Gretchen Minnhaar in her loft studio in downtown Grand Rapids
The excitement for ArtPrize is finally gaining some steam as the deadline for matching artists and venues comes to a close at the end of the week. ArtPrize is awarding the world's largest art prize to the piece selected as the best by a public vote by the visitors to the two-week event and not by a panel of esteemed art critics. Over a thousand artists from all parts of the globe are signed up to date.
The JW Marriott Grand Rapids is one of the many downtown venues hosting artists to showcase their art. So far, we have committed to showcasing the work of several artists including the work of Argentinean born architect, Gretchen Minnhaar.
"Parkour" is the French activity of fluidly moving from one point to another - through jumping and acrobatically maneuvering one's way through urban obstacles such as sides of buildings, stairwells, railings and roof tops. Using famous buildings around the world such as the Eiffel Tower, Frank Gehry's Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain, and of course, the elliptical shape tower of the JW Marriott Grand Rapids as the background, Gretchen painted parkour "jumpers" scaling these famous landmark buildings. A series of 34 paintings will grace the rock wall entrance of the JW - awaiting hotel visitors as they enter the lobby of this globally themed hotel.
ArtPrize runs from September 23 through October 8, 2009. The first prize is $250,000 and the rest of the top 10 artist will split the remaining $250,000 - for a grand total of $500,000! ArtPrize is definitely one "giant leap" for Grand Rapids.
A prevue of "Parkour"
A bird's eye view of a Buenos Aires park from her
apartment deck inspired "Saturday in the park."
Global Faces
A clay model
People Walking
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