“The Four Elements” by Jaume Plensa is now on the corner of Monroe Avenue and Lyon Street in downtown Grand Rapids. (Supplied)
Letters, characters, and elements seem to randomly come together creating a human form on Monroe Avenue and Lyon Street in Grand Rapids.
The piece, Jaume Plensa ‘s “The Four Elements” is just the last addition to the downtown landscape which features such works as Mark di Suvero’s “Motu Viget” (The Swing), Maya Lin’s “The Ecliptic,” Clement Meadmore’s “The Split Ring” and the first public funded art piece by the National Endowment for the Arts, Alexander Calder’s “La Grande Vitesse.”
“Grand Rapids’ reputation as an art destination has been growing for decades,” said Experience Grand Rapids President and CEO, Doug Small. “As community leaders help to bring the work of acclaimed international artists to our doorstep, it not only enhances the ‘quality of place’ for area residents – it enhances the draw for visitors from across the country and around the world.”
Plensa, who is from Barcelona, Spain, is world-renowned having public works in several cities including Chicago where he is the artist of the Crown Fountain featuring faces on large scale screens with water shooting out of their mouths.
The Grand Rapids piece, which was commissioned by the DeVos family, is a 16-foot-tall, 5,400-pound stainless steel sculpture that uses letter characters and element symbols representing air, water, fire and earth to create a human form, signifying the many different characteristics that bring people together to form a single human race. Pamella DeVos said the piece is meant to portray a welcoming message of unity and diversity.
The piece is one of three that the DeVos family has commissioned for the downtown area.
Gardens brings in third Plensa piece
The Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park already is home to the Plensa piece, “I, you, she or he,” which are three steel sculptures similar to the downtown piece.
“Utopia” By Jaume Plensa (Photo by Laura Medina, courtesy Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park)
This week the Gardens unveiled a third piece by Plensa, “Utopia.” Housed in the Gardens’ new Welcome Center, which was designed by Tod Williams and Billie Tsien, “‘Utopia” consists of four 90-foot carved marble portraits depicting the faces of Marianna, Julia, Laura, and Wilsis. Each of the floor-to-ceiling portraits utilizes the human form to symbolize the capacity for a shared humanity.
According to GRAY Gallery, which represents Plensa, the installation is crafted from white marble, a material chosen by the artist both to harmonize with the architecture and for its nuanced reactions to light and shadow.
“With ‘Utopia,’ I wanted to set out to transform an expansive space into a single piece,” Plensa said. “I wanted to do something unforgettable for the Gardens. I wanted to create something that seemed invisible, but with 400 tons of marble, which I know seems like a contradiction. I spend my life trying to work through that duality, that poetry.”
The Gardens dedicated and opened its 69,000-square-foot, LEED-certified Welcome Center this week. The Welcome Center is part of the $115 million “Welcoming the World: Honoring a Legacy of Love” expansion project that includes an expanded and upgraded amphitheater, Frey Foundation Entry Plaza, a new Meijer-Shedleski Picnic Pavilion, the new Stuart and Barbara Padnos Rooftop Sculpture Garden and expanded and accessible parking and urban gardens. Still to be completed are the indoor sculpture galleries, a Volunteer Tribute Garden and the expanded Tassell-Wisner-Bottrall English Perennial Garden. The project is scheduled to be completed in June 2022.
The new West Michigan Vaccine Clinic is up and running and within the first day vaccines about 800, according to officials.
The new venture, which is a partnership between Spectrum Health, Kent County Health Department, Mercy Health St. Mary’s, the new clinic is designed to provide a central location to area residents with the goal of vaccinating up to 20,000 people a day.
Currently, clinic is vaccinating to the amount of vaccine that is made available. For the first week, the hope is to vaccinate 8,500 people, according to Spectrum Health Public Relations Corporate Manager Ellen Bristol.
One of the concerns has been parking, which according to Spectrum Health Chief Operating Officer Brian Brasser, who is overseeing the West Michigan Vaccine Clinic, said people can park below the facility with the first two hours of parking waived. This will be enough time for a person to go through the line and receive the vaccine, Brasser said.
This week, The Rapid announced it has several bus routes that provide service to or near DeVos Place.
The routes with direct service is Lake Line, Silver Line, Route 11, and DASH North.
Bus routes that have stops near DeVos Place are Route 9 (Alpine), Route 13 (Michigan/Fuller) and DASH West.
Also, GO! Bus riders can call to schedule a ride to DeVos Place at 616-454-6141.
To view bus schedules and plan a trip, visit ridetherapid.org or call 616-776-1100 with questions.
Arlene Campbell, chief creator of opportunities for Spring GR, and Attah Obande, director of dream fulfillment for SpringGR talk to WKTV Journal’s Joanne Bailey-Boorsma. (Photo by WKTV)
Ideas for a business can come from about anywhere: watching a host stress over her event or finding a more affordable option for a custom suit.
Turning those ideas into a profitable business is often the challenge for many. However, in 2015, the third generation of the DeVos family decided they wanted to do something about encouraging entrepreneurship in Grand Rapids. The result was SpringGR.
“At the time, an article had come out and Gand Rapids was listed 51 out of 52 economically for African Americans,” said Attah Obande, director of dream fulfillment for SpringGR. “So it was very poor for African Americans, but then it was listed later, in 2018, as the second best city to start a business.
SpringGR is a 12-week training experience that people can apply to help develop their business, according to Arlene Campbell, chief creator of opportunities for Spring GR. It also includes a two-year mentorship program for SpringGR graduates.
“Usually when you have a program like this, you go through the program and you have your mountain top experience and then life happens,” Obande said, adding that the mentorship program gives SpringGR members the opportunity to network and connect with others in the SpringGR program. This also helps the entrepreneurs to not only building a social network, but continue to receive guidance as they develop and grow their business, he said.
With more than 450 people who have gone through the program, SpringGR has had a number of success stories.
“A lot of people have developed a part-time business, quite a few have started a full-time business and some are actually hiring people,” Campbell said.
The results can be seen in the cities of the Kentwood and Wyoming with the newest business in City of Wyoming being Guelaguetza Designs, owned by SpringGR graduate Nancy Quero.
“SpringGR made me realize that what we were doing was worth the shot,” Quero said. “It made me realize that there was a market for the products that we sell and gave me the tools to do what I am doing right now.”
This Thursday, Dec. 5, SpringGR will host its fall graduation at 6 p.m. at 818 Butterworth St. SW. Valet parking is complimentary and available for the event. Six SpringGR entrepreneurs will pitch their businesses to a group of judges.
For more about SpringGR and some of the entrepreneurs who have been a part of the program, visit the organizations website SpringGR.com.
Eric Roberson, with special guest Jordan Hamilton, comes to DeVos Performance Hall on May 25, the third and final event of The Series: Creative Expressions of African-American Culture
By Hilarie Carpenter, SMG
SMG-managed DeVos Performance Hall, DeVos Place®, and the Grand Rapids-Kent County Convention/Arena Authority (CAA) Community Inclusion Group (CIG) have announced Eric Roberson with special guest Jordan Hamilton as the third and final event of The Series: Creative Expressions of African-American Culture on Saturday, May 25, 2019, at 8pm in SMG-managed DeVos Performance Hall.
Tickets go on sale to the general public beginning Friday, April 19 at 11am. Tickets will be available at the DeVos Place and Van Andel Arena® box offices and online at Ticketmaster.com. See Ticketmaster.com for all pricing and availability.
GRAMMY Award-nominee, singer, songwriter, and producer Eric Roberson continues to break boundaries as an independent artist in an industry dominated by major labels, manufactured sounds and mainstream radio. Described as the original pioneer of the independent movement in R&B/soul music, Roberson has achieved major milestones in his career, from being a successful songwriter and producer for notable artist such as Jill Scott, Musiq Soulchild, Dwele, Vivian Green and countless others, as well as headlining sold out tours across the country.
This Rahway, NJ and Howard University alum became the first independent artist to be nominated for a BET Award in 2007 and was the recipient of the “Underground Artist of the Year” BETJ Virtual Award, with Rahsaan Patterson in 2008. In addition, Roberson was nominated in both 2010 and 2011 for a GRAMMY award in the “Best Urban/Alternative Performance” category and continues to blaze trails unheard of as an independent artist. In 2011, his studio album, Mister Nice Guy, debuted in the top 5 on the iTunes R&B/Soul charts and his 10th studio album, The Box, was released in 2014.
Roberson’s latest project is a three-album compilation, Earth, Wind, and Fire. The inspiration behind the album titles definitely pays homage to the iconic group, but Roberson also wanted to use music to voice some of today’s topical issues and in his special way, include personal influences into these albums.
“Earth is self-empowering, Wind is the love and Fire is the message,” says Roberson.
Jordan Hamilton, cellist of Last Gasp Collective and the Southwest Michigan Symphony Orchestra, merges songwriting, loop pedals, sample machines, and vocals to create a sonic landscape of experimental hip-hop, folk, soul, and classical music. The Western Michigan University graduate aims to find new ways for the cello, a traditional instrument, to relate to a modern audience where it can be found playing the music of Bach, the Beatles, or Chance the Rapper. Filled with an eclectic range of songs, Jordan’s set is sure to capture the heart and mind while reflecting on new horizons.
The Series: Creative Expressions of African-American Culture is a program of the CAA and CIG designed to provide consistent, high-quality programming for members of the West Michigan region who have an interest in the various forms of arts and entertainment inspired by African-American culture.
House members seek to block proposed arms sales to Saudi Arabia
By Corie Whalen
Rep. Justin Amash
A bipartisan group of six representatives, led by Reps. Justin Amash (R-Mich.) and Mark Pocan (D-Wisc.), have introduced a joint resolution of disapproval, H.J. Res. 102, to block proposed sales of precision-guided munitions and other offensive weapons to the Government of Saudi Arabia. The joint resolution is cosponsored by Reps. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.), Barbara Lee (D-Calif.), Walter Jones (R-N.C.), and Jim McGovern (D-Mass.).
Congress was notified of the proposed sales, which are part of a larger arms deal with Saudi Arabia reportedly worth $110 billion, on May 19.
“Saudi Arabia has one of the worst human rights records and has supported many of the extremists terrorizing the people of the Middle East and the world,” said Amash. “These arms sales extend a reckless policy from the Obama administration and prior administrations, and they come at a time when the Saudi government is escalating a gruesome war in Yemen.”
Huizenga Statement on Updated CBO Health Care Score
Rep. Bill Huizenga (MI-02)
Congressman Bill Huizenga (MI-02) has issued the following statement after the CBO released its updated score for the American Health Care Act (AHCA):
“The CBO projection confirms that the American Health Care Act will lower premiums and reduce the federal deficit. Yesterday, the Department of Health and Human Services released a study detailing how premiums for Michigan residents on the individual market have increased by 90% over the last four years alone. ObamaCare is collapsing and isn’t sustainable. We need to restore the ability for hardworking Michiganders to choose the health care plan that best meets their needs. The AHCA is a positive step in helping to achieve that objective.”
Stabenow Statement on CBO Score of Trumpcare
By Miranda Margowsky
Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-MI)
U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) released a statement on the Congressional Budget Office’s score of Trumpcare that shows 23 million people would lose health insurance:
“Today’s non-partisan report confirms once again that Trumpcare is a bad deal for Michigan families. It raises costs and takes us back to the days when insurance companies were in charge of your health care. If you or your family member has a “preexisting condition” like cancer, pregnancy, or diabetes, you could lose coverage or be forced to pay a lot more. I’m ready to work across the aisle to lower costs and improve care for Michigan families, but this plan makes people pay more for less.
Peters, Stabenow Announce New Pipeline Safety Legislation
By Miranda Margowsky
U.S. Senators Gary Peters and Debbie Stabenow have introduced a package of bills that would increase pipeline safety in and around the Great Lakes and account for the unique needs of the Great Lakes ecosystem. The bills announced today would raise liability caps for Great Lakes pipeline operators; expand and clarify U.S. Secretary of Transportation’s authority to suspend or shut down unsafe oil pipelines; strengthen federal review of oil spill response plans; increase transparency surrounding oil spill response and clean up plans; and create a Center for Expertise in the Great Lakes region to study freshwater oil spills.
“The Great Lakes ecosystem is unlike any other in the world, and many existing pipeline safety rules and regulations do not adequately protect this precious resource from a disastrous oil spill,” said Senator Peters, a member of the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee.
“We cannot allow another devastating pipeline break like the one that dumped a million gallons of oil in to the Kalamazoo River in 2010,” said Senator Stabenow.
These actions build on previous efforts by Senators Peters and Stabenow to increase pipeline safety in the Great Lakes. In 2015, Peters and Stabenow introduced legislation to strengthen pipeline oversight and improve response plans for oil spills under ice-covered waters. These provisions were included in the Protecting our Infrastructure of Pipelines and Enhancing Safety Act, or PIPES Act, which was signed into law by President Obama last year.
Peters, Colleagues Introduce Bill to Strengthen Homeland Missile Defense
Bipartisan Legislation Would Accelerate Process for New Missile Defense Site & Fort Custer Among Finalists to Host
U.S. Senator Gary Peters, a member of the Senate Armed Services and Homeland Security Committees, joined his colleagues in introducing bipartisan legislation to strengthen and improve the reliability, capability, and capacity of U.S. homeland missile defense. TheAdvancing America’s Missile Defense Act of 2017 will, among other actions, accelerate the completion of the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) as part of the next step in developing an interceptor site in the Midwest or the East Coast of the United States. The Missile Defense Agency is preparing the EIS for three potential additional missile defense sites, including the Fort Custer Training Center near Battle Creek Air National Guard Base.
“The United States faces an evolving number of security threats — from North Korea’s provocative missile tests designed to inflame global tensions, to Iran’s ballistic missile tests in defiance of a UN Security Council resolution,” said Senator Peters, a former Lt. Commander in the U.S. Navy Reserve. “It is critical that America take proactive steps to bolster our missile defense systems so we are prepared in the event of a missile attack directed at our homeland.
The Advancing America’s Missile Defense Act of 2017 will take a comprehensive review of current American missile defense system capabilities, including:
Promoting an integrated, layered ballistic missile defense system that incorporates different aspects of missile defense, such as ground based sensors and radars;
Authorizing an additional 28 GBIs;
Speeding the development and deployment of advanced interceptor technologies;
Accelerating the development and deployment of a space-based sensor layer;
Authorizing increased missile defense testing; and
Requiring a DoD report on potentially increasing GBI capacity.
Peters Statement on President Trump’s 2018 Budget Proposal
U.S. Senator Gary Peters (MI), Ranking Member of the Federal
U.S. Senator Gary Peters
Spending Oversight Subcommittee, released the following statement regarding President Trump’s fiscal year 2018 budget proposal, which makes drastic cuts to programs that Michigan families and businesses rely on:
“I am extremely concerned that President Trump’s budget proposal makes significant cuts to critical programs that boost Michigan’s working families, support economic development in Michigan’s urban and rural communities, and protect the Great Lakes which are vital to some of our state’s largest industries.
“Rather than investing in policies that promote manufacturing, support small businesses, strengthen education, and drive our economy forward, President Trump’s budget only offers counterproductive cuts that would stifle Michigan’s economic growth and strain the pocketbooks of Michigan families. While Congress has a responsibility to ensure taxpayer dollars are being used efficiently and effectively, any budget passed by Congress must address the needs of middle class families, seniors and small businesses.”
Stabenow Statement on Trump Budget Request that Eliminates Great Lakes funding
By Miranda Margowsky
U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) released a statement following news that President Trump’s full budget request for the 2018 fiscal year still completely eliminates funding for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative:
“It’s official—President Trump’s 2018 budget zeros out funding for our Great Lakes. Thanks to thousands of people across Michigan speaking out, we already stopped cuts for this year. This is a moment for Michigan when we all need to stand together to protect our Great Lakes.”
The Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, which Senator Stabenow authored in 2010, is critical to supporting jobs, fighting invasive species, and protecting the Michigan way of life. Earlier this month, Senator Stabenow led the bipartisan effort to successfully pass full funding for the Great Lakes for the remainder of fiscal year 2017.
Stabenow Statement Following DeVos Speech Outlining Massive Cuts to Public Education
By Miranda Margowsky
U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) released a statement following a speech by Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos outlining a proposal to make massive cuts to public education:
“Parents’ worst fears were realized today when Secretary Betsy DeVos outlined the Trump Administration’s plan to shift billions of dollars away from our nation’s public schools. These policies have already failed children and families in Michigan and now Secretary DeVos wants to implement them nationwide. Instead of working cooperatively to improve our schools, this administration is playing politics with the future of our children.”
