GRAND RAPIDS — In order to bring more large-scale sculptures to ArtPrize, the competition has awarded $55,000 in grants to four artists.
DeWitt Godfrey, W/Field Workshop, Christopher Schardt and FriendsWithYou each received $10,000 to $15,000 for their projects. Grantees were chosen based on previous experience with large-scale projects, and feasibility in terms of time, size and budget. The grants also provided support in the form of construction, shipping and engineering consultation.
Here are the projects, spread across four sites around the city:
• Louis by DeWitt Godfrey in the Calder Plaza: A large 3-D sculpture made from weathering steel and bolts.
• As I went over the water, the water went over me by W/Field Workshop at the Gillett Bridge: A semi-abstract sculpture meant to represent a partially submerged creature emerging from the bridge, with individually-controlled LED flood lights to give the impression of breathing.
• Light Ripples by Christopher Schardt in the Grand River: An underwater LED sculpture with more than 12,000 points of light projecting images from nature and computer algorithms.
• Light Cave by FriendsWithYou at Ah-Nab-Awen-Park: An inflatable canopied sculpture, pulsating with color, energy and light.
