The Experiment Chronicles: July 23, 2009
At the beginning of this summer, we spent a lot of time trying to explain the strange idea and rules for ArtPrize. Apparently, somewhere along the way, people started to get it. As of this post there are over 113 venues and since the beginning of the week we’ve seen over 25 artists a day securing space. It’s growing a bit faster than I expected.
One expectation I had going into ArtPrize was that only a relatively small group of people would be interested in going to the trouble to exhibit art. This is not to say that exhibiting art is boring, but when asking the average person what they’d most like to do this year, they’ll probably say, “Go to Hawaii.”
I assumed it would be largely artists and people active in the art world who would jump at the chance to open a venue. While that is true, with 113 venues and counting, there are many more people who apparently have a latent desire to not only see art, but meet artists and help them exhibit their work.
I don’t think there is an average venue. Restaurant proprietors, small businesses, philanthropists, property developers and, yes, artists and art organizations have all pitched in to raise this barn called ArtPrize. I’m sure there is some entrepreneurship in the mix (a hundred hungry people walking into your restaurant to see a painting is bound to boost business), but I also believe venues have an unusual sense of ownership over the event.
The part of this experiment that most needed social technology is the venue/artist matchmaking. You could, conceivably, do the vote by paper ballot. It would be tedious, but doable. I find it hard to imagine this many venues and artists registering, connecting to each other, planning an exhibition and reaching agreements could happen any other way with this efficiency.
In short, the social experiment is working. Decentralizing control over the event has brought on a hoard of unexpected people opening up venues, contacting artists and putting together an exhibition that would not have happened otherwise. There’s something thrilling about seeing the numbers because they indicate all of these relationships forming and growing, like so many nerves spreading out from downtown. I can’t help but wonder how these relationships will change people and, ultimately, the city in years to come.
I was talking with a friend who plays in a Cajun band the other day and he was telling me about these different festivals they play at in the summer. They had recently come back from a festival down south somewhere and I asked him if it was a good one. He replied, ” It’s a garbage festival”. He proceeded to tell me that many festivals are very nice and they take good care of the musicians and provided clean restrooms for the public etc. This one was filthy he told me, “They don’t care about quality”.
A “hoard of unexpected people” opening venues and applying as artists is rather a unqualified result of ArtPrizes “social experiment”. I’m not really sure what the goal of decentralizing control of the worlds largest art competition is. I’d be interested Paul, if you could talk a bit more about what ideas ArtPrize has to instill a level of quality into the competition?
After reviewing the artists, I’m afraid this could into a festival of Michigan ‘artists’ who also show at their hometown art event (some, however, are very talented), with a smattering of artists from outside of Michigan.
Is this because ArtPrize failed to promote the competition to art schools across the nation and all over the world? If a majority of the winners are from the greater Grand Rapids area, it would not look good. Hey, it’s in the people’s hands!
Considering you have to come here to vote and show your artwork, I don’t know why anyone would be surprised at seeing more people from Michigan than elsewhere. Michigan aside, i think the art itself is fairly diverse. Given the prize amounts, I’m sure there will always be interest outside of Michigan for however many years they plan to put it on for. In fact, knowing about this a year in advance will give many a chance to save up just so they can participate next year. I only see it growing.
@ Richard – I agree, there is a certain amount of prep work that needs to take place for each venue. But where I disagree, this is a risk the artist is willing to take to show their work at this location. “Is my chosen venue attractive enough to bring in the masses?” – this consideration is all part of the contest.
ArtPrize has promised nothing – other than “expect anything.” I was present at the opening press conference and from day one the concept was *anything goes – anyone goes – anywhere goes – It’s up to you to make it what you want* and too many people are missing that concept and that’s too bad. I’m excited about all of it.
I am not surpsrised to see many west MI folks entered, but that the same time I’ve seen artists registerd all over the world. After studying a French artist’s profile, my wife and I were discussing how this has become an online data-base of artists, that will only grow through the years, for art lovers, businesses and buyers to resort too whenever they need/want something new -or educate themselves -or just see what peolpe are creating these days.
This is not just a competition but a tool for all artists and the art loving world to come together and see what we are all doing – and helping each other prosper. Do I expect to win? No, but do I expect to gain some new fans, critics, friends, mentors, and much needed exposure – Which IS a win. Hey who knows, maybe I will win – after all, it is an experiment!
Patrick,
Art in my life is an important thing. I’m serious about making it and looking at it. If this competition was the Caledonia Community Garden Art and Hobby Fair then I would agree that your anyone-anything goes model would be nothing to complain about. But this has been publicly billed as the largest art competition in the world. In that regard I think any professional and even semi professional artist should be able to expect a high level of professionalism.
Do you want your work poorly displayed or displayed in a room filled with really bad work? Do you want your work buried in the over 160 venues with no real chance that the average person is even going to be able to get to? Lets be real…there is no way most people will be able to travel to all 160 venues let alone have the stamina to look at the number of artists in the show. The sheer variety of quality is going to be difficult to endure.Do you shop at store where only some of the things are good and some are crap? Do you like to go to restaurants where only some of the food is really well prepared? Why should we think of the art experience as different?
The largest art competition in the world should not be an experiment. It should be an good experience.
Richard,
Like it or not the public is the ultimate judge of art in all it’s manifest forms. They decide who prospers or who starves with their dollars. They also decide which history books they want to read, if any.
Want to know why art experts get it wrong more often than not? It’s because experts, for all their knowledge (so called) have this big fat tendency to forget that others have equally valid but differing viewpoints.
Today you have massively popular conservative artists that the art museums won’t even acknowledge because they don’t meet the curators criteria of a liberal creative genius.
This is a bad thing for culture in general because it suggests that art is only for liberals and not conservatives. Which of these two is worse: A few bad artworks in the museum, or a whole culture which excludes half the participants on account of a political viewpoint?
I’d rather not have any conservative or liberal authorities telling me what beauty is or how and why I should experience or share it.
Richard,
Frustratingly, you’re trying to force ArtPrize into fitting the mold of every other art competition. What you need to do is take everything you know about art competitions and what you think an art competition should be or should not be and throw it out the window. In other words, open your mind to new ideas and new concepts. How can you call yourself an artist if you’re stuck in a box of social norms? By reading your latest post, it seems that you want someone else to do all the work for you. As an artist that is participating in ArtPrize it’s your responsibility to make sure that your work is displayed how and where you want. Hence, there is a Hosting Agreement where you can negotiate with the venue and stipulate your needs. Promotion is also discussed in the Hosting Agreement. So, if you don’t “want your work buried in the over 160 venues”, then start campaigning and promoting yourself as well as your venue. You really need to step away from your conventional thinking because you are completely missing the boat on this.
Quality. I’m not as concerned as Richard about this because I see ArtPrize as an event that celebrates expression. The degree to which people can choose to express their anger, disappointment, or frustration in a constructive and non-violent manner reminds the world of the value of both freedom and art.