 1921 by chris laporte

grandfather monk luan by sunti pichetchaiyakul

pregnant self portrait by sara shamma

symbiosis by christina mrozik

just to name a few

i just think this misinterpreted chuck close idea of parts to whole is not as nearly original.

it doesn't take much talent to apply a posterize filter to a digital image and replicate it.

again, if i may, i just would like to see the prize money awarded to extremely talented, proven, imaginative, creative individuals not just creative.

I for one am sick of those types of "make a picture out of small items" portraits.

I'm also totally not digging the whole trend of only the huge entries in the central area around the B.O.B getting all of the votes while out venues, and small works, are completely left in the cold.

I hope people make a greater effort to see the ones further out, or try to look at more than "OMG it's sooo big!" *vote vote vote*.

If artists see that only big stuff, at central venues, gets into the top 10, then they are going to see the time and $40 entry fee as a waste and wont be back next year.

I'm not doing the art snob shuffle. I just want this to be worthwhile for all of the artists.

[Veloise]

It was totally packed!

I've never remembered there being a line to get into the art museum last year, even during the paper airplanes event! ...

Inside GRAM was not a venue last year.

ETA: this site is pretty funny.

Edited September 28, 2010 by Veloise

[Allison Slater]

Well, the thing is that affects the top 10 is these large items aren't disliked. For example, Steam Pig draws people in. It's neat, it's cool, it's impressive. I voted for it. It isn't even close to my favourite, but it was still impressive enough for me to give it a vote, and many people do the same. This can skew the top 10. Top 10 doesn't really give us an idea of the people's favourite, or of the best, but just the most popular liked pieces. Much like last year when Nessie made the top 10, and was easily the most talked about, but didn't win -- while it may have been the most frequently liked, it wasn't everyone's favourite.

Perhaps if, in the future, we could add weight, or perhaps a limited number of double votes, we'll see a different kind of top 10.

[therustymitten]

you should be ashamed of yourself.

[Allison Slater]

Not really. It's likeable. We can vote on as many projects as we want. It sparked my imagination. But I won't vote it for #1.

[Veloise]

Vandalism...or an artist alteration?

Edited October 1, 2010 by Veloise

[GRDadof3]

Vandalism...or an artist alteration?

WTF is up with all the vandalism this year? And one of the artist's bikes was stolen this weekend too.

[jas49503]

it was in the paper that the artist himself did that.

[Veloise]

it was in the paper that the artist himself did that.

Yep, Troy's column reported that the artist used chalk. But when I was shooting the photo, I tested the marking. Wasn't chalk.

[egrguy]

I see the Art Museum had 120,000 visitors and the GRPM had 200,000 during Art Prize. Those are some amazing numbers. I wonder what kind of figures they have for the rest of the non-Art Prize year.

[GRDadof3]

I see the Art Museum had 120,000 visitors and the GRPM had 200,000 during Art Prize. Those are some amazing numbers. I wonder what kind of figures they have for the rest of the non-Art Prize year.

Hey jdkacz, where did you see the #'s for the Public Museum. Haven't seen those yet.

[egrguy]

Those figures were in the Wednesday GRP (day of winner's announcement). I think on Sat or Sun GRP that it was updated to 160,000 for GRAM. I wonder if they were able to translate any of that foot traffic into memberships.

The paper also had a small blurb about DeVos building a collection out of Art Prize work? Seems neat to me since they already have both winners.

[gvsusean]

Those figures were in the Wednesday GRP (day of winner's announcement). I think on Sat or Sun GRP that it was updated to 160,000 for GRAM. I wonder if they were able to translate any of that foot traffic into memberships.

The paper also had a small blurb about DeVos building a collection out of Art Prize work? Seems neat to me since they already have both winners.

i actually had a dream that they built a new museum in gr for art prize winners.. in the dream each room help places 1 through 10 with the centerpiece being the number 1 piece.. it seemed pretty cool in my dream lol

[Veloise]

i actually had a dream that they built a new museum in gr for art prize winners.. in the dream each room help places 1 through 10 with the centerpiece being the number 1 piece.. it seemed pretty cool in my dream lol

There's some idle speculation about the real reason behind A/P not revealing the vote totals. (What if the steam pig actually won???)

The red thread and Young Kim pieces, which would be difficult to keep on display, might not have won for that reason.

[joeDowntown]

Stop. That is a big accusation (and one that I bet you have zero facts to back up). Could it possibly be that Cavalry got the most votes? From some preliminary polls, Cavalry seemed way ahead of the competition.

I don't think ArtPrize is setup to award $250k to the most convenient piece of art? At least, I haven't read that anywhere.

Joe

There's some idle speculation about the real reason behind A/P not revealing the vote totals. (What if the steam pig actually won???)

The red thread and Young Kim pieces, which would be difficult to keep on display, might not have won for that reason.

[GRDadof3]

Stop. That is a big accusation (and one that I bet you have zero facts to back up). Could it possibly be that Cavalry got the most votes? From some preliminary polls, Cavalry seemed way ahead of the competition.

I don't think ArtPrize is setup to award $250k to the most convenient piece of art? At least, I haven't read that anywhere.

Joe

I'm with you Joe. Unlike Nessie last year, I heard and read very few comments from people that "loved" Steam Pig. Cavalry on the other hand, had a lot of chatter on flickr, on facebook, on twitter, and in the MLive comments as being a lot of people's favorite.

[Allison Slater]

I had a really hard time picking between Cavalry and Svelata, and I know quite a few others did too. Seeing those two in the top two is no surprise.

[egrguy]

That sounds like great conspiracy theory to me (why pay $250k for a piece that's difficult to display permanently, IE Young Kim's work).

However, the Press did have some final attendance calculations for the main venues (nearly 260K for the GRPM- highest vs 12K for Cathedral Square tied for lowest). I guess when of the issues brought up in public feedback was to publicize the voting. I hadn't thought of any accuracy issues, but if I recall if you're registered to vote Im pretty sure ArtPrize has your zip and it would make for great data on who is visiting and from where and what kind of voting trends there are.

For example, 95% of those from metro GR voted Calvary #1 vs 67% outside of GR. I think the data would be just as interesting as polling data on election days.

[Kib]

It's deja vu all over again.

High art, high stakes and hiijinks

(BTW - Didn't I see that GW Bush pixelated piece at the BOB last year?)

[joeDowntown]

Made from toilet paper rolls. Yup. Sounds like this 'art prize' doesn't measure up to the original.

Joe

It's deja vu all over again.

High art, high stakes and hiijinks

(BTW - Didn't I see that GW Bush pixelated piece at the BOB last year?)

[Veloise]

Made from toilet paper rolls. Yup. Sounds like this 'art prize' doesn't measure up to the original.

Can't believe no one purchased that masterwork!

Found this event via Facebook. It appears I am friends with an A/P artist who's entering.

[Veloise]

There's a place for all the wacky art: Ripley's.