Thursday, September 29, 2011

Grand Rapids, Michigan [Steel Water - by Cyril Lixenberg ]



Steel Water
By Cyril Lixenberg
Dedicated 2007.
A gift to the city by the West Michigan Dental Foundation
The sculpture commemorates the role of Grand Rapids as the first city in the world to fluoridate its community water supply.


Steel Water..
Cyril Lixenberg Sculpture, 2007..
On Jan 25, 1945, Grand Rapids was the first community in the world to reduce tooth decay by adding fluoride to it's water supply. This sculpture was commissioned to celebrate and commemorate that historic event.

Before water fluoridation, many people lost all their teeth at an early age. Recruits were often rejected for service to their country in World War-II because of tooth loss due to uncontrolled cavities. Watrer fluoridation was the first step in restoring good oral health for our nation and indeed the world.

Dental decay afflicts nearly all of the world p[opulation, but through water fluoridation cavities was decreased by up to 65%. Grand Rapids pioneering step in advancing public health has spread worldwide, improving health and alleviating needless pain and suffering.

The West Michigan Dental Community..

Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Grand Rapids, Michigan [La Grande Vitesse - by Alexander Calder]


La Grande Vitesse
[meaning "The Great Swiftness," a reference to the river flowing through the city's heart]
By Alexander Calder
Dedicated: June 1969.
54 feet long, by 43 feet high, by 30 feet wide
Financed by National Endowment for Arts Grants [NEA] and private funds.
Location: Vandenberg Plaza [Site of city and county administrative buildings]





The plaque reads..
La Grande Vitesse..
"La Grande Vitesse" the bright red stabile created for Grand Rapids by renowned artist and sculptor Alexander Calder, is a distinctive downtown landmark. Weighing 42 tons and standing four stories high, the steel abstraction was named, La Grande Vitesse, by the artist himself., a reference to the river that flows through the heart of the city.

Commissioned in 1967 to be installed on Vandenberg Plaza, site of the city and county administrative buildings. The complete work was dedicated to Grand Rapids by the artist in June 1969. It was the first piece of Public Art in America to be financed entirely therough the combination of National Endowment for the Arts granmts and private funds.

As he worked on "La Grande Vitesse", Alexander Calder developed close ties to Grand Rapids. Later he produced other art works for the city. His "Festival Sun" was adopted as symbol for the city's annual festival of arts celebration. In 1974 he created the "Calder on the Roof" as a gift to the people of Grand Rapids. The colorful abstract painting covers the roof of the Kent County Administrative Building, and can be seen from the upper floors of the surrounding buildings.

In the years since the dedication, "La Grande Vitesse" has come to sumbolize the city of Grand Rapids. Its profile has been adapted as the city logo, and the stabile itself has become the focal point of the festival of the arts. Begun by the Arts Council of Greater Grand Rapids to promote arts in Grand Rapids, :Festival" went on to become the largest all-volunteer celebration of its kind in the nation.

A Gift to the City from the Festival Committee on
June 2, 1989...


For the visually impaired..
A Scale Model [1/23 scale model of La Grande Vitesse] by sculptor hetzer Hartsock, in the southeast corner of the plaza.

RELATED LINKS..
# Alexander Calder - Various..
# Flamingo - by Alexander Calder..

Help identify [Grand Rapid, Michigan]


Please help identify this piece..
Name:??
Sculptor: ???

Sunday, September 25, 2011

Art Prize: 2011, Grand Rapids, Michigan

Perseverence
By Raymond Vandamme
18' X 12' X 12'.
Medium: Recycled, re-used, re-purposed..
Year created: 2011
Location: Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum..
Top 25 in West Side.
For more, click here..

Art Prize: 2011, Grand Rapids, Michigan..
Arguably the most competent art competition is on.
Although I drove to Grand Rapids, to see the Art Prize, I consentrated more on permanent collection of art in Grand Rapids, especially the permanent collection at Frederik Meijer Sculpture Park. However I did see some fabulous entries for Art prize. Here are a few images..
All the images in this post, have made through the first round of Top 25 in their respective areas.


The Hand of God [Wrestling My Demons]
By Ian Loiteron..
7' X 11' X 6'.
Medium: Fiberglass, stainless steel and acrylic paint
Location: Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum..
Top 25 in West Side.
For more, click here..

Serenity Lake
By Carole A. Feurman [sculptor] and Ron Burkhardt [painter]..
5' X 12' X 8'
Medium: Oil on Resin [Sculpture], Acrylic on Canvas [Painting]
Location: DeVos Place..
Top 25 in Center City.
For more, click here..

Made in America
By Alisa Toninato
Medium: cast iron, birch plywood, Poplar wood frame.
Year created: 2011
Location: DeVos Place..
Top 25 in Center City.

"Rusty" A sense of direction/ self portrait of the artist..
By Ritch Branstrom
12' X 8' X 19'
Medium: Found Object Sculpture
Location: Grand Rapids Public Museum..
Top 25 in West Side.

Conversation With Myself..
By Lorri Acott
Medium: Cast aluminum
Year created: 2011
Location: Grand Rapids Public Museum..
Top 25 in West Side.

Reflection of A Fallen Soldier
By Mic Carlson
Medium: Cold Cast Bronze Sculpture
Year created: 2011
Location: Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum..
Top 25 in West Side.

Portal
By Christopher Weed
17' X 7' X 6'
Medium: Powder coated steel
Year created: 2010
Location: Grand Rapids Public Museum..
Top 25 in West Side.

Thousand Stars
By Libby Hodges
Medium: Recycled Plastic Water Bottles
Year created: 2011
Location: Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum..
Top 25 in West Side.

Art Prize: 2011, Grand Rapids, Michigan [Perseverence - by Raymond Vandamme]



Perseverence
By Raymond Vandamme
18' X 12' X 12'.
Medium: Recycled, re-used, re-purposed..
Year created: 2011
Location: Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum



Art Prize: 2011, Grand Rapids, Michigan [The Hand of God - by Ian Loiterton]


Above Image: Ian Loiterton with his work, "Hand of God, Wresting with My Dream"..

The Hand of God [Wrestling My Demons]
By Ian Loiteron..
7' X 11' X 6'.
Medium: Fiberglass, stainless steel and acrylic paint
Location: Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum..
From Art Prize website..
Description of work: The figure of the sculpture was originally inspired by Gauguin’s painting, “Vision after the Sermon; Jacob wrestling with the Angel”. Against this background, it is interesting to note that the original (two dimensional) figure was created years ago during a period of depression.
The intention of the Artist was to try to depict a figure wrestling with itself. In this sense, the struggle is not with an external being but rather with one’s own self.




Saturday, September 24, 2011

Art Prize: 2011, Grand Rapids, Michigan (Serenity Lake - by Carole A. Feurman [sculptor] and Ron Burkhardt [painter])



Above image: Carole A Feuerman [sculptor] and Ron Burkhardt [painter], wih Serenity Lake, at DeVos Place, Grand Rapids, Michigan..

Happy Belated Birthday to Carole A. Feurman..
I took an impulsive one-day trip to Grand Rapids, Michigan; and got rewarded by meeting one of my favourite sculptors, Carole A. Feurman! And it was her Birthday [Sep 21, 2011]
Happy Belated Birthday Carole!

Serenity Lake
By Carole A. Feurman [sculptor] and Ron Burkhardt [painter]..
5' X 12' X 8'
Medium: Oil on Resin (Sculpture), Acrylic on Canvas (Painting
Location: DeVos Place
From the Art prize website..
The collaborative work, whose theme is water, took over a year to create, and reflects the timeless innocence of youth. The sun shining on the child's face, her arms around the colorful beach ball, and the sandy shore remind us of a time of peaceful playfulness, where nothing else matters but the moment. Those quiet, in-between moments where you connect with your thoughts and your soul. With "Serenity Lake", the viewer waits for the child to open her eyes while we wonder what she is thinking..


My cherished collection: This signed picture given to me by Carole, with note..
Sep 21, 2011..
Dear Jyoti,
Thank You so much for your support.
Best Wishes,
Carole Feurman..

[Note the date: Sep 21. It was her Birthday!]






Some other works of Carole Feurman that I've seen..
Tree [2009]
Art Chicago, 2010, Merchandise Mart..

Moran [2008]
Art Chicago, 2011, Merchandise Mart..

Innertube [1997]
Art Chicago, 2011, Merchandise Mart..

Innertube [1997]
Art Chicago, 2011, Merchandise Mart..

Friday, September 23, 2011

Grand Rapids, Michigan [Frederik Meijer Sculpture Park - Part I]

Earth, Wind, and Fire..
By Gary Price [Armerican, born 1955]
Bronze/ 1989.

Frederik Meijer Sculpture Park..
Perhaps the best collection of outdoor sculptures anywhere..
There are more than 50 sculptures, so I have divided them in three parts..


Bend of Mind
By Tony Cragg
Bronze, 2005.

Marching Band
Stuart Padnos [American, born 1922]
Scrap Metals, 1998.

Untitled
By Dietrich Klinge..

The Tribute
By Oliviero Rainaldi [Italian, born 1956]
Bronze, 2006.

Mad Mom
By Tom Otterness [American, born 1952]
Bronze, 2001.

Visitation
By Joseph Kinnebrew [American, born 1942]
Cast Iron, 1994-1997.

Light of the Moon
By Igor Mitoraj [Polish, born 1944]
Bronze, 1991.

Lying Man
By Sean Henry [British, born, 1965]
Bronze, 2003.

Colossus
By Michelle Oka Doner [American, born 1945]
Bronzze, 2003.

Elephant
By Barry Flanagan [Welsh, Born 1941]
Bronze, 1986; Cast 2003.

Cabin Creek
By Deborah Butterfield [American, born 1949]
Bronze, 1999.

Urban Excursion Rendezvous
By Chakaia Booker [American, born 1953]
Rubber, 2004.

Homage to Leonardo
By Nina Akamu [American, born 1955]
Bronze, 1998.

Neuron
By Roxy Paine [American, Born 1966]
Stainless Steel, 2010.

Male/Female
By Jonathan Borofsky.

Galileo's Wedge
By Beverly Pepper [American, born 1922]
Steel, 2009.

Sleepwalker
By Kiki Smith [American, born 1954]
Bronze, 2002-2008.

B- Tree II
By Kenneth Snelson [American, born, 1927]
Stainless Steel, 2005.

Figure on A Trunk
By Magdalena Abakanowicz [Polish, born 1930]
Bronze, 1998.

One and Other
By Anthony Gormley [British, born 1950]
Iron, 2000.

Bronze Form
By Henry Moore [British, 1898-1986]
Bronze, cast 1985.

Introspective
By Sophie Ryder
1999.

Fred and Lena Meijer
By A. Joseph Kinkel [American, born, 1950
Bronze, 2004.

Leaping Gazelle
By Marshall M. Fredericks
Bronze, 1936.

Hagar
By Jacques Lipchitz [Lithuanian, 1891-1973]
Stone, 1971.

RELATED LINKS..
Frederik Meijer Sculpture Park..