ArtPrize 2010 Day Fifteen, Who Should WIN

Tonight's the night! It all comes down to the votes! I said it the night voting to determine the ArtPrize Top Ten closed and I'm going to say it again tonight, if you are registered to vote and haven't voted yet, please go here to vote for the piece that moved you the most. Did it transport you somewhere else as you viewed it? Did you appreciate the artist's intention, as well as their skill? Is it a completely original artistic vision that could have only come out of one person's mind?

Using all those questions as criteria, I've been on the fence about two pieces. Vision, by David Spriggs and Lure/Wave, Lure/Forest by Beili Liu. Both pieces are unique and I cannot imagine that another artist could have conceived or executed the same idea. They both transported me away from the physical and into this other place where I was enjoying the piece, but didn't feel my physicalness, if that makes sense - something like imagining myself floating within each piece, imagining another world where something as beautiful and poetic is the norm. (Please note, both artist hyperlink above will take you to informative interview clips with each artist filmed by photographer Brian Kelly.)

Lure/Wave Lure/Forest, Beili Liu

Vision, David Spriggs

I've heard and read plenty of discussion in the last few days about who should win ArtPrize, and people's predictions about who will win ArtPrize. I'm hopeful that either Mr. Spriggs or Ms. Liu will be rewarded for their artistic creations. It would mean that the people participating in the ArtPrize voting process recognize contemporary artists with talent, talent that has also been recognized on a national and an international level. Now THAT would be something!

Please weigh your vote carefully. You have until 11:59 p.m. tonight. If you've already voted, you can also change your vote up until that time. (I've voted already, but still may change my vote. Such a tough decision!!) Your vote will help make a statement, not only about the caliber of artists involved and rewarded in ArtPrize, but also about Grand Rapids as a whole.