Jump to content

ArtPrize and Project 1 - Grand Rapids


GRDadof3

Recommended Posts

Perhaps make the juried awarded and voting award the same amount?

I like this idea. Two different awards, both 125-large, would still be big stinkin' prizes. If the spirit of the event is the conversation, then watching how the jury and the general audience react to different pieces would certainly enhance it. We'd have some artists clearly jockeying for one award, some for the other, and some for both. And if it were me designing the jury process, I would even bring in a large pool of art critics, and have them vote in their own poll similar to the way the regular joes do - sort of like a "USA Today Coaches' Poll" of ArtPrize.

And to be honest, I predict that the presence of a jury would cause people to be more measured and deliberate in what they vote for. To me that'd be a good thing. Organizers may not see it that way, though; they seemed to design the system to encourage immediate, reflexive voting.

Edited by RegalTDP
Link to comment
Share on other sites


Last night at the volunteer party (I'm a redshirt) we discussed the pleas that the first round of voting be extended to two weekends. I was told that this would be horrendously difficult, the timetables are already set up, etc. etc. Very odd, seeing as how it's all electronic, and jeeze louise our local governments can add to local election ballots that are only a couple months in the future.

Also a lot of folks clamored for their very own, "I just want to see crazy crap all over Grand Rapids" t-shirt.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The success of Art Prize is the the people's vote. I don't understand why the success of Art Prize needs to be changed to fit the needs of art snobs. Its probably the one thing I enjoy most is that Art Prize is how much it riles the "true art community".

While I agree the top 10 lacked a lot of oomph and I do lack any art education, I did not find much in the juried selections either.

Regardless, DeVos said it best and I am paraphrasing (probably a couple of his quotes into one) -- Art is on the front page of the paper for nearly 3 weeks instead of football? That alone is incredible. Paraphrasing again, but I think DeVos said that the education of the city with each Art Prize continues to grow.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Last night at the volunteer party (I'm a redshirt) we discussed the pleas that the first round of voting be extended to two weekends. I was told that this would be horrendously difficult, the timetables are already set up, etc. etc. Very odd, seeing as how it's all electronic, and jeeze louise our local governments can add to local election ballots that are only a couple months in the future.

Also a lot of folks clamored for their very own, "I just want to see crazy crap all over Grand Rapids" t-shirt.

I was studying several pieces during ArtPrize, reading artist statements, and I'd overhear people making unusual comments about the piece. And I'd say, if you read the artist's statement, it explains why they did "x, y, z." And people would say "Ohhhh, that's really cool." It happened, a lot. There was another piece in Devos Place that was done totally in blood. People would recoil when finding that out, yet I would imagine most of those people did not take the time to find out WHY it was done in blood.

I think having the initial voting time be so short, it really makes voters feel like they have to treat ArtPrize with the same amount of intent as shopping at Meijer, instead of slowing down to actually learn about the piece below the visual razzle dazzle and bling.

Change the initial voting to 10 votes per person, increase the time so people can hit more venues, and see how people react to the responsibility of limited voting.

Or leave it as it is and watch it become the world's largest crapft fest.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Change the initial voting to 10 votes per person, increase the time so people can hit more venues, and see how people react to the responsibility of limited voting.

Or leave it as it is and watch it become the world's largest crapft fest.

Somehow, I don't think these are the only two options.

I do like the idea of limiting the votes to 10/person. I think ArtPrize will continue to tweak and improve the event and people will continue to come and find great art and bad art. I agree that efforts to try to even the playing field a little more should be undertaken, but I really don't know what all they can do. A lot of people who come down don't have 20+ hours to invest in trying to visit all the sites before they vote for the top ten.

I can't get over how many people I saw at places like UICA and GRAM who were NOT the types you would normally see in an art museum who were interacting with and trying to interpret lots of pieces of contemporary art. The excitement the event has created for people to talk about art is really powerful and fun to see.

I'm already excited for next year.

Edited by fotoman311
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 10 months later...
  • 2 weeks later...

http://www.crainsdetroit.com/article/20120829/FREE/120829920

Ralph Mason, a retired police lieutenant who now handles media relations for the Grand Rapids Police Department, was responsible for the department's involvement in ArtPrize as a venue.

"I just thought it was a cool thing to do, and I thought it would be totally out of the realm of police work and cops," Mason said.

He also realized, "We have these huge, beautiful windows."

Someone should talk to LT Mason about a mural for next years Artprize.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

http://www.crainsdetroit.com/article/20120829/FREE/120829920

Someone should talk to LT Mason about a mural for next years Artprize.

Thought this was brought in, via discussion with one of the assistant city managers. Turns out to not be the case. I know Ralph, will work that angle.

Does any one have anything fun planned for art prize?

The usual: endless volunteering (I <3 wayfinding). On Sunday 9/23 there's a performance of a new instrumental work writen for A/P, in the parking lot of St Cecelia. Supposed to have 100 musicians, mostly brass with saxes and percussion.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

I want one of these!

Here you go! http://www.officeplayground.com/Pin-Art-C28.aspx

[/rant]

In other news, last night I heard the local radio doctor whining about parking on WGVU. Specifically, how the pay lots raise their rates to take advantage of demand. (Allow me to get out my fiddle to play a sad melody.)

Lessee...Rapid wristbands (2/$5) with the shuttle from any Meijer (free parking). Dash lots (free). North Division/Ionia/Turner (free). Or buy a stinkin' segway and emulate Dubya as you motor around.

Bicycles (guess what). Park and ride, or use the bus. Yesterday I saw a family of five pedaling around: big kid on his own bike, middle one on a trail-a-bike, with a toddler in a trailer.

tubahauler_zps22686a83.jpg

This is the fourth year for this terrible "inconvenience." You'd think a local would have figured it out by now.

Edited by Veloise
Link to comment
Share on other sites

[/rant]

In other news, last night I heard the local radio doctor whining about parking on WGVU. Specifically, how the pay lots raise their rates to take advantage of demand. (Allow me to get out my fiddle to play a sad melody.)

Lessee...Rapid wristbands (2/$5) with the shuttle from any Meijer (free parking). Dash lots (free). North Division/Ionia/Turner (free). Or buy a stinkin' segway and emulate Dubya as you motor around.

Bicycles (guess what). Park and ride, or use the bus. Yesterday I saw a family of five pedaling around: big kid on his own bike, middle one on a trail-a-bike, with a toddler in a trailer.

tubahauler_zps22686a83.jpg

This is the fourth year for this terrible "inconvenience." You'd think a local would have figured it out by now.

Not that the tuba had anything to do with this attracting your attention...

Edited by FilmMaker
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yesterday when I was at art prize, I saw a great thing. The stores and gift shops were filled with people. The restaurants had lines. I over heard people saying great stuff about downtown. It was great to see downtown with so many happy people going through the art museums and eating locally. I went and ate at the dog pit and actually had to wait in line. The new Kilwins and Sweet yos also had lines. Cinco De Mayo had every table full. Even the hotels looked pretty full.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Something about not being able to rent the space for weddings, meetings, etc. during artprize if they allowed the public in. Because, you know, it's not some sort of public building that is there for the public.

Here's the story,

http://www.woodtv.co...during-ArtPrize

Not that I am against them not opening the museum up for "free". But it doesn't make sense to me that the museum be closed to general admission paying customers. I guess the "extra special" paying customers are the only ones that matter....

Edited by Gorath
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I caught just a portion of the report, had a hard time understanding why they decided to operate that way. Wasn't a few years back when they were having financial difficulties anyway? Why on earth would you not just remain fully open and modify your hours if you had a special event? Maybe even rope off the special event area or something. It's all pretty possible to do with a little planning.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Lots of rebooted conversation this year, as well as more "crazy crap all over Grand Rapids." A venue curator has the unmitigated gall (sarcasm there) to point out that several of the emperors are starkers, and the social media experts line up to call her names. A story pops up about a minor issue, and it turns into a headline-fest with more discourteous comments. (The wildest one: an artist mentioned all the stuff DT that appears to be safe, and a critic claimed that "...it's odd that the artist thinks other pieces should have been vandalized instead.")

/rant

I am not pleased about constant overuse of superlatives in said conversations. Perhaps this stems from the constant abuse of terms such as "awesome" and "amazing."

A vandal knocking over a piece is described as being "beyond sad." Nope. Save that for events like Trevor Slot.

If your kid participated in drawing one of the pictures that's attached to the globe, s/he is likely not old enough to be an avid follower of news reports. As a parent, surely you're capable of breaking this tragic news to your offspring in a gentle way that won't launch an emotional tailspin. If not, you'd better practice up before having to face a circle of life event, the milestones that provide chapter breaks throughout childhood.

Saw a media report (hey, I tipped off the WOOD camera guy at RPC) stating that the vandalized piece was "destroyed." Okay, and the next day the globe is back on its axis.

(As a regular Y user, I wouldn't be upset if the off-key recorded music were to be stopped. Three more days!)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

ETA: Helpful links to aid in comprehension.

http://origin.wzzm13.com/comments/227440/14/Artist-ArtPrize-is-disrespectful-and-demoralizing

http://www.mlive.com/artprize/index.ssf/2012/10/gowen_artists_artprize_2012_entry_installed_at_downtown_ymca_vandalized_monday_night.html

Hope This Helps

Edited by Veloise
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'll try to be a bit less obtuse than the previous post.

When the museum was open at a previous ArtPrize I saw it as an opportunity to see stuff other than the art for free, along with tens of thousands of others. Had this opportunity not existed I and others might of actually gone and paid admission by now. Even better, set a precedent by opening the museum for free every year during the event, assuring a huge hit to admission revenue as people forgo going at other times.

But we all know this.

Edited by arcturus
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I caught just a portion of the report, had a hard time understanding why they decided to operate that way. Wasn't a few years back when they were having financial difficulties anyway? Why on earth would you not just remain fully open and modify your hours if you had a special event? Maybe even rope off the special event area or something. It's all pretty possible to do with a little planning.

Once you sign up as a venue for ArtPrize, you HAVE to adhere to ArtPrize hours and be open to the public at those times.

A lot of people have said it was the cost and wear and tear of being open during ArtPrize. Personally I think it was a crowd control issue (or lack thereof). Last year on the weekends it was insane in there, particularly upstairs and around the elevators.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.