October 21, 2009

ArtPrize

Can art rejuvenate a town?

Yes.

A competition for $449,000 in prize money received over 1200 submissions and re-energized a region in one of the most depressed states in the union, Michigan.

Photo Lori Niedenfuer Cool for The Grand Rapids Press

After 330,000+ votes were cast, "Open Water, no. 24" was named the grand prize winner and $250,000.00 was awarded to the artist, Ran Ortner.

Click here to see other winning entries and read the article

"A generation raised without the awareness of the arts, without the opportunity to experience the arts themselves by making music, making drawings, making poems, is a disenfranchised one. Art is the essence of who we are and our society is strengthened whenever young people are given the opportunity to directly share this legacy."

~ Micheal Tilson Thomas, San Francisco Symphony Music Director

5 comments:

Debra said...

'Open Water' is gorgeous! It is so difficult to paint water...to look like water.

High Desert Diva said...

I want to wade right in!

Golden West said...

Unfortunately, it's going to take a lot more than an art show to turn Michigan around. Time magazine has a photo essay of the deterioration in Detroit here: http://www.time.com/time/photogallery/0,29307,1882089_1850980,00.html and the New York Times recently reported that the city of Detroit doesn't have a single grocery store that sells fresh produce.

The pictures in Time are almost apocalyptic.

That said, hats off to the winning artist - fabulous work!

Amanda at 32˙North said...

Wow! This is stunning!

BLOGitse said...

I love that painting!!!