Thursday, October 15, 2009

ArtPrize Quiz and Grand Prize Winner

The introduction to ArtPrize in Grand Rapids was in my last post. This one is about the wonder of materials that artists use. Visual art certainly isn't just about paint. And, anyone that knows me, and my art, knows that the texture of things is one of my inspirations. So, with that in mind, I offer you this ArtPrize Quiz.


ArtPrize Quiz Question #1: Digital art? Maybe. What material gives these faces their pixelated look? This was part of a series of three very large pieces, each about 4 feet wide and 8 feet tall. Called Portraits by Eric Daigh of Traverse City, it took 3rd prize.


Surprise, it's push pins.


ArtPrize Quiz Question #2: The surface was so, so smooth. The workmanship of the cuts perfect. The cut outs in the paper and the entire structure of this piece is made from...




a set of World Book encyclopedias.


ArtPrize Quiz Question #3: Sorry, no close up for this one from which you could make your guess. Hundreds of bowls made from one basic, critical ingredient called...



Rice.



ArtPrize Quiz Question #4: Here's Julie at the dump. No, not really, this installation uses nothing but...






Plastic bottles.

ArtPrize Quiz Question #5: Mr. Moose by Bill Secunda is huge, a 5th place winner and made entirely from...





nails.





ArtPrize Quiz Question #6: This huge kinetic sculpture swayed gently and squeaked loudly. It is made of...


wood and brass. Field of Reeds by John Douglas Powers came in 7th place.


ArtPrize Quiz Question #7:
Who won? Well, frankly, all the artists and viewers did. But, they actually did award $250,000 (biggest monetary art prize in the world) to...

Ran Ortner for Water no. 24. This is an oil painting, folks, not a photograph. Beautiful.



Apparently some art critics are saying that ArtPrize was nothing but a popularity contest. They should just shut up, look around, absorb the excitement and come to the realization that there's nothing wrong with that. This event made the community at large come alive. It wasn't just the artists that got excited. It brought very good art to masses of people in a way that a museum could never achieve. Sure, it also brought weird, ugly stuff (not sure even I can call it art) to the public. But, just like life, this event showed it all. With all the hardships that art education and art venues are experiencing right now, ArtPrize was a shot in the arm that should help keep the interest in the arts alive for a long time to come.



For more information go to ArtPrize.

Lorrie

3 comments:

Joanne Huffman said...

which did you vote for?

last minute lynn said...

I missed the "show". Really appreciate your pictures and words.

Lorrie Grainger Abdo said...

Actually, I didn't vote. We were up there on the day that the winner(s) were to be announced so I didn't bother registering. You both should go next year for a day.

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