ARTology: ArtPrize category terms

Artists in this year’s ArtPrize will subscribe to one of four entry categories: 2-D, 3-D, Time-Based, or Installation. But what exactly do these categories encompass? For visitors new to the ArtPrize scene, distinguishing a diversified art arena can turn leisure into work, and who wants to work while enjoying art? Here is a brief index to the description, relevance and appeal of each ArtPrize genre:

2-D: These works exist primarily on a flat plane. Painting, drawing, photography, printmaking, and most textiles are examples of 2-D work. These are among the most common and revered entries.

^Zachary Armstrong, Flower, acrylic, oil, spray paint and sculputty on canvas, 7 x 10 feet

3-D: These works occupy space and are intended to be viewed from multiple angles. Sculptures that are not site-specific are examples of 3-D work. This is also a popular genre for entries, although 3-D work could be considered more engaging because of the added dimension of appeal and curiosity.

^Kathleen Houston-Stokes, Bone Warrior, 2013, Indiana Limestone and wooden pedestal, 32 x 36 x 12 inches

Time-Based: These are works that are durational and change over time. Examples include performance, video and film, dance, music, and interactive work. Time-Based works are appealing as well-crafted, well-prepared, rhythmic accomplishments. These entries serve as a reminder that time is directly connected to the manifestation of beauty.

^Yetzke, Kenagy Kreindler, Dance - Poetry - Live Music Event, 2014, performing arts collaboration

Installation: These are works that are dependent on the site at which they are installed. Installation works differ from 3-D in that they would dramatically change if their location was altered. Installation work has the allure of incorporating the environment into its vitality. While Time-Based work is structured to highlight temporal relevance, installation work is structured to emphasize spatial pertinence.

^Kurt Kaiser, Carnival of Fulcra, 2013, dried foliage and paper, 4 x 22 x 9 feet

The Jury Is Out: Meet the ArtPrize 2014 jurors

In May, organizers of ArtPrize 2014 had unveiled the official list of the five category jurors who will award $100,000 worth of prizes. As a reminder, the categories of work to be considered by the jurors include 2-D, 3-D, Time-Based, Installation, as well as Outstanding Venue. The jury contains two non-profit directors, a curator, a critic, and an editor. As the final days approach to make official connections between artists and venues, let’s look at this year’s panel of jurors who will have the say on awarding four outstanding artists and one remarkable venue.

<< For Best Two-Dimensional work, Juror Andrew Russeth will determine the finalist. Russeth is senior editor of The New York Observer’s Gallerist.

Shamim Momin, director of the non-profit organization Los Angeles Nomadic Division (LAND), will award the prize for Best Three-Dimensional work. >>

<< Co-founder of Hyperallergic Hrag Vartanian will award the prize for Best Time-Based work.

Presenting the award for Best Installation work will be Ariel Saldivar, associate director of the Goss-Michael Foundation. >>

<< Meanwhile, independent curator Tumelo Mosaka will choose the recipient of Best Venue.

From the total of $560,000 in ArtPrize award money, half will be distributed by its jurors. The other half will be decided by the public via online and social media voting.

On the first weekend of the ArtPrize competition, jurors will assess and select a shortlist of five entries for each respective category, making the sum of a Final 20 list. The Final 20 artists will then be eligible for the Juried Grand Prize of $200,000. A separate three-panel jury, which is yet to be determined, will decide which of the Juried Final 20 will receive the Juried Grand Prize.

Category award winners and the Grand Prize winner will all be announced on October 10.

Source: MLive

You Be The Judge: ArtPrize 2014 voting structure

Highlights of ArtPrize 2013

The times are changing for the ways to vote in the biggest art event in West Michigan. If you haven’t yet taken the opportunity in previous years to vote for your favorite ArtPrize entries, 2014 marks the perfect time to learn about the fine intricacies of the new ArtPrize voting structure.

Prizes are determined by two sectors: half are decided by public vote and half by a jury of art experts. On a separate axis, prizes are awarded based on entry categories: 2-D, 3-D, time-based, and installation, making a public Top 4 and juried Top 4. Grand Prize winners are subsequently determined from the top candidates of the aforementioned categories (that is, from the Top 4, a Grand Prize winner is selected). The overview looks like this:

	Public Vote Awards	Juried Awards
Grand Prize	$200,000	$200,000
Two-dimensional	$20,000	$20,000
Three-dimensional	$20,000	$20,000
Time-based	$20,000	$20,000
Installation	$20,000	$20,000

As of now the balance of public and juried influence has been made equal. Under both arrangements, the Top Five artists are selected for each category (so, Top 5 2-D, Top 5 Time-Based, etc.), narrowing the first round into a final total of 20. This creates a public Final 20 and a juried Final 20.

For the public vote, a second round lets voters pick the favorite candidate of each genre, filtering the Final 20 into a short list of the Top Four artists. The juried vote similarly conducts a second round, although in this case the Top candidate of each genre is contingent only on the preference of the respective juror (that is, the 2-D juror cannot pick the Top artist for Installation work).

When a Top 4 has been determined for the Public Vote, a winner is elected for the Grand Prize -- the kicker being that the Grand Prize artist does not win the earnings from his/her respective genre. So for instance, if the Top 2-D artist was elected as the Grand Prize winner, his/her earnings would only be $200,000 and would not include the $20,000 2-D prize. 

In the case of the Juried Vote, a new panel (separate from the original panel of category jurors) will be created to choose the juried Grand Prize Winner out of the pool of juried Final 20 artists.

What’s also new this year is the juried award presented for Outstanding Venue. This opportunity allows venues to creatively showcase revolutionary work that intertwines with spatial harmony and the social environment which connects artists, curators and visitors.

An Art Guide From Around Heartside: Part I

One important distinction of the Cathedral Square venue is its presence and connection with the surrounding Heartside Neighborhood. The story of Heartside is one of cultural endowment, replenished commerce and compassionate residents. Today, it provides an environment where artists can flourish and people in need can seek assistance from a mixture of upstanding community services. Heartside is also home to The HUB @ 41 Sheldon, a.k.a. ArtPrize headquarters.

In 2005, a group of residential, commercial, and nonprofit groups joined forces to create “Avenue for the Arts,” a vibrant section of the South Division commercial corridor. Avenue for the Arts helps sustain artists’ ambitions by developing public projects including locally-crafted murals, creative student works, and installations in vacant storefronts.

With a focus on Heartside and its perpetuating growth as a branch of Grand Rapids, it is of interest to highlight experiences around the corner that not only culminate with ArtPrize at Cathedral Square but also build awareness around a prominent cultural staple for the city. Here is a brief list of upcoming art and community events in the downtown area and around Heartside:

June 2-Aug 31: Dream It, Build It: A LEGO Certified Professional Exhibit. Showcasing 13 LEGO brick recreations of famous architectural structures, such as Burj Dubai and the Empire State Building. As part of the exhibit, a scale model of the Van Andel Museum Center building will be created. Also includes areas where visitors can create their own brick masterpieces. Grand Rapids Public Museum, June-August, museum costs and hours of operation apply

Wed, June 4, 11, 18, & 25: Coffee with Creators. An early morning casual meetup for anyone interested in technology, design and business, on all levels. Stop by The Factory, grab some Rowsters on the house, and stay connected with your community. The Factory, every Wednesday, 7:30-8:30am

Wed, June 4, 11, 18, & 25: GR Makers Weekly Social. An open community lab incorporating elements of a machine shop, workshop and design studio. In this FREE community event, members work on projects that range from industrial to fine arts. Three key goals are enabling personal expression, providing versatile education and supporting education. GR Makers, 401 Hall St., every Wednesday, 8pm-midnight

Thur, June 5, 12, 19, & 26: Thursday Nights at GRAM. Featuring galleries open late and live piano music. Admission to exhibits and Friday Night Conversations: collaborations with other local artists and organizations (e.g., gallery talks, presentations, demonstrations). GRAM, every Thursday, 5-9pm. $8.00 admission, GRAM members FREE

Fri, June 6: The Market on First Fridays. Featuring a gallery and shop hop that exhibits artwork at a variety of indoor sites. Meanwhile, the sidewalks will be flooded with artist vendors, performances and entertainment along South Division (between Fulton and Cherry). This FREE event showcases the work of local artists and artisans with a wide selection of handmade goods. Heartside District, South Division St., 5-9pm

Fri, June 6: MidCentury Alchemy and COMMIX Exhibition. Multidisciplinary exhibition of contemporary street art and graphics on the first floor and lower level of the UICA. This FREE event will comprise a national network of artists and feature work that contains elements of nature, landscape, color and form. UICA, 6-9pm

Fri, June 6-Sun, June 8: Festival of the Arts 2014. A FREE arts celebration put on entirely by volunteers; a feast of culinary arts, food booths with proceeds going to nonprofits; showcase of the arts in all forms; live entertainment on several stages throughout the downtown area. Downtown GR, Fri 12-10pm, Sat 10am-10pm, Sun 10am-7pm

Sun, June 8: Vintage Street Market. Grand Rapids' only monthly vintage market, second Sunday of every month. Venders were carefully curated to provide the best variety of vintage goods; from couture dresses to hand-painted sideboards, this FREE event is where you'll find exciting treasures to complete your collection. Downtown Market, 435 Ionia SW, 10am-4pm

Wed, June 18: Break It Down, Make It Better Roundtables. During this 1.5 hour-long event at the UICA, Ave for the Arts invites you to discuss relevant issues in the local art community. Participants will investigate tough art-related topics as well as connect with other artists and creatives. UICA, check-in at 5:45, begin promptly at 6:00. $35.00 admission, Ave for the Arts members FREE

Wed, June 18 & 25: Blues on the Mall. FREE live blues concert supported by radio station WLAV and hosted by Gun Lake Casino. National blues performers, variety of local food and goods. Bring your own lawn chair! Rosa Parks Circle, every Wednesday June 18-August 20, 6-9pm

*See organization websites for specific details or ExperienceGR for more events!

A New Rhythm: The pulse is beating at Cathedral Square

In 2009, Rick Devos proposed a new social art experiment where he would give out the world’s largest art prize based solely on public vote. On opening day, 159 venue owners, including Cathedral Square, opened their doors to display the entries of over 1200 artists. Since then, ArtPrize has continued to grow to attract artists and visitors from around the world, and Cathedral Square has evolved into an integral space where the experience is communal and contemplative.

Click Here For ArtPrize 2013 Video Link

So what makes ArtPrize at Cathedral Square unique? Since the inception of ArtPrize, Cathedral Square has been an open venue featuring a wide variety of artists, visions and media. Rather than accommodating to specific topics, it has always had the allure of being an inclusive space where visitors are free to meditate and contemplate at an individual pace.

Now in its sixth year, Cathedral Square is hosting a theme embodying rhythm as it relates to art and life. For this quaint location, incorporating a theme adds a cultural flavor to the already prominent showcase venue. The exhibition’s title, HeArtbeat: The Pulse of Art and Life, not only highlights rhythm as a formal compositional device and subject matter, but reflects the dynamic and developing culture of the Heartside Neighborhood in which Cathedral Square is rooted.

Rhythm is considered to be one of the most important elements among art principles. It is identified as a constant dynamic force which connects and coordinates human thoughts and actions. As Cathedral Square is in the process of connecting with artists to host this year, rhythm is a constant focus for the venue as well as the people coordinating the process.