Elephant Walk

ArtPrize 2010 was a huge success, pulling over 1,700 artists into Grand Rapids from 14 different countries to display art in over 190 venues and over 465,000 community members cast their votes to pick this year’s Top Ten ArtPrize winners.

Started in 2009 by Richard Devos of Grand Rapids, ArtPrize is meant to bring the world’s art community and the Grand Rapids community together as an open forum for conversation and appreciation of art.

• ArtPrize is the only art contest that allows entries from anyone in the world; no art degree required

• ArtPrize provides the largest prize of any art competition in the world

• ArtPrize is the only art competition that is open to a public vote

How it works

There are three elements that make up ArtPrize; venues, artists, and voters.

Venues are businesses throughout downtown Grand Rapids, within a certain geographical limit, that show artists’ work during the two weeks of ArtPrize. Artists are allowed one entry and they must secure one of the almost 200 venues to host their piece in order to be a competitor. Voters are everyday people who attend ArtPrize, see something they like and vote for it through internet, text, or a downtown voting center.

This type of voting system has never before been used for an art contest. Normally there would be a jury of elite art professionals, all with PhD’s and Master’s of Fine Arts (MFA) degrees. MSU Associate Professor of Electronic Art & Intermedia Adam Brown said, “I think it’s a fresh venue. I don’t know if it’s better or worse, but it’s different. It provides the public with a voice.”

In the first week of competition attendees are allowed to vote as many times as they wish. ArtPrize artist, Lesley Van Leeuwen-Vega, says that this practice makes the first week a bit more trivial, and results in a lot of “cake and ice cream” votes from parents attempting to please their children. The first week tends to favor pieces that are a “big spectacle” rather than genuinely good pieces of art. The top ten is announced at the end of the first week of voting.

In the second week of viewing, voters are allowed only one vote, if someone votes more than once, only the most recent vote will be counted. Van Leeuwen-Vega says that despite some criticism from the art community, “people really think about where their one vote will go,” and she added that, “things aren’t less special because you don’t have a Masters of Fine Arts.”

After the second week of voting, the Top 10 are put in descending order and awarded their perspective prizes. The art then remains at the venues for a few more days for the general enjoyment of the public. Some of the entries remain in downtown Grand Rapids even after ArtPrize is over, such as last years’ mosaic on the side of the Grand Rapids Children’s Museum.

Conversations in the Art Community

Recently, Kendall College professor, Deb Rockman, came forward, as she did in 2009, with her concerns about whether the average person knows how to accurately judge art. Rockman is quoted to have said, “It’s great that they have such an interest, but they often don’t have the base of knowledge to make an informed judgment.”

Helping Mom One Penny at a Time

Other professionals disagree with Rockman’s assessment. Former Kendall professor, Harry Kutten, said, “Average citizens can determine if they are moved by [art].” Van Leeuwen-Vega adds that “people know how they feel about things.”

MSU alumni and ArtPrize artist, Bree Gomez said, “I think that everyone is entitled to an opinion. When dealing with public art, people are very important. This isn’t a gallery.”

Gomez also said, “Art doesn’t have to be conceptually so deep that people don’t understand it.”

Kutten and Van Leeuwen-Vega also noted that there are plenty of art competitions that involve paneled judging; ArtPrize is just not one of them. (There is a jury of art professionals who recognize entries from different categories; however, these winners do not receive a cash prize).

ArtPrize offers a unique opportunity to anyone and everyone. As far as ArtPrize is concerned, “Everyone is an artist,” said Kutten.

As some criticize and others praise the system and intentions of ArtPrize, it becomes unclear what the future of the event will hold. “I don’t know if it will [grow] in the art world, the ‘art world’ is complicated,” said Brown. “It is definitely growing the arts in Michigan, but as far as putting Michigan on the map in the art world, I’m not sure.”

The Big Picture

Unlike most art contests, ArtPrize is not all about the winnings. The prize gets artists to Grand Rapids, the art gets people to Grand Rapids and the people start talking about art and spending money in downtown Grand Rapids. Allowing the public to vote forces viewers to think more critically about art; what they are drawn to and what moves them.

Kutten says that the purpose of the event is “to encourage the value of art.”

“[ArtPrize] seems to be good for the economy of Michigan,” said Brown. During last year’s event, restaurants ran out of food and were forced to close early because the downtown area was so busy.

Gomez said, “[ArtPrize is] very beneficial to GR. It helps people get to know what’s in Grand Rapids and gives support to local businesses.”

Artists

Recognition of any kind is very important to artists. The field of art is highly competitive and often elitist. One of the reasons that ArtPrize is so appealing to aspiring artists is that anyone can enter and everyone has a chance to win.

Bree Gomez

Bree Gomez took studio art courses at MSU in her freshman year of college before transferring to the Art Institute of Chicago. Gomez said she “didn’t want to go” but the school offered programs in the arts that were not offered at MSU.

She recently received her Bachelor’s of Fine Arts with an emphasis on sculpture and design from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.

Gomez entered ArtPrize in both 2009 and 2010 and shared her reasoning for entering: “I wanted to get exposure as an up and coming artist.” She also added, “[ArtPrize] is a good opportunity to see how work works with the public, it let’s artists see if [they’re] going in the right direction.”

Her entry Accord was shown in front of the Grand Rapids Art Museum and received Top 25 recognition.

“I feel happy to get that far up on the voting, at the same time it would have been nice to have a chance in the top ten,” said Gomez.

Accord is an interactive piece which responds to movement with light and sound. It is a “stagnant sculpture that communicates,” said Gomez. “There is dialog within the piece, but only if you interact with it.”

Gomez says that Accord is meant to promote “subliminal healing through light and sound.” She refers to the piece as “positive art.”

Harry Kutten

Harry Kutten received his MFA from Western Michigan University and was an art professor at Kendall College.

Kutten decided to enter ArtPrize this year because he said he felt it was time to do more than just teach. “I want to encourage people to enjoy art and to see the beauty that I see,” said Kutten. “I wanted to share what I felt with others.”

The pastel drawing Ballet Dancer, by Harry Kutten showed in the Blue Cross Blue Shield building during ArtPrize.

Kutten explained that he has always enjoyed ballet. “It’s a form of communication to an audience without language,” said Kutten. “They express a feeling of beauty in dance form.”

For Ballet Dancer, Kutten was allowed to sit in on a rehearsal. He was struck by the sight of an exhausted dancer who sat down, but with the feeling of inevitably getting back up to continue dancing. This feeling is what he wanted to depict in his piece.

Lesley Van Leeuwen-Vega

Lesley Van Leeuwen-Vega entered ArtPrize after encouragement from other artists and the realization that she had something important to say.

Her piece, The Coalition for Responsible American Policy, uses advertising tactics to put a positive spin on ideas that are generally seen as negative in our society. She makes homophobia, racism and sexism sound like good ideas.

The intent was to get people to “try to understand what’s going on.” With so many ads being thrown at people every day, Van Leeuwen-Vega wondered if people notice what ads really say. Her piece forces the viewer to think critically about what is being said.

Find out more about other artists and see a list of the Top Ten ArtPrize winners for 2010

Launched on March 25, the Lansing Recycled Art Exhibit and Fashion Show reemerged for its second year to prove that one man’s trash really can be another man’s treasure. Or his shirt.

Ashlae Belisle models a white dress made of recycled plastic carrying bags.

Organized by the Arts Council of Greater Lansing, the Go Green Initiative and Linking Lansing & U, the exhibit and fashion show are part of a collaborative effort to raise awareness about environmental issues through the creation of reused, reclaimed or recycled materials.

Through inspirational works of recyclable art, Lansing hopes to encourage citizens to take advantage of their local recycling programs.

Opening day was marked with a recyclable fabric fashion show and an award ceremony for the eight featured artists. One fashion show participant, apparel and textile design (ATD) senior Sarah Bach, submitted her work for the second year.

“For one of my classes, we did a sustainable design, and in another we did a recycled neck design,” Bach said. “One of our teachers suggested we enter the fashion show and keep them on display.”

While Bach’s designs are not currently in the exhibit, three other ATD students have their pieces on display. The garments incorporate anything from used T-shirts and sweaters, to plastic bags and shower curtains.

Soon to graduate, this is Bach’s last year in East Lansing. However, she anticipates the exhibit to come back.

“It seems like the program will probably be back next year. With the increasing awareness of environmental issues, this kind of thing is really popular,” Bach said.

Prizes were awarded to the top three artists and honorable mentions were also given. In first place, Russell Bauer was awarded a $300 prize for “Fodder,” a 12-foot peacock made from trash and wheat grass.

Katie Woods models a red and black recycled wool sweater dress.

Originally constructed for the Grand Rapids Art Prize festival, the arts council requested that Bauer’s bird be submitted to the spring exhibit.

“I use recycled goods a lot,” said Bauer. “They’re more affordable and I like free materials.”

Despite the bird’s great detail and size, Bauer said he and his partner, Janel Shultz – an honorable mention winner – were able to put it together in about three days.

“They were long days, but once we had our materials, we were able to get it done in a few days,” Bauer said.

To see Bauer’s piece as well as other participants’, visit the main lobby in Lansing City Hall. The exhibit continues through April 15 and is open to the public Monday – Friday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

For most freshman, myself included, a student’s first job at MSU may go along the lines of something like serving food in a dining hall, making coffee at Sparty’s, or even handing out toilet paper and garbage bags at the front desk of any given dorm. RCAH freshman Brynne, however, took the alternative route for her first job. Brynne poses nude for figure drawing and sculpting classes at Kresge Art Center.

Nude Models have to stand in specific poses for a long period of time (photo credit: Emily Lawler. Note: Not real model.)

The Life of a Nude Model at MSU

Brynne found her job through myspartancareer.com. After finding out about it, she went straight to Kresge Art Center to get information. “There was just something inside me that was just like, ‘You have to do this,’” Brynne said.

Her parents were a little upset at first and her friends were confused by her choice of job, but now they admire and respect her. “My parents still don’t like it, but they knew they couldn’t stop me,” Brynne said.

Though she has never been ridiculed for her modeling, men sometimes get the wrong idea. “To guys, it’s a bit like being a stripper. They’ll say ‘Oh, maybe I should take one of your classes,’ but I really don’t care,” Brynne said. The embarrassment of standing naked in front of a room full of people faded away after two classes for Brynne. “I’m a pretty confident person, which makes it a lot easier. I wouldn’t recommend this to the weak-minded,” Brynne said.

The models do not know what class they are going to be modeling for or when. Brynne currently poses for five different classes, usually once or twice a week. It may get boring at times standing up there, but students will sometimes hold conversations with the models. “They’ll ask ‘What’s your major?’ or ‘Why are you doing this?’ Sometimes it’s awkward, but sometimes they play music to get the artists’ creativity flowing,” Brynne said. Though she does get breaks, it is difficult to stand still for such a long period of time. Brynne fell once during a forty five-minute pose. “It’s physically exhausting, but it depends on the pose,” Brynne said.

What the Artists See

Journalism and design specialization freshman Dennis Vlahoulis took the STA 110 class last fall with Britta Urness. This was his first time drawing a nude figure. “I wasn’t as uncomfortable as some of my classmates… In my eyes, there was little distinction between the mannequin and an actual person. In the end, it all turns into art,” Vlahoulis said.

Seeing the human body makes it easier to draw for him. “You start to see the body in shapes that are interconnected to create the human form. The more you practice and develop, the easier it will become,” Vlahoulis said.

Brianna Ritivoy drew nude models in an art class she took (photo credit: Emily Lawler).

Why They Need to be NAKED!

But for anyone who has never taken an art class or had any interest in the field, you might ask yourself, why? Why must they be naked of all things? Graduate teaching assistant and painting major April Matthews teaches the STA 110 class this year, in which the class views a nude model for two weeks at the end of the semester. “Students get a better idea of the structure of the human body, and how the body moves,” Matthews said. “You can compare it to a doctor working on a cadaver. Even if you don’t end up drawing, you need to get an idea of why the body moves, why clothes fit the way they do,” Matthews said.

The models do a variety of poses for three hours for the class. They start with short, active poses to show movement and they last from anywhere between thirty seconds to five minutes. Throughout the class, the poses will become longer, going from fifteen minutes to even forty-five minutes. “It’s really important for life drawing. It’s a lot harder than people realize to get the right posture,” Matthews said.

The models are not always nude for every class. It all depends on what the teacher or professor wants for the class. “[Models in] sculpture classes will sometimes wear clothes,” Matthews said. It may be less awkward to draw someone who is wearing clothes, but seeing the body makes it easier to get the right shape. “Clothes, though they can somewhat be form-fitting, are often much simpler from a drawing aspect than the curves, tonal differences, holistic nature of the nude human form,” Vlahoulis said.

As strange as it may sound to be willing to pose nude, it becomes normal for teachers, students, and models. “It becomes a job. You just kind of ignore the strangeness and it becomes ordinary,” Matthews said. “Most of us care more about the artistic details presented within our own artwork than an uncomfortable situation,” Vlahoulis said.

For Brynne, the modeling has become an enlightening experience that she plans to continue doing throughout her stay at MSU. “I’ve become a lot more confident in myself; I have nothing to hide anymore. It makes being myself a lot easier,” Brynne said.