ArtPrize

Every city has it's traditions, and for the past seven years, ArtPrize has become a tradition of Grand Rapids.  Each fall, for 19 days, artists from all over the country (and world!) participate in an art competition covering three square miles of the city.  Any space within the three square miles is game - there's been art on buildings, in the river, on the bridges and in many buildings.  Paintings, photography, sculptures, art requiring viewer participation - anything an artist can come up with can be entered.  They are judged by jurors as well as the public and compete for a cash prize.  This year there are 1,550 entries.

While it's nearly impossible to see all the art in just 19 days, we were able to spend about 6 hours downtown this past Sunday afternoon.  Here are a few of the most interesting entries we saw:

A piece called "Whisper:" The viewer whispers into a microphone, and the soundwaves are transduced (somehow - don't ask me how) to make the table vibrate, sometimes so violently dishes crash to the floor.

A map of Michigan, made exclusively of rare, native, Petoskey stones.

These bikes are carved entirely out of wood:

A series of paintings of trans marked by graffiti:

"Moses"

A tree representing all the seasons on its four sides:

An interesting piece called "The Last Supper," where the artist depicts what death row inmates requested for their last meal:

"Please tell the media I did not get my Spaghetti-O's.  I got spaghetti"

"Requested shrimp
unavailable
Ate vending machine
snacks"

and

"Request:
Eat from a vending machine with family members"

"Field Trip to First Park Church" is 13 steel ant-like creatures based on humans: two educators from the Grand Rapids area and 11 representing the artists grandchildren, each with characteristics unique to their human side.