So last weekend I had the pleasure of going to Artprize for the third consecutive year. Let me tell you, it just keeps getting better and better!
For those of you who don't know, Artprize is a sort of art festival put on in Grand Rapids, Michigan where artists from around the country can enter in their pieces and win all sorts of prizes, voted for by the public who comes out to see them. (Geddit? Art. Prize. I see what they did there.) The artwork is placed all over the city and ranges from statues to painting to interactive media to music and... well, I think you get the picture. The festivities go on for a few weeks before the winners are announced. I've seen some truly extraordinary work. Here are some of my favorite pieces from the last three years:
This one is back in 2011. It was composed entirely out of blank CDs and when you walk under it, motion sensors are triggered to play different notes and chords. How cool is that?!
This was last year in 2012. It was a giant fan-like contraption with little mechanical butterflies attached to the end. It was synced to a very dramatic opera piece and the butterflies would flap faster and change colors when the music got loud and menacing (which was quite often since opera is, well, opera).
2012. Plaster hands popping out of frames, holing various items that are specific to different types of jobs.
2013. Creepy baby. 'Nuff said.
2011. My cousin actually made this one! It was an interactive piece. You were meant to hit it with the attached metal rod and when you did, the red would fall off and reveal different colored pieces. So cool!
As you can see, I have a pretty clear affection for art that you can play with. Or is just plain creepy. I could include so many more pictures but I don't want to clog up this post too much. There are always so many amazing pieces on display and sometimes the artist will even be there for you to talk to and ask questions. Which, of course, I never do because I'm very weird and shy about that kind of stuff. Overall, it's just a great experience for anyone who has the slightest interest in art in any of its forms.
This year in particular was really special because I got to spend it with my family. It was their first Artprize experience and I got to act as their impromptu tour guide to get to the best places. We didn't stay nearly as long as I wanted to because we were cursed with an overcast afternoon and sore feet. But what time we did spend there was great. I ate my first meal out of a food truck which was quite the experience. Plus, there was a giant pig painted on the side, so how could I resist, really? Even though I ended up getting a chicken sandwich. Sorry, truck-pig. Maybe next time.
I have to say, though, last year was probably my favorite. Not only did I spend it with two of my best friends but I also got to see a real luminaria! (Am I even using that correctly? Oh well.) For those of you unfamiliar with the term... do you know Tangled, the Disney movie? Oh yeah. It's what you're thinking. Unless you peaked down at the picture before you even read the reference. In which case I can't blame you because of how entrancing the image itself is. And I can say that because it wasn't even me who took the picture, for once.
Honestly, and I'm not exaggerating at all when I'm saying this, it was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. The pictures don't do it justice. I was standing on a dock by the Grand River and watched as the lights consumed the sky for a good five minutes. My friend snapped the pictures while I struggled to light my own lantern. Don't look at me like that! They're a lot harder to handle than you think.
But seriously. I had tears in my eyes. I think for my wedding, or maybe my funeral depending on what comes first, I'll have it outdoors just so I can have the guests do this. It's an experience I think everyone should have. I don't know what it is about the luminaria but they just elicit something out of people. You don't even have to be thinking about anything in particular when participating. Just look at them and you'll know.
Moral of the story: Go to Artprize. Or any art show, really. Art is such an important part of life. And this is coming from a completely non-biased-totally-not-a-creative-person-at-all so you should do well to listen. You can trust me. Go to a museum. Visit a gallery. Buy a cheap ticket to a symphonic music concert. Enjoy the amazing creations done by your fellow humans. Even as a writer, I am continually inspired by other artists (well... I'm hesitant to call myself one but I've hear other writers do it so why not) and their passion for their creations and you should be too! Even if you don't consider yourself to be a particularly creative person you can still find an appreciation for other people's work. And who knows? Maybe it'll awaken something in you that you never knew you had.
