Tag Archives: Grand Rapids Art Museum

Michigan artist Mario Moore collapses the past and present in current GRAM exhibit

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Self-portrait of artist Mario Moore (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)



By Deborah Reed

WKTV Managing Editor

deborah@wktv.org


Vanitas: The Fight includes symbolic objects meaningful to Moore (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)

The works in Detroit-based artist Mario Moore’s Revolutionary Times exhibit celebrate Black power and resistance – and can be found at the Grand Rapids Art Museum (GRAM) through August 18.

“It has been an honor to work with Mario Moore on this exhibition,” said GRAM Curator of Collections and Exhibitions Jennifer Wcisel. “His highly realistic paintings radiate with warmth and life. They also prompt viewers to consider our country’s past and what legacies we’ve inherited from it.”

Revolutionary Times brings together three recent bodies of Moore’s work entitled A New Republic, Midnight and Canaan and A New Frontier. These works deftly collapse the past and present, illuminating stories buried or ignored in Americans’ understanding of history.

“A lot of times when we think about history, a lot of Americans don’t consider our past. [And] we end up repeating those same things,” said Moore.

A New Republic

A New Republic began as Moore recognized similarities between conversations surrounding the 2020 election and the political conversations that ultimately sparked the Civil War.

The Drum Rolls On: A Black drummer boy prepares to announce the beginning of battle – or of chaos (Courtesy, Nancy and Sean Cotton)

“That body of work was essentially started by a lot of the anger and frustrations of people on both sides of the aisle that were eerily and scarily similar to 1856-1858 leading up to the Civil War,” Moore said.

“We miss history because it’s not in front of us, yet it’s occurring all the time as we move through the world. It’s important for me to make those connections between the similarities because they are almost the exact same thing that might have been happening 200 years ago.”

Due to those parallels, it is important to Moore that he uses contemporary people and clothes viewers can recognize in his works.

“It puts the history right in front of you,” said Moore. “It makes it present, it makes it relevant because this is a kind of style, clothing, people that you can recognize. Then maybe because of that you start to ask: What is this all about?”

From that Civil War seed, Moore went farther back into history, questioning how Black people came to be in Detroit – and why.

That led him to the Underground Railroad.

Midnight and Canaan

“Even before the Great Migration north, there was a big black community in Detroit,” said Wcisel.

Silverpoint portrait of William Lambert on prepared paper, with gold thread embroidery by Sabrina Nelson (Courtesy, FIA)

Only two works in Midnight and Canaan depict historical figures as opposed to more contemporary figures. Those two works are silverpoint drawings, a technique used by artists prior to graphite being accessible.

Instead of pencil, the drawings are created from actual pieces of silver. The values are subtle, the artist unable to render images as distinct as charcoal or graphite would allow. This generates an almost ghostly, historic quality to the works.

The gold thread seen on Moore’s silverpoint drawings was incorporated by his mother, Sabrina Nelson, and marks routes along the Underground Railroad.

“It’s meaningful to Mario,” said Wcisel. “He’s done quite a bit of silverpoint and thinks of it as imbuing these people with value. ‘I’m literally creating you out of silver to honor you.’”

Another section of Midnight and Canaan features a collaborative piece between Mario and his wife Danielle, a filmmaker.

Approximately five minutes long, the video is tied directly to Moore’s painting depicting the journey of Lucie and Thornton Blackburn. In the painting, Moore casts friends as the historic couple, but in contemporary clothing and a contemporary setting.

Contemporary couple portrays Lucie and Thornton Blackburn, both on canvas and in film (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)

“But it’s still telling that story of the past in a way that makes it very clear that the present is so connected to the past. It’s this direct line between what was happening in the 1830s and these people today,” said Wcisel, adding that the two figures in the painting are the actors within the short film.

Escaping enslavement in Kentucky, the Blackburns lived in Detroit for a few years before being identified and imprisoned by a slave catcher.

The community of Detroit banded together to save the Blackburns, their efforts allowing the couple escape to Canada.

A New Frontier

Moore’s research into the Underground Railroad led him to the relationship between Detroit and Windsor, and Detroit and Canada – a pivotal point on the Underground Railroad to freedom.

Moore realized the city of Detroit had been founded to establish the fur trade in the United States to support fashion and culture in Europe.

“[He began] looking at the fur trade, discovering that it wasn’t just the French and indigenous people in partnership. They also brought enslaved Africans to be involved in the fur trade,” said Wcisel.

Moore began looking to Dutch paintings of European masters wearing furs for inspiration. And Pillars of the Frontier was born.

Pillars of the Frontier depicts powerful women in Moore’s own family, with wife Danielle at center, as wealthy men were seen at the beginning of the fur trade in Detroit (Courtesy, Mario Moore)

“Now [Moore] is putting these important women in his life in the role of those important men of the past who were making all the political and economic decisions at the time,” said Wcisel of Moore’s painting, Pillars of the Frontier.

Books portrayed in Moore’s oil on linen titled Birth of Cool (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)

“It’s the powerful women in his life. They are pillars of Detroit society, the Detroit community in many ways. And in a snowy Michigan landscape. It’s a wonderful painting.

Moore also included several books throughout the Revolutionary Times series.

“It’s a way that he is acknowledging the labor of these people who have informed his work,” said Wcisel. “You can very clearly see the titles and the authors, and it adds more depth to the history.”

Though Moore’s art carries complex themes, Wcisel says the artist’s message is easily communicated.

“He has such a way of explaining it in an approachable way so that his message can be very easily communicated to people reading about it, listening to interviews with him, and looking at his paintings,” said Wcisel.

Love immortalized

Moore also recently completed his first bronze sculpture – a bust of his wife Danielle titled Love.

“I’ve actually been working with sculpture and three-dimensional objects since I was a student in undergrad, but I’ve never done a bronze sculpture before,” said Moore.

Moore went on to say that he continually has ideas that make more sense in three-dimensional form.

“It was really just wanting to create an object and something that had a presence to it very different from a painting,” Moore said. “It ignites another part of the brain.

“And I wanted to try bronze. I’ve always been excited by bronze sculpture. I’ve always been in love with the idea of how it can hold the form of clay, but has the hardness and permanence of something more concrete. It was just the time to make it.”

Danielle, always willing to support her husband’s art, sat for Moore as he worked on the sculpture.

“She is his constant muse,” said Wcisel. “He’s always looking at her with an artist’s eye.”

Working with a Michigan foundry, Moore used lost wax casting technique. Initially carved out of wax, the wax bust was then cast in plaster to create a mold. The mold was filled with bronze, filling in gaps as the wax melted from the mold.

“We were so lucky to be able to purchase Love for GRAM; it’s part of our permanent collection,” said Wcisel.

Art = Life

Standing in the Roaring 20’s (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)

For artist Mario Moore, art is a way of life.

“My mother is an artist, so it was always something that was present,” said Moore. “[I have] been involved with it my entire existence, so I don’t know anything else.

“It’s just a way of living. It’s how I see the world, how I take in information, how I think about ideas, how I do everything.”

Moore attended undergrad at College for Creative Studies for a degree in illustration, then received his Masters of Fine Arts at Yale.

Inspiration for Moore’s art comes from many venues.

“There is a lot of research and reading involved in my practice,” said Moore. “A lot of times, it’s just life. You’re watching something, and you’re seeing something occur.”

Everything is concept-driven, Moore added.

“It’s always an idea first, then from there I sketch out small compositions and thumbnails that make sense to me, but look like scribble-scrabble to anybody else,” said Moore with a laugh. “From that stage, it’s time to see who I can get to pose for the painting. Then it’s just about making the work.”

Moore went on to say that, despite having guidelines for a piece, things always change as the work progresses.

“The painting tells you what it wants to be,” said Moore. “Sometimes paintings die when you force them into being something. It’s important that the painting guides the way from the concept stage to actually making the painting.”

Moore hopes that each piece or series he creates possesses a new voice and direction, and he is always excited to experiment and work in his studio.

“He allows himself to be really fluid and flexible,” said Wcisel. “He is incredibly talented. I am in awe of his ability to capture people and faces…they look so alive.”

  • Honor Series: Portrayals of Harriet Tubman (left) and Sergeant William (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)
  • During and After the Battle: Depiction of the Battle of Antietam (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)
  • Free State: Audio project recording lives of Black Civil War soldiers (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)
  • Moore’s paintings contain realistic detail, such as this portion of a painting where the subject wears an embroidered robe (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)

Recognizing local talent

“I love that we have this Michigan artist series project,” said Wcisel. “I love that we’re able to regularly give solo exhibitions to really amazing people working throughout our state.

“I think Mario is an artist who will be nationally and internationally known very soon. He’s doing amazing work; he’s really on the rise.”

Moore’s hope is that viewers of the Revolutionary Times series will take away something new and be inspired.

“I want the public to explore more on what they see in the show,” said Moore. “To question history, to question ideas. That’s always my hope.”

For more information about the GRAM Revolutionary Times exhibit, click here.

Certain paintings have an audio guide with Moore himself talking about those works. Look for QR Codes beside the paintings or on the GRAM website.

Find out more about artist Mario Moore by clicking here.

New multi-sensory exhibit at GRAM aims to spark conversation about Mexican-American border

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A discarded teddy bear in Sunland Park, NM (Courtesy, GRAM)


By Deborah Reed

WKTV Managing Editor

deborah@wktv.org


Guillermo Galindo playing an instrument inspired by desert effigies (Courtesy, GRAM)

A multi-sensory exhibition addressing the complexities of the Mexican-American border is now on display at the Grand Rapids Art Museum (GRAM).

Border Cantos / Sonic Border is a collaboration between photographer Richard Misrach and composer/artist Guillermo Galindo. Misrach and Galindo came together in 2011 after discovering they were both creating work related to the border.

Composed of photographic landscapes, sonic composition, musical sculptures, found objects and interactive elements, Border Cantos introduces distinct yet interrelated ways of experiencing the human consequences of immigration policies.

“It provides a platform for us to talk about a really difficult issue – what’s happening along the U.S. – Mexican border,” said GRAM Curator of Collections and Exhibitions Jennifer Wcisel.

Richard Misrach (Courtesy, GRAM)

Wcisel went on to say that the artists are not making overt political statements with their work. Rather, they are attempting to communicate the experience of crossing that border region.

“Art is a powerful tool for creating conversations, challenging perspectives, and encouraging empathy,” said Wcisel.

Though Michigan is geographically removed from that border region, Wcisel believes in the importance of bringing Border Cantos to West Michigan.

“This is a conversation that our whole country should be engaged in,” said Wcisel. “I’m hoping that the show provides some understanding, some empathy, and starts to get people thinking about the circumstances of their own lives. And how the circumstances for others could be different based on nothing but chance or where they were born.”

More than just beauty

As a photographer, Misrach was drawn to the beauty of the desert.

While working in the desert, Misrach began seeing evidence of people, changes to the landscape – and then sections of border wall being built.

Border wall at Jacumba in 2015 (Courtesy, GRAM)

The artist could no longer think of the desert in relation to beauty only.

While both men have spent time in the border regions, most objects are collected by Misrach and sent to Galindo. Galindo then transforms those objects into musical instruments.

A photographic revelation

Portion of border wall in Los Indios, TX (Courtesy, GRAM)

Entering the Border Cantos exhibition, visitors will encounter ten of Misrach’s large-scale photographic works, organized in order of human intervention.

Guests will see the beauty that originally drew the artist, but also the border wall cutting through the landscape.

One photograph features a small section of wall standing alone in a remote location.

“At the time, it had just been erected and [Misrach] took a photograph assuming they were going to build more,” said Wcisel. “He returned three years later expecting it to look different. It did not.”

Another photograph captures drag tracks. Border Patrol Agents (BPAs) drag heavy objects behind pickup trucks to create smooth paths in the sand, making it easier to spot footprints.

Effigies found by Misrach (Courtesy, GRAM)

“They’re deliberately making it difficult for migrants to conceal their paths when they cross,” Wcisel said. “In response, migrants create booties made out of carpet, foam, anything to obfuscate their paths.”

One photograph contains a mystery that the artist hasn’t been able to solve.

The effigies, as Misrach and Gilando call them, resemble stick figures dressed in discarded clothing. 

“Richard came across these and doesn’t know if they were grave sites, or memorials, or warnings. But whoever made them clearly stopped and took a lot of time to construct these,” said Wcisel, adding that she was unable to find any examples of similar effigies.

A symphony of objects

Border Cantos is one of the first times GRAM has incorporated a musical composition as part of an exhibition.

One of Gilando’s instruments created from found objects (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)

Eight instruments continuously play a composition created by Gilando in the gallery space as visitors walk through. Speakers inside each instrument pedestal play notes and rhythms from that instrument.

“If you’re standing in the middle, it’s like being surrounded by an orchestra,” said Wcisel.

Digging deeper

At first glance, Gilando’s instruments formed from found objects simply seem creative. A closer look, however, gives a disturbing revelation.

Instrument inspired by desert effigies (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)

Several found objects used as integral parts of the instruments are vertebrae and shotgun shells.

“When you really think about what [the instrument] is made out of…I think that’s very unsettling,” said Wcisel.

Vertebrae, shotgun shells, and rocks comprise this musical instrument (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)

Wcisel revealed that many migrants die from dehydration while trying to cross the border. A bottle wrapped in a towel shows attempts to prevent water from evaporating in the desert heat.

Water station near Calexico, CA (Courtesy, GRAM)

Humanitarian groups create water stations by placing barrels labeled Agua/Water in the most dangerous regions. However, BPAs often shoot at the barrels, or stop and empty the water.

A landscape that appears to be decorated with confetti is actually littered with thousands of shotgun shells from a BPA practice range.

A Border Patrol target range near GulfCoast, TX is littered with thousands of empty shotgun shells (Courtesy, GRAM)

“As you think deeper about all of these things,” Wcisel said, “you’re like, why are they doing this, why are they armed, why are they practicing?”

The connection between Misrach’s photographs and Gilando’s instruments is unique, said Wcisel. “Even though they might not have been creating the work together, there’s a sense of dialogue between the works.”

Increased danger

A large map of the border shows strategic placement of the border wall.

Sections of wall were built in areas with cities on either side of the border because those were more common crossing sites. This has forced migrants to cross in other areas.

Colorful shotgun shells were used in Galindo’s musical creations (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)

“People are going to these blank sections where there are no cities, they are far less populated, and it is far more dangerous to be out there in the desert so far away from any help,” said Wcisel. “It has really made the crossing all that more dangerous.”

Time for reflection

The final portion of the Border Cantos exhibit offers a chance for reflection and sharing.

Benches allow seating for guests as they watch videos of Gilando playing the exhibit instruments.

An interactive section allows visitors to share their migration story by writing or drawing about their family’s experiences moving to a new place on sticky notes, then placing them on a map.

Drag marks made by BPAs to better see footprints (Courtesy, GRAM)

“It gets at the idea that we all came from somewhere,” said Wcisel. “Migration is such an integral part of humanity. Humanity is always moving and responding to crises and change.”

The Hispanic Center of Western Michigan helped immigrants who made the border crossing, and are now living in Grand Rapids, tell their stories of migration.

“Those also will be added to this experience, but in a more permanent way,” said Wcisel.

A migration story on canvas

As guests prepare to leave the exhibit, a large oil painting by Michigan State University art professor Teresa Dunn tells one last migration story.

El Corrido De Javier Salas Vera details the journey of a man named Javier as he crossed the border into the United States.

  • (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)
  • (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)
  • (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)

Every image incorporated into the canvas has meaning.

Dark and light portions of the painting represent the three day and night cycles of Javier’s crossing from Mexico. Depictions of a coyote, skull, and grave represent danger and death.

Captured in vibrant color is Javier’s arrival to the United States, meeting his wife, a time of deportation to Mexico, and the birth of his son.

A song in the bottom left corner of the canvas touches on a Mexican musical tradition of epic hero stories told through song.

“That was sort of her touch point for telling this story,” said Wcisel. “Javier’s story is like one of these heroic songs from Mexican culture.”

Dunn painted Javier’s story, Wcisel said, to encourage people to put themselves in someone else’s shoes for a moment, and remember that no one is truly removed from this situation.

Still doing the work

A unique Galindo musical creation (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)

As Wcisel helps give voice to the thousands of people who have journeyed through the borderlands in hopes of a better life, she admits her job as curator can be emotionally difficult at times.

“It always feels very personal, whatever it is, because the artists are doing such meaningful things and trying to put these meaningful messages out into the world,” said Wcisel. “It’s hard not to make it personal.

“But what’s also lovely is getting to know these artists. It’s nice to see how optimistic and still hopeful they are about these things. They’re still out there, they’re still doing the work.”

Wcisel encourages GRAM visitors to reflect on the humanity shown in the Border Cantos migration experiences, and have empathy for the plight of migrants everywhere.

Exhibition details

Border Cantos / Sonic Border can be viewed through April 28, and is presented in both English and Spanish.

For more information about the exhibit and related events, click here.

Free summer concerts return with GRAM on the Green

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By WKTV Staff
joanne@wktv.org

La Furia Del Ritmo opens up the GRAM on the Green with WYCE concert series on July 20.

The Grand Rapids Art Museum (GRAM) has announced the 2023 lineup for its 14th annual free summer concert series, GRAM on the Green with WYCE 88.1 FM. Taking place on Thursday evenings from July 20 through Aug. 10, the series brings four evenings of performances by local and regional musical acts to downtown Grand Rapids.

Guests of all ages are invited to relax on the Museum’s outdoor terrace and enjoy free live music, food trucks, a cash bar, and hands-on artmaking activities. Admission to the Museum is also free during GRAM on the Green as part of Meijer Free Thursday Nights. 

 

“The Grand Rapids Art Museum is thrilled to bring another season of free summer concerts to downtown Grand Rapids in partnership with WYCE 88.1 FM,” said GRAM Director of Communications Elizabeth Payne. “GRAM on the Green is part of our ongoing commitment to present accessible and engaging art experiences for our community, and we look forward to another year of celebrating art and music downtown.” 

2023 Lineup:  

  • July 20: La Furia Del Ritmo (latin/world) 
  • July 27: Sarena Rae (soul/blues/jazz) 
  • August 3: The Bootstrap Boys (country/americana/folk) 
  • August 10: Pretoria (rock/indie/alternative) 



“WYCE is excited for another year of GRAM on the Green,” said WYCE Music Director and series curator Chris Cranick. “This year’s lineup features a mix of Michigan artists making waves in the community. Whether it’s Latin groove, soul, forward-thinking country or modern indie rock, we’re elated to present the diverse lineup of talent this year. Each act is sure to get everyone on their feet dancing. We look forward to connecting with the community at the shows this summer.”

Concert guests are invited inside the Museum to explore the exhibitions on view during the summer months, including Message from Our Planet: Digital Art from the Thoma Collection, Ellsworth Kelly & Jack Youngerman: Surrounding Shapes, and rotating works from GRAM’s collection on all three floors of the Museum.  

Narrative justice focus of upcoming GRAM event

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By WKTV Staff
joanne@wktv.org

GR-MiFi and Grand Stand Pictures will be presenting at the Grand Rapids Art Museum Thursday, Dec. 1. (Courtesy, GRAM)

Grand Rapids Media Initiative and Film Incubator (GR-MiFi) together with Grand Stand Pictures is presenting stories about their upcoming documentary film and other projects centered on Narrative Justice Thursday, Dec. 1, 6 p.m. at the Grand Rapids Art Museum at 101 Monroe Center St. (Breonna Taylor Way)

The group is currently in the process of producing a full-length documentary film based upon the book, “A City Within A City: The Black Freedom Struggle in Grand Rapids, Michigan” by Dr. Todd E. Robinson. The film project has enabled the producers to uplift and engage local BIPOC (black, indigenous, and people of color) content creators by establishing apprenticeships directly related to the film and has blossomed into various creative endeavors. The work of GR-MiFi, Grand Stand Pictures and the “Creators” have attracted the attention of the Grand Rapids Art Museum, who will be showcasing this dynamic group as part of the museum’s Visionnaires Series, which attracts creative young adults into lifelong engagement with the arts.

The evening’s activities

The evening’s program will include a panel discussion with the film’s producers and key Creators.

“Over the last year, this initiative has grown into an ecosystem that is vibrant, diverse, and innovative,” said Shayna Haynes Heard, GR-MiFi project manager/Creator. “Our work uplifting Narrative Justice and equipping local talent with opportunities for growth and development is transformative, and I can’t wait to see what’s next for us.”

Following a Mashup Video highlighting the many projects the Creators have initiated and undertaken together, Creators will share their stories and what inspires them as they hone each other’s skills at the Incubator headquarters every week. Also featured will be their community partner projects such as the Black History Cemetery Tours and the South High School Oral History Project and digital history mapping with HistoryPin.org.

The event concludes with some power networking, podcast interviews and photo booth opportunities. This Visionnaire’s event at the GRAM is free and includes a cash bar.

Creating a hub

Building a community-driven creative media hub is a priority focus area for GR-MiFi, where local talent can pool resources and networks, learn the process of producing media, and shore up their demo reels and skills to develop a viable client base. Industry leaders across the spectrum of entertainment businesses and movie making are exploring how to create sustainable incubator programs for marginalized groups. The Grand Rapids Media Initiative and Film Incubator (GR-MiFi) is on the front end of these developments and looks forward to providing ground-breaking strategy, design, programs and efforts in the media and film incubation space.

“We are building a very supportive ecosystem for BIPOC creators and videographers and are helping them to build their capacity to tell their own stories and to grow their skillsets and gain valuable resources and networks. When businesses, organizations and institutions are looking for quality work done in anything art or film related, from perspectives and individuals that may have been set aside before, GRMiFi is the place to come and ideate and let us create something for you,” says GR-MiFi President Rodney Brown.

Exploring the world of Jim Henson

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By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma
WKTV Managing Editor
joanne@wktv.org

WKTV Managing Editor Joanne Bailey-Boorsma with GRAM Director of Art Chris Bruce. (WKTV/Joanne Bailey-Boorsma)

It was by chance that Chris Bruce was introduced to the world of Jim Henson.

“As a family, we would go to these auctions,” Bruce said. “At one, there was a box of kids toys that we got. At the bottom of the box, there was a VHS (tape) which was the ‘Dark Crystal.’”

It was love at first viewing.

“I just love how he understood the need for kids to face fear,” Bruce said. “That they needed to be able to recognize it and know what it is.”

Fast forward several years and Bruce, who is now working for the Grand Rapids Art Museum, is in New York. A friend tells him about an exhibit of Jim Henson’s work at the Museum of the Moving Image (MoMI).

Bruce arrived at the MoMI, only to find it closed. But all was not lost as he managed to convince someone to let him in to see “The Jim Henson Exhibition: Imagination Unlimited.”

“After seeing it, I knew immediately that the Museum needed to bring this exhibit in,” Brue said, adding that staff had been considering it. “It has everything that we were seeking for an installation. It is entertaining. It is diverse. It is vibrant and it is relatable.

“I saw it as something that would speak to everyone.”

It would take a few more years for the Museum to get the exhibit on its schedule and during that time Bruce was named the GRAM’s director of art and is the curator for the exhibit.

And as Bruce moves a small group through the exhibit, you can quickly tell that the GRAM picked the best person to curate this particular exhibit.

Life’s like a movie

Opened at the beginning of October, the exhibit features a broad range of artifacts related to Henson’s career. This includes more than 20 puppets, character sketches, storyboards, scripts, photographs, film and television clips, behind-the-scenes footage, and iconic costumes. There are also interactive experiences that allow visitors to try their hand at puppeteering on camera and designing a puppet character.

As the group moves through the exhibit, Bruce tells of of the layout and story behind the exhibit.

Visitors travel through a timeline of Henson’s career with the different sections color-coated. Greeted by a 1978 Kermit the Frog, the exhibit starts with Henson’s early life when he was first introduced to television and puppetry. It weaves through his first television show, “Sam and Friends” leading into his years with “Sesame Street.”

Characters from “Fraggle Rock”
The stuff animals from “The “Labyrinth”


“The Muppet Show,” which ran from 1976-1981, is featured prominently with all the episodes being run at the sametime on a screen. Continue to follow the path through the hall to discover such iconic shows “Muppet Babies” and “Fraggle Rock” which leads to Henson’s groundbreaking “Dark Crystal” and “Labyrinth,” which starred David Bowie. The exhibit ends looking at some of the projects Henson was working on before his untimely death in 1990.

 

“And if you watch the closing monitor, you can even see Jim Henson saying ‘good-bye,” Bruce said.

Joining Kermit are such familiar characters as Grover, Ernie, Bert, and Count von Count from “Sesame Street”; Dr. Bunsen Honeydew, Beaker, and Scooter from “The Muppets”; and Jen and Kira puppets from “The Dark Crystal.” Also on display are the costumes from “The Labyrinth.”

Making a connection

Grand Rapids Art Museum Director of Art Chris Bruce in front of the Jen and Kira puppets from “The Dark Crystal.” (WKTV/Joanne Bailey-Boorsma)

“It has been an incredible opportunity to be the curator while this exhibit is here,” Bruce said.

As for a favorite section, Bruce said he couldn’t pick one. Each has its place and, while all were made for children, there meanings and theme reach out to what is going on today.

“‘Fraggle Rock’ was about race relations and how people need to work together,” Bruce said, adding that making connections was another them that ran through Henson’s work.

“I think the takeaway from all of this is being together,” Bruce said. “We are all different but we are all in this together.”

The “Jim Henson Exhibition: Imagination Unlimited” runs through Jan. 14 at the Grand Rapids Art Museum, 101 Monroe Center NW. Throughout the months of December and January, there are several drop-in and adult workshops centered around puppetry in celebration of the exhibit. For more information, visit artmuseumgr.org.

The work of Mark Chatterly

For ArtPrize 2022, several organizations focus on a single artist’s work

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By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma
WKTV Managing Editor
joanne@wktv.org

Quality over quantity might be a theme for this year’s ArtPrize as several of the large institutions are featuring a single artist’s work.

This is the observation we saw as we pulled together the releases of several groups on their ArtPrize entries this year.

Grand Rapids Art Museum

The work of Mark Chatterly is featured at the Grand Rapids Public Museum. (Grand Rapids Public Museum/Mark Chatterly)

The Grand Rapids Art Museum‘s ArtPRize 2022 contribution is Andrea Dezsö’s “Family and Friends.” The large-scale mural on th eMuseum’s exterior and in the Museum’s lobby is comprised of imaginative creatures created by the artist during the COVID-19 pandemic.

During the pandemic, Dezsö conserved materials by cutting leftover scraps of handmade Japanese paper creatures she saw as protector sand companions during the pandemic. In total, she created 117 unique characters, which she has continued to explore over the past few years through woodblock print, wood carving, and now mural installation. The ArtPrize piece by Dezsö will be up through Jan. 14, 2023. The Grand Rapids Art Museum is located at 101 Monroe Center St. NW.

The Grand Rapids Public Museum

This year, the Grand Rapids Public Museum is featuring the work of sculptor Mark Chatterly for its ArtPrize exhibit. Chatterly specializes in large-scale figurative sculptures in ceramic that focus primarily on the figure with a metaphysical theme. 

Chatterly’s “The Wall” is located outside of the museum on the north lawn. The Grand Rapids Public Museum is at 272 Pearl St. NW.



John Ball Zoo

The John Ball Zoo is hosting Disc Art, an interactive disc golf course featuring nine scrap metal features. Guests are invited to play the course for free and explore the large-scale art works. Discs will be provided or guests may bring their own.

Artist Stacy Rhines said she had the idea for about fives years and this winter, she actually had enough time to work on the piece. Each of the five goals are metal art sculptures made from repurposed. Rhines said she placed the tee and the goal about 80 feet apart, much less than a normal course, so that everyone could enjoy the activity. The John Ball Zoo is located at 1300 W. Fulton St.

Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park

A piece for the upcoming ArtPrize exhibit featuring the work of Mark Mennin. (Supplied)

The work of Mark Mennin will be featured as the Meijer Garden’s ArtPrize 2022. The exhibit, entitled “Embedded,” features three oversized stone beds situation outdoors on the Frey Foundation Plaza leading into the Welcome Center. This trip plays with perception of hard and soft, heavy and light.

Mennin’s ArtPrize piece will be up through Oct. 2. Mennin’s work is also featured in a fall exhibition at the Gardens, entitled Mark Mennen: Written in Stone which runs through Nov. 27. Frederik Meijer Gardens is located at 1000 E. Beltline Ave. NE.

ArtRat

ArtRat, located at 46 S. Division, will be hosting several free events throughout ArtPrize. Upcoming are The Hai-Cuu Experience, which features poet  and hip-hop musician Cuu JoSama, from 6 – 8:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 22 and 29. On Friday, Sept. 23, will be a hands-on reception for Dean Hunt’s “evolutionARy,” an ArtPrize entry. The event is from 7 – 9 p.m. Sunday. Sept. 25, will be am music and dance performance from 5 to 6 p.m.

On Sunday, Oct. 2, will be the ArtRat’s ArtPRize wrap party will be from 2 – 5 p.m

GRAM on the Green returns this Thursday

Citizen Journalism, Recreation, Upcoming Events, West Michigan, , , ,

By John D. Gonzalez
WKTV Contributing Writer

Molly performs with After Ours on the first GRAM on the Green concert set for July 21. (Supplied)

Concerts return to downtown Grand Rapids this summer with the popular GRAM on the Green, a series that features some of the best local, regional and national acts.

The free summer concert series returns from 6-9 p.m. Thursday (July 21) in front of the Grand Rapids Art Museum.

“For over a decade, the Grand Rapids Art Museum has brought free summer concerts to the heart of downtown Grand Rapids,” said GRAM Communications Manager Elizabeth Payne in a release.

“In partnership with WYCE, we’re excited to continue our tradition of creating accessible arts experiences for our entire community to participate in and enjoy.”

The outdoor music events also include hands-on artmaking, food trucks and a cash bar.

Organizers added that you can “come for the music, and stay for the art, as the Museum is also open late for Meijer Free Thursday Nights.” Admission is free from 5-9 p.m.

2022 GRAM on the Green Lineup:

July 21: Molly + After Ours (Soul + Electronic Jazz)

July 28: Andrea Von Kampen + Brie Stoner (Indie Folk + Alternative Noir Pop)

August 4: The Music That Raised Us (History of Black Music – Spirituals, Motown and Modern Soul)

August 11: The Rachel Brooke Band + The Reverend Jesse Ray (Retro Rockabilly + Western Swing)

Artists are equally excited about the return of GRAM on the Green

“I have played at the art museum many times over the years with different groups, but GRAM on the Green has always had a special vibe to it because of the synergy between WYCE and the GRAM in getting people out to party on a Thursday night,” said Molly, who kicks off the series with mostly original tunes from her EP (available at mollymollymolly.bandcamp.com) and her forthcoming full-length record.

“We’re also thrilled to be sharing the evening of music with our South Bend, Indiana friends the very talented duo, After Ours.”

WYCE-FM (88.1), a non-profit, independent community radio station, is excited to partner with GRAM. And reps are excited to show off some great entertainment.

“The lineup this year offers up a diverse array” of talent, said WYCE music director and series curator Shane German.

“Whether it’s indie-folk, jazz, retro Americana, or a celebration of Black voices in music, we’re thrilled to welcome these incredible artists this year. There are really be something for everyone. We can’t wait to see everyone at the shows this summer!”

Learn more about the series at artmuseumgr.org/gram-on-the-green.

Learn more about GRAM at artmuseumgr.org.

Learn more about WYCE at wyce.org.

Current GRAM exhibit definitely makes a colorful ‘impression’

Citizen Journalism, Entertainment, Local Entertainment, Recreation, , , ,

By Thomas Hegewald
WKTV Contributing Writer

When I hear Impressionism as it relates to an artistic style, I envision compositions void of heavy, straight lines and solid colors. Instead, a multitude of colors are layered on one another, applied using short, quick brush strokes. Up close the image looks like a flurry of colors, from a few paces away, the colors blend, conveying an almost self-illuminating piece.

Philip Little, “Untitled (Fishing Boats),” 1938, Oil on canvas

The Grand Rapids Art Museum currently features a new exhibit, “In a New Light: American Impressionism 1870-1940.” The Bank of America Collection, comprised of 130 pieces of art – paintings, drawings, and prints – shows the progression of the impressionist style. The pieces are grouped according to their region, where different art colonies helped to influence and shape the impressionist style.

Starting with Hudson Valley aesthetics where serene, pastoral views, aglow with golden light set the stage for idealized landscapes. Next came the artists influenced by Barbizon painters of France who painted outside – en plain air – and had a looser style in their brushwork. Here, the landscapes are less romanticized, there are views of buildings, industry and ordinary people, and the weather is not so fair.  Amidst these, I found some with the style aesthetics I had in mind. Untitled (Fishing Boats) by Philip Little, is more like how I imagined the impressionist style to appear. There is an “impression” of people in the boats with barely refined features. The overall color is achieved by combining dabs of many colors to impart value – shadows, highlights – and thus, depth, up close, the painting looks like a lot of little bits – of colors and brush strokes. From afar, the piece is atmospheric. The identity of the fishermen and their location is less important than the feeling of the moment. Their dark forms sitting in little row boats, are lit slightly by the setting sun as they’re set adrift in water that immediately blends into the horizon and sky.

“Winter Stream” (detail), by Emile Gruppe, c.1935-1945, oil on linen

In another regional grouping is Winter Stream by Emile Gruppe who, still an impressionist, exhibits a slightly different style of application. Here the snow-covered banks are painted in long brush strokes. The setting is much more defined albeit conveyed in a number of colors as well, that we, the viewers, blend together to “see” shadows and highlights. There’s less of a frenetic pace of painting in this piece, instead it emits a sense of solitude, slower pace and reflection.

White is also conveyed as mix of colors in Lawton Silas Parker’s, First Born. Both mother and child are dressed in white which is comprised of blues, greens, yellows, and pinks to create the different tonal values. In contrast, and to compliment the central subjects in the piece, the background is awash in layered, jewel-toned colors. There is a return to soft lines and lighting in this piece, another compliment to the subject matter.

Included in the exhibit is a display of the various schools and artist colonies which dotted across the United States. Artists traveled to Europe where they studied abroad for a time, influenced by emerging styles and movements, then returned to the U.S. and started teaching here – starting a school or colony to teach others.

The “In a New Light: American Impressionism 1870-1940” exhibition at the Grand Rapids Art Museum runs until Aug. 27 at the Grand Rapids Art Museum, located at 101 Monroe Center NW. Check artmuseumgr.org for information on gallery hours and entry fee.

Alexander H. Wyant, Untitled (Landscape), c. 1865-1873, Oil on linen
Mathias J. Alten, “California Sycamore” 1929, Oil on canvas

Grand Rapids Art Museum features works from its Keeler Collection

Entertainment, Local Entertainment, Local History, , ,

By WKTV Staff
joanne@wktv.org

Works from the Miner S. and Mary Ann Keeler Collection will be featured in an exhibit at the Grand Rapids Art Museum. (supplied)

The Grand Rapids Art Museum (GRAM) has opened An Extraordinary Legacy: The Miner S. and Mary Ann Keeler Collection, an exhibition of 65 works of modern and contemporary art at GRAM. Running through Oct. 8, the exhibition celebrates the transformative gift of art given to the given to the Museum from the Keeler Collection between 1976 and 2021, and includes paintings, sculptures, drawings, and prints.

“The Grand Rapids Art Museum is thrilled to celebrate the profound impact of Miner and Mary Ann Keeler on the Museum, and on the city of Grand Rapids, with An Extraordinary Legacy,” said GRAM Advancement Director Elly Barnette-Dawson. “From its inception, the Museum’s permanent collection has grown primarily through the generosity of individual donors. This dynamic gift from the Keelers ensures our community has access to these cherished works of art for generations to come.”



The Keelers’ artistic legacy is built upon their civic and institutional involvement, as well as their personal art collecting. Miner and Mary Ann Keeler had the vision to make art accessible to all in Grand Rapids and were pivotal supporters of downtown revitalization and many local cultural organizations. The couple was central to bringing Alexander Calder’s sculpture, La Grande Vitesse, to downtown Grand Rapids in 1969, as well as the kinetic sculpture Motu Viget, by Mark di Suvero in 1977, and Alexis Smith’s The Grand to DeVos Hall in 1983.



An Extraordinary Legacy is focused on artists who emerged as artistic leaders between 1940 and 1990, a vibrant period in American and European art. The artists represented in the exhibition include Pablo Picasso, Joan Miró, Diego Rivera, Alexander Calder, Robert Rauschenberg, Louise Nevelson, Mark di Suvero, Andy Warhol, Janet Fish, and Alexis Smith.



An Extraordinary Legacy is divided into three sections: Sculpture and Sculptors’ Works on Paper explores the significance of sculpture and sculptors in the Keelers’ lives and advocacy. European Modern Masters shares works that illuminate important art historical movements including Fauvism, Cubism, Surrealism, and Expressionism. American Art: From Representation to Abstraction (and Back Again) spans the years 1921 to 1995, focusing on the dynamic tension between realism and abstraction in American art. 

Snowflake Break returns to Public Museum, other holiday break activities

Entertainment, Kids Activities, Local Entertainment, Recreation, , ,

By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma
joanne@wktv.org

Holiday break for many schools starts at about 3:30 p.m. Friday with most students being out for around two weeks.

Students have the opportunity to explore the Museum during the Snowflake Break camps. (Grand Rapids Public Museum)

Holiday activities take up some of the time during the two-week break but whether it is waiting for or after all the presents are unwrapped, there is time when everybody is looking for something to do. 

The Grand Rapids Public Museum announced that it will bring back its Snowflake Break, which will run from Dec. 18 to Jan. 2. Snowflake Break features special exhibits and activities and includes the traveling exhibits “POPnology,” and “Bats: Masters of the Night,” along with educational Snowflake Break Camp opportunities for area children. 

“Snowflake Break at the Museum is the perfect experience for families seeking fun activities to do during the holiday break,” said Kate Kocienski, the Museum’s VP of Marketing & Public Relations. “We’re pleased to offer reduced admission for Kent County residents everyday, including free admission for kids 17 and under. Snowflake Break is an ideal time for local families to take advantage of these benefits to explore, learn and create lifelong holiday memories.”

The three floors at the Museum have holiday-themed decorations and activities. Festival favorites returning include the historic Grand Rapids LEGO® Bricks display, oversized games in the Galleria, and the popular Santa and Elf Hunt that encourages visitors to explore the Museum to find 12 elves hidden in peculiar sports, while also learning about 15 Santas from around the world.

Through Jan. 2, the Chaffee Planetarium will feature “Let It Snow!” with classic holiday music paired a visual show.

A current exhibit at the Grand Rapids Public Museum is “Bats: Masters o the Night.” (Grand Rapids Public Museum)

Snowflake Break Camps are also available for kids in first through sixth grade, with pre-registration required. For two weeks campers will use the Museum as a learning lab – experimenting, learning and growing – all while exploring the permanent and traveling exhibits at the Museum.  Camps will be limited to 16 registrants per session, and are $40 per child, with a reduced rate of $30 per child for GRPM members. Campers will be provided with supplies for each activity. Various safety measures will be in place to ensure a low-risk environment for learners and educators. To learn more or to register for Snowflake Break Camps, visit grpm.org/educlasses. 

Organist Dave Wickerham will present a night of holiday music on the GRPM’s Mighty Wurlitzer Theater organ on Dec. 17 and 18 with tickets available at grpm.org. 

Holiday displays are included with general admission to the Museum. Kent County residents receive reduced admission every day with free admission for Kent County children 17 and under! Kent County adults are only $5 for general admission and Kent County seniors are $3. Advance ticket reservation is recommended, for a seamless, contactless entry. Visit grpm.org to reserve today. Kent County residents also receive free parking in the Museum’s ramp for their visit. The Museum encourages all visitors to wear a face mask, regardless of their vaccination status, to help curb the spread of Covid 19 in our community.

Other activities:

The Grand Rapids Art Museum will be featuring the exhibits “An Art of Changes: Jasper Johns Prints, 1960-2018,” which surveys six decades of output from one of America’s greatest living artists, and “The Black Ash Basketry of Kelly Church and Cherish Parrish,” showcases a centuries-old Anishinaabe tradition. 

The Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum is featuring the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Express, formerly the Breton Village Miniature Train Display, which includes replicas of South High School, Bill’s Place diner and other significant structures in the president’s Grand Rapids life.

Also the Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park will have the University of Michigan Health – West Christmas and Traditions Around the World through Jan. 2.

Snapshots: Things to do at home

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, , ,

The best music, you can seek some shelter in it momentarily, but it’s essentially there to provide you something to face the world with.

Singer/Songwriter Bruce Springsteen


By WKTV Staff
joanne@wktv.org

The Lake Sturgeon are now virtual stars at the Grand Rapids Public Museum. (GRPM live stream)

Going Virtual

Adventure is only a click away now that the big four, the Grand Rapids Public Museum, the Grand Rapids Art Museum, the Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park, and the John Ball Zoo are offering live streaming and virtual tours of exhibits, story time, and more. Click on any of the institutions to get to each’s Facebook page. For more information and videos, click here.

SpartanNash to install sneeze guards at all points of sale including cash registers and pharmacy areas. (Supplied)

With the governor’s stay-at home order, several places, including Woodland Mall and Rivertown Crossings, have closed. However, many area restaurants and grocery stories have remained opened. Restaurants are offering takeout and delivery options. Also SpartanNash recently announced it would be installing sneeze guards at all points of sale including cash registers and pharmacies.

Grand Rapids Public Museum donated masks and other personal protective equipment to Spectrum Health this week. (Supplied)

Sharing the Supplies

The Grand Rapids Public Museum was one of the first to donate its extra personal protective equipment and throughout the week there have been numerous reports of people sewing face masks and donating PPE supplies. Both Metro Health and Spectrum Health have set up donation areas. For a list of those areas and items being collected, click here.

The Mastodon skeleton at the Grand Rapids Public Museum. (GRPM)

State Fossil: Mastodon Skeletons

Bet you didn’t know that Michigan has a state fossil. One of the most complete mastodon skeletons is showcased at the Grand Rapids Public Museum. Below, Grand Rapids Public Museum Science Curator Dr. Cory Redman discusses the preservation of the Moorland Mastodon found in Ravanna, Mich. For more mastodon-related items, visit the grpmcollections.org.

‘A New State of Matter: Contemporary Glass’ opens at GRAM Jan. 25

Entertainment, Local Entertainment, ,
Charlotte Potter (American, b. 1981), Pending (detail, 2014. Cameo engraved glass and metal, 156 x 360 x 96 inches. Courtesy of the Artist and Heller Gallery, New York.

By Elizabeth Payne
Grand Rapids Art Museum


The Grand Rapids Art Museum (GRAM) announced today its upcoming exhibition, A New State of Matter: Contemporary Glass which opens at the Museum on Jan. 25. The exhibition is on view until April 26 and features the work of 19 artists working in glass including Grand Rapids artist Norwood Viviano. 

Each of the artists included in the exhibition use glass in innovative ways while presenting its metaphorical possibilities—connecting to broader cultural, environmental, political, and spiritual themes. 

“We’re thrilled to present A New State of Matter: Contemporary Glass this season at GRAM,” said GRAM Director and CEO Dana Friis-Hansen. “As part of the Grand Rapids Art Museum’s ongoing commitment to providing a diverse array of fresh, stimulating exhibitions for our region, A New State of Matter is the first major exhibition of glass art in the Museum’s history, and reveals the beauty, mystery, and expressive power of this dynamic medium.”

The works in A New State of Matter examine the material and symbolic potential of glass in unique and revealing ways. For example, artists Charlotte Potter and April Surgent use the ancient process of cameo glass engraving to consider relationships in the age of social media and climate change, respectively. Jeffrey Stenbom utilizes cast glass to unveil the struggles facing the nation’s veterans. David Chatt, in a repetitive, labor-intensive process, covers found objects with thousands of miniscule glass beads to explore family and nostalgia. Amber Cowan repurposes American pressed glass to create her intricate installations that reference a bygone era.

“The talented artists in this exhibition are creating incredible artworks using a spectrum of glassmaking techniques, from ancient to present-day processes,” stated Chief Curator Ron Platt. “As the first exhibition at GRAM devoted to artists working with glass, I think our visitors will be amazed by the beautiful and fascinating forms that glass can take. As a material, glass is loaded with a variety of rich associations, making it a perfect vehicle for addressing a range of urgent personal and social issues.”

 The exhibition features work by Grand Rapids artist Norwood Viviano, who fuses fine arts practice with data and research findings in geography, economics, and the social sciences to create environments in which sensuous beauty and topical information merge. Viviano, an associate professor at Grand Valley State University, was the subject of a solo GRAM exhibition in 2015, and his work has been shown and collected internationally. GRAM is excited to debut a brand-new sculpture by Viviano, Recasting Grand Rapids, as part of the exhibition. For this work, he combined elements of our city’s manufacturing past and present, fusing a wooden end table made in Grand Rapids in the 1940s with a current scale model of the city’s architectural landscape—all recast in clear glass. Viviano explains, “the fragility of glass serves as a metaphor for balance between time, efficiency, and the inability of manufacturing to change and meet future needs.” 

Featured artists include: Dean Allison, David Chatt, Amber Cowan, Steffen Dam, Morgan Gilbreath, Tali Grinshpan, Etsuko Ichikawa, Patrick Martin, Rachel Moore, Whitney Nye, Charlotte Potter, Michael Rogers, Erica Rosenfeld, Mary Shaffer, Jeffrey Stenbom, April Surgent, Judy Tuwaletstiwa, Norwood Viviano, and Jeff Zimmer.

Charles P. Limbert (American, 1854–1923). Advertising Lamp, c. 1910. Slag glass on oak base, 19 x 24 x 16 inches. Grand Rapids Art Museum. Cummings, Frank and Ann Battistella Fund, Porter Foundation, 2004.18.

On view concurrently with A New State of Matter is Looking (at •into•through) Glass, an exhibition featuring paintings, sculpture, prints, photography and design objects from GRAM’s permanent collection. The exhibition has been assembled to explore glass as a material one can look at, into, and through. Works in the exhibition range from colorful still-life paintings to glass-shaded lamps and provide visitors with the opportunity to explore the variety and depth of objects in the collection.

In addition to the exhibitions, visitors can explore a range of related interactive and educational activities and materials, including artists’ video profiles, hands-on activities, and detailed information on many of the participating artists’ glassmaking techniques, including blowing, kiln-forming, casting, and flame-working.

A New State of Matter: Contemporary Glass has been organized by the Boise Art Museum. The exhibition is sponsored by the Laura Moore Cunningham Foundation with additional grant support from the Art Alliance for Contemporary Glass. Lead support for GRAM’s exhibition is provided by the Wege Foundation. Lead Exhibition Society Support is provided by the Daniel & Pamella DeVos Foundation.

About the Grand Rapids Art Museum  
Connecting people through art, creativity, and design. Established in the heart of downtown Grand Rapids, the art museum is internationally known for its distinguished design and LEED® Gold certified status. Established in 1910 as the Grand Rapids Art Association, GRAM has  grown to include more than 5,000 works of art, including American and European 19th and 20th-century painting and sculpture and more than 3,000 works on paper. Embracing the city’s legacy as a leading center of design and manufacturing, GRAM has a growing collection in the area of design and modern craft.  

For museum hours and admission fees, visit  artmuseumgr.org.   
 

GRAM offers free admission for children during winter break

Entertainment, Local Entertainment,
The work of David Wiesner is on display at the Grand Rapids Art Museum. (Photo by WKTV)

By WKTV Staff
joanne@wktv.org

The Grand Rapids Art Museum will waive admission fees for visitors age 17 and under from Dec. 21 through Jan. 5.

Families can explore GRAM’s current exhibitions including “David Wiesner & The Art of Wordless Storytelling”; Michigan Artist Series “Billy Mayer: The Shape of Things”, and the permanent collection galleries on Level III.

 

Additionally, the Museum will be offering an extended Drop-in Studio schedule from Thursday, Dec. 26, through Saturday, Dec. 28, from 1 – 4 p.m. Visitors of all ages can participate in these free hands-on workshops, crafting festive graham cracker houses to take home.

For more information on programming over break, contact Visitor Services at 616-831-1000 or info@artmuseumgr.org. 

Work of acclaimed author, illustrator comes to GRAM this fall

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David Wiesner (American, b. 1956), Art & Max, 2010. Watercolor and acrylic on paper. Copyright ©2010 by David Wiesner.

By Grand Rapids Art Museum


The Grand Rapids Art Museum will present a colorful survey of award-winning author and illustrator, David Wiesner, opening at the Museum Oct. 12. The Art of Wordless Storytelling will be on view at GRAM through Jan. 12, 2020, and features over 70 original watercolors from Wiesner’s most beloved books, including Caldecott Medal winners Tuesday (1991), The Three Pigs (2001), and Flotsam (2006).

His many books have delighted readers of all ages for three decades with wildly imaginative tales that capture the joy of pictures and stories. Wiesner’s body of work explores the complexity of human imagination through colorful, layered imagery, clever composition and humor.

“With GRAM’s mission focused on art, creativity and design, we’re thrilled to present The Art of Wordless Storytelling at the Grand Rapids Art Museum,” commented GRAM Director and CEO Dana Friis-Hansen. “Wiesner draws from such diverse pictorial narrative inspirations including Surrealist painting; cinema from silent film to 2001 and beyond; and comic books, graphic novels and Japanese anime.” 

David Wiesner (American, b. 1956), Bugs, 2009. Watercolor on paper. Collection of Zora 
and Les Charles.

Examples of Wiesner’s earliest artistic successes are on view in The Art of Wordless Storytelling, as well as sketches and notebooks revealing his time-consuming creative process, which culminates in the dreamlike watercolor paintings that anchor the exhibition.

“Wiesner’s picture books often take years to complete and develop from a process of sketching, drawing, creating 3D models and finally, painting the richly layered watercolors that will be on view,” said GRAM Assistant Curator Jennifer Wcisel. “In working on this exhibition, I have been continually amazed by the power of Wiesner’s imagination and many connections to childhood. He doesn’t simply write a story and then conceive images for it, rather his stories grow from a memory or visual idea and are ‘written’ entirely with pictures.”

When asked about his wordless narratives, Wiesner shared, “By removing the text, I am removing the author’s voice. This lets each reader tell the story in their own voice. It puts readers in the position of collaborating in the storytelling process, asking them to use their imagination along with mine.” He hopes viewers will actively engage with his work, making connections and creating their own meaning, an engagement that is particularly important for young children, who develop visual literacy well before they are able to read.

On view concurrently with The Art of Wordless Storytelling on the Museum’s Level 2 is a parallel exhibition, Worth A Thousand Words: Storytelling with GRAM’s Collection. Comprised of paintings, drawings and sculpture drawn from GRAM’s Collection, in this interactive exhibition, viewers are invited to invent and share their own stories in response to the works on view, all specifically selected for their storytelling potential.

Activities within the galleries for children, families, and adults have been created to inspire visual literacy and storytelling skills and create fun experiences for visitors of all ages. In addition to the exhibition’s interactive spaces, guests are invited to participate in a full calendar of family-friendly events, including the Member Exhibition Opening, Coffee with the Artist, Community Conversations: Storytelling Beyond Words, Family Day, a Parent and Child Workshop, and more.

Michigan Artist Series ‘Billy Mayer: The Shape of Things’ opens at GRAM

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“Writer’s Block”: Billy Mayer, 1987. (Supplied)

The  Grand Rapids Art Museum (GRAM) announced today the next installment of its Michigan Artist Series, Billy Mayer: The Shape of Things. The exhibition is on view at the Museum through Feb. 2, and features the work of one of West Michigan’s most acclaimed sculptors.  

The late Billy Mayer (1953-2017) created work in numerous media and materials that addressed the mundane elements of daily life as well as bigger, broader ideas about human existence. The Shape of Things brings together a major installation, as well as large and small-scale sculpture that demonstrate Mayer’s creative imagination, his impressive skill with various materials, and his wide-ranging sources—from Surrealism and Pop Art to rock and roll and magic tricks. Mayer painstakingly crafted every element of his art by hand, and mastered many materials and techniques during his lifetime, from glazed ceramics, to glass, and metal. 

“Billy Mayer’s artwork reflects just how intensely engaged he was with the world around him,” commented GRAM Chief Curator Ron Platt. “Because of his great facility with materials, he was able to translate his inner vision into complex, delightful, and engaging works of art.” 

The Shape of Things features sculpture from three primary bodies of work: brightly-colored aluminum sculptures of figures and objects in unique configurations; realistic trompe l’oeil replications of everyday objects with unusual display; and Mayer’s most ambitious and important work, the large-scale installation, Here. 

“Here”: Billy Mayer, 1993-2015. (Supplied)

Here is a shelf-mounted installation of over 400 individual ceramic skulls, each topped with a different everyday image or object—a guitar, a hammer, the McDonald’s arches—all handcrafted in clay. In its totality,  Here creates a visual diary of the artist’s daily life, a self-portrait of his thoughts, memories, and experiences. 

In addition to his art, Mayer had a distinguished teaching career at Hope College in Holland, Michigan, where he taught for thirty-nine years. GRAM held an opening reception and panel discussion for The Shape of Things on Thursday, August 29 honoring Mayer’s legacy as an educator. Chaired by GRAM Chief Curator Ron Platt, the event featured former students and colleagues of Mayer’s who shared their personal experiences of his impact on their art education and subsequent careers. 

Support for the Michigan Artist Series is generously provided by: Steelcase Inc., Beusse & Porter Family Foundation, The Jury Foundation, and Greg and Meg Willit. 

‘GRAM on the Green’ closes 11th Annual Series on Aug. 22 with folk and soul music

Upcoming Events, , ,
Cameron Blake (courtesy GRAM)

By Alison Clark, Clark Communications


West Michigan will have its last chance to experience The Grand Rapids Art Museum (GRAM)’s annual free summer concert series, GRAM on the Green, on Thursday, Aug. 22. The GRAM and WYCE 88.1FM will close out the series with folk and soul artists Cameron Blake and Samuel Nalangira.


The summer-long series has featured some of the best local and regional talent Michigan has to offer. And for one last night, guests of all ages are invited to relax on the Museum’s outdoor terrace and enjoy free live music, dancing, food trucks, free museum admission, art-making activities, and a cash bar.


Admission to the Museum is free during GRAM on the Green evenings from 5-9 pm, as part of Meijer Free Thursday Nights. 

Samuel Nalangira (courtesy GRAM)

Concert guests are invited inside the galleries to explore the exhibitions on view during the summer months: Maya Lin: Flow, Melanie Daniel: Only Four Degrees, Self, Symbol, Surrogate: Artist Portraits from GRAM’s Collection and the newest works on view in the Permanent Collection.


Support for GRAM on the Green is generously provided by Bank of America, WYCE 88.1FM, and the Meijer Foundation. 




GRAM on the Green with WYCE 88.1 FM 2019 lineup announced

Entertainment, , , , ,
Pink Sky performs July 25. (Pink Sky)

By WKTV Staff
joanne@wktv.org

The Grand Rapids Art Museum (GRAM) and WYCE 88.1FM announced today the 2019 lineup for the 11th annual GRAM on the Green free outdoor summer concert series.

Taking place on Thursday evenings from July 11 – Aug. 22, the concert series features some of the best local and regional talent Michigan has to offer. Guests of all ages are invited to relax on the Museum’s outdoor terrace and enjoy free live music, dancing, food trucks, free museum admission, art-making activities, and a cash bar.

“The summer season returns to downtown Grand Rapids with GRAM on the Green with WYCE 88.1FM,” commented GRAM Communications Manager Elizabeth Payne. “During seven weeks in July and August, the visual and performing arts combine to present an inclusive and accessible concert series in the heart of our city.”

The 2019 lineup offers a diverse variety of performances, ranging from R&B/soul, acoustic/folk, and jazz, to indie/pop and blues rock.


2019 Lineup:

July 11: Last Gasp Collective, soul/hip-hop/R&B

July 18: Lipstick Jodi with Jes Kramer, rock and electronic

July 25: Pink Sky with hi-ker, alternative/electronic

Aug. 1: Molly with Blushing Monk, soul and jazz

Aug. 8: Hannah Rose and the Gravestones with KJ & the Good Time Family Band, funk/rock

Aug. 15: Jake Kershaw, blues/rock

Aug. 22: Cameron Blake with Samuel Nalangira, folk/soul and Ugandan folk

“Grand Rapids has built a reputation as a music city, and WYCE could not be more excited to co-present this diverse lineup of acclaimed local, regional, and national talent,” added WYCE Station Manager Hayes Griffin. “WYCE is a community radio station, and GRAM on the Green offers the perfect platform to showcase musical talent right here in West Michigan.”

Admission to the Museum is free during GRAM on the Green evenings from 5 p.m. – 9 p.m., as part of Meijer Free Thursday Nights.

Concert guests are invited inside the galleries to explore the exhibitions on view during the summer months: Maya Lin: Flow, Melanie Daniel: Only Four Degrees, Self, Symbol, Surrogate: Artist Portraits from GRAM’s Collection and the newest works on view in the Permanent Collection.

Artist Maya Lin returns to GR with solo exhibit at the GRAM

Citizen Journalism, Entertainment, , ,
May Lin, “Flow,” 2009 FSC certified spruce pine and fir. (Courtesy Pace Gallery)

WKTV Staff
joanne@wktv.org

The artist behind the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington D.C. and “Ecliptic” in Grand Rapids’ Rosa Parks Circle returns to Grand Rapids this month for an exhibition featuring her large-scale sculpture, “Flow.”

Organized by the Grand Rapids Art Museum in collaboration with Maya Lin Studio and running from May 18 to Sept. 8, the exhibition includes two new works that focus on bodies of water in the Midwest region and illuminate  Lin’s dramatic exploration of the natural environment. 

“The Grand Rapids Art Museum is thrilled to present the work of acclaimed artist Maya Lin  this summer,” said Director and CEO Dana Friis-Hansen. “Lin’s  commitment to environmentalism and the creation of stirring public spaces—including  ’Ecliptic’  in the heart of downtown Grand Rapids—supports the Museum’s initiative of raising awareness about sustainability and connecting people through art, creativity and design.”  

With  “Flow,” Lin focuses attention on the crucial role of water, both to our  region, and to global survival. Lin has created two new sculptures for the exhibition that focus directly on West Michigan.  ”Pin River – Grand River Watershed”  (2019) is an installation made of steel pins embedded directly into the wall that forms a sparkling fifteen-foot-long outline of the Grand River Watershed.  ”The Traces Left Behind (From the Great Bear Lake to the Great Lakes)” (2019) is a shimmering wall relief cast from recycled silver. In creating the work, Lin charted the span of contemporary bodies of water from the Arctic to the Great Lakes that were formed by the melting of the Laurentide Ice Shelf, which once covered much of the North American continent. 

“A lot of my work has been about mapping the natural world and revealing aspects of the environment that you may not be aware of,” said Lin. “The two new works created for this show follow that interest of mine; one traces the complex watershed of the Grand River, the other takes a very recognizable mapping of the Great Lakes but adds the series of large lakes formed during the last ice age—creating a constellation-like flow of water that drifts along an invisible boundary line where the glaciers carved out these bodies of water when they retreated.” 

Created in recycled silver, steel pins and common building materials, Lin conceives these sculptures with the use of charting, mapping, and scientific research to determine each work’s ultimate design, layout and structure.  Through  sculptural shape, scope and scale, Lin expands our awareness of the Great Lakes, the geological forces that created them, and their connection to other bodies of water. 

“In her dramatic large-scale sculptures, Maya Lin draws attention to the natural world around us and to the forces that shape our environment,” commented GRAM Chief Curator Ron Platt. “With this exhibition, she creates opportunities for all of us to see the natural landscape in new and different ways, prompting us to consider our relationship and responsibilities to the environment.” 

Maya Lin, Blue Lake Pass, 2006. Duraflake particleboard (Courtesy Pace Gallery)

The exhibition also creates connection and dialogue with  “Ecliptic,” the public park in Rosa Parks Circle created by Lin that marks its 20th anniversary next year. Water—specifically the nearby Grand River—inspired Lin’s conception of “Ecliptic.” Within the park, Lin featured water in three different forms—liquid, solid and vapor—through the park’s ice rink and amphitheater, mist fountain and table of flowing water.  In connection with the exhibition, a selection of interpretive and interactive materials about “Ecliptic” are on view for visitors interested in engaging more with Lin’s creation of the park. 

Several informative programs and presentations will be presented at GRAM in conjunction with the exhibition such as an Artist Talk with Lin on Art and Environment Friday at 6 p.m. at the GRAM’s Cook Auditorium. RSVP is required. Cost is $5 for GRAM members and $15 for the public.

Lead support for  Maya Lin: Flow  is generously provided by Herman Miller Cares, Frey Foundation, Eenhoorn LLC, and Wege Foundation. 

For GRAM’s hours and admission fees, call 616.831.1000 or visit artmuseumgr.org.

GR Art Museum is in full ‘bloom’ with upcoming event

Citizen Journalism, Entertainment,
Dario Robleto (American, b. 1972), Survival Does Not Lie in the Heavens, 2012. Digital
inkjet print mounted on Sintra, a collection of stage lights taken from the album covers of live performances of now deceased Gospel, Blues and Jazz musicians, Triptych, 31 x 31 inches, 46 x 46 inches, and 31 x 31 inches. (Grand Rapids Art Museum)

By Grand Rapids Art Museum

The Grand Rapids Art Museum (GRAM) is excited to announce the spring return of its bi-annual celebration of art and floral design, Art in Bloom (March 22 – 24, 2019). The one-weekend-only exhibition and competition presents the work of talented floral designers from across West Michigan.

Art in Bloom celebrates the arrival of spring at GRAM by inviting the region’s floral designers to create thought-provoking and elegantly crafted arrangements, all inspired by works in the Museum’s collection. The floral designs emphasize, challenge, and build upon elements and concepts within a selected work of art, creating a dialogue between the two works. The floral designs will be presented alongside the artwork in GRAM’s Level 3 galleries.

“We’re thrilled for the return of Art in Bloom to the Grand Rapids Art Museum,” commented GRAM Communications Manager Elizabeth Payne. “See the first signs of spring at GRAM and experience the Museum’s art collection alongside the creativity and talent of our region’s floral professionals.”

The 2019 Art in Bloom line-up features 17 floral designers and their interpretation of 17 works from the Museum’s collection on view—ranging from Robert Rauschenberg’s Sterling/Whirl to Hans Arp’s La Sainte de la Lisiere.

Hector Guimard (French, 1867 – 1942), Balcony Railing, 1909 – 1911. Iron, 35.5 x 64 x 7
inches. (Grand Rapids Art Museum)

A panel comprised of floral and art experts and members of the Grand Rapids creative community will select the Juried Winner, which will be announced at the opening reception of Art in Bloom on Friday, March 22. Visitors can cast a vote for their favorite floral arrangement for the selection of the People’s Choice Award, to be announced on Sunday, March 24 at 2 pm. 

The three-day exhibition and competition include a full floral-focused schedule of events throughout the Museum.

Schedule of Events

Friday, March 22 
6 pm – 9 pm: Art in Bloom Opening Reception and People’s Choice Award voting begins 
6:45 pm – 9 pm: Creativity Uncorked: Wall Flowers 
7 pm: Juried Winner announcement 

Saturday, March 23 
10 am – 5 pm: Galleries open  and People’s Choice Award voting continues 
10:30 am  – 11:30 am: Little Member Morning  
11 am – 12 pm:  Drop-in Tour: Art in Bloom led by  GRAM Assistant Curator and Floral Designer  
12:30 – 3:30 pm: Adult Workshop: Crepe Paper Flowers 
1  pm – 4  pm: Drop-in  Studio: Pixel Pictures

Sunday, March 24 
11 am – 12 pm: Art  Social: Art in Bloom 
12 pm: Galleries open and People’s Choice Award voting continues 
12:30 pm – 3:30 pm: Adult Workshop: Crepe Paper Flowers 
2 pm: People’s Choice Award Announcement 
2 pm – 3 pm: Sunday Classical Concert Series: DeVos String Quartet


Support for Art in Bloom is generously provided by Karl and Patricia Betz, Gregg and Rajene Betz, Kimberly and David Moorhead, Janet Gatherer Boyles and John Boyles, Patricia and Charles Bloom, Reagan Marketing + Design, LLC, West Michigan Master Gardeners Association, and Holland Litho Printing Service.

About the Grand Rapids Art Museum
Connecting people through art, creativity, and design. Established in the heart of downtown Grand Rapids, the Art Museum is internationally known for its distinguished design and LEED® Gold certified status. Established in 1910 as the Grand Rapids Art Association, GRAM has grown to include more than 5,000 works of art, including American and European 19th and 20th-century painting and sculpture and more than 3,000 works on paper. Embracing the city’s legacy as a leading center of design and manufacturing, GRAM has a growing collection in the area of design and modern craft.

For GRAM’s hours and admission fees, call 616.831.1000 or visit artmuseumgr.org.

From Rembrandt to Calder, GRAM exhibit features museum’s collection

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By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma
joanne@wktv.org

“Can you tell me what it is?” asked GRAM Director and CEO Dana Friis-Hansen to a group of media representatives as he pointed to a large black metal box sitting on a wire frame in the Grand Rapids Art Museum’s exhibition area.

“A safe?” someone responded.

“It’s a refrigerator,” Friis-Hansen said. “So it’s kind of a safe — a safe for food.”

The piece, a recent gift from the George R. Kravis II collection, is one example of the 125 different items featured in the current GRAM exhibit “A Decade at the Center: Recent Gifts and Acquisitions,” which is up through April 28.

The exhibit, which closes out a yearlong celebration of GRAM’s tenth anniversary at its 101 Monroe Center location, is designed to get to the heart of the museum — it’s collection, featuring works of art and design acquired through gifts and purchases from the last five years.

“The Grand Rapids Art Museum’s collection of more than 6,000 works is the heart of the Museum, and just like the city it serves, has grown and transformed over the course of its more than 100-year history,” Friis-Hansen said.

Rembrandt etching on paper: “Nude Man Seated on the Ground with One Leg Extended.” 1646. (Photo supplied by GRAM)

Featuring works from Rembrandt to Grand Rapids’ own Mathias J. Alten and the man behind the hLa Grande Vitesses, Alexander Calder, “Decades at the Center” showcases artists from six continents representing a variety of mediums fromm prints to sculpture. The oldest pieces are two etchings from Martin Schongauer from the 15th century with some of the newest being a selection of items from the gift of 100 design objects from Kravis, one of the premier American collectors.

From the George Kravis collection: “KM Flatwork Ironer Iron,” model no. 444. 1939, (Photo supplied by GRAM)

Kravis, a broadcasting executive, collected thousands of pieces focused on industrial design. While the items were often everyday pieces — such as a bicycle or a phone — they showcased machine aesthetic and clean lines that married form with function, Friis-Hansen said.

“GRAM’s commitment to exhibiting and collecting design and craft is illustrated by the inclusion of important works of furniture, ceramics, glass and industrial design,” said GRAM Chief Curator Ron Platt. “The modern and contemporary design objects in the exhibition — ranging from furniture and lamps to tableware and electronics — marry function and beauty and show the power design has to enhance our daily lives.”

“I’m most excited about works that have never been viewed at GRAM before,” said GRAM Chief Curator Ron Platt.

Dawoud Bay gelatin silver photograph: “Two Women at a Parade.” 1978, printed 2011. (Photo supplied by GRAM)

Along with the items from the Kravis collection, other new pieces are two powerful black-and-white portraits by photographer Dawoud Bey, known for his photographs of adolescents and other often marginalized subjects. There is also the 1950s “Peonies on a Table” by American representational painter Jane Freilicher.

The exhibit has been paired with “A Legacy of Love: Selections from The Mable Perkins Collection.”

“Mabel Perkins was probably the first serious art collector in Grand Rapids,” Platt said. “We received a large portion of her collection of master prints. 

“It’s really at the heart of GRAM’s story as a collecting institution and sort of at the heart of the idea of gifts to a collection being very, very important not only to an institution but to a community.”

For GRAM’s hours and admission fees, visit artmuseumgr.org or call 616-831-1000.

GRAM features Michigan artist/activist Dylan Miner for free Artist Talk, Feb. 21

Citizen Journalism, Entertainment, ,
Courtesy Dylan Miner

By Alison Clark, Clark Communications


On Thursday, Feb. 21, the Grand Rapids Art Museum (GRAM) will feature Michigan artist, activist and scholar, Dylan Miner, for a free Artist Talk, which is open to the public. Miner will discuss his current GRAM exhibition Water is Sacred // Trees are Relatives, and his ongoing investigation into important issues surrounding the past, present, and future of the Great Lakes watershed and region. The artist talk runs from 7-8pm at the GRAM, located at 101 Monroe Center NW.


Based in East Lansing, Miner has exhibited his works internationally in solo and group exhibitions. He created Water is Sacred // Trees are Relatives for the GRAM’s Michigan Artist Series. In the exhibition, Miner investigates the important historical and current issues around three primary natural elements: wood, water, and sky, and the traditional knowledge and beliefs around them within Great Lakes Indigenous cultures. The exhibition runs through Sunday, March 3.


Based in East Lansing, Miner has exhibited his worked internationally in solo and group exhibitions. He created Water is Sacred // Trees are Relatives for the GRAM’s Michigan Artist Series. In the exhibition, Miner investigates the important historical and current issues around three primary natural elements: wood, water, and sky, and the traditional knowledge and beliefs around them within Great Lakes Indigenous cultures.


Miner is Director of American Indian and Indigenous Studies and Associate Professor in the Arts and Humanities at Michigan State University. He holds a PhD from The University of New Mexico and regularly publishes articles, book chapters, critical essays, and encyclopedia entries. In 2010, he was awarded an Artist Leadership Fellowship through the National Museum of the American Indian (Smithsonian Institution).


The exhibition runs through Sunday, March 3.

Newest GRAM exhibit takes sports photojournalism into world of artistic excellence 

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By K.D. Norris

ken@wktv.org

 

The adage ‘beauty is in the eyes of the beholder’ is cliché, but any sports fan or photography admirer will tell you without hesitation that, often, art is in the eye of the camera lense.

 

There is more than 200 examples of photography approaching, achieving and often simply blowing away any doubt that photographs of sports and athletes are museum worthy in the Grand Rapids Art Museum “art” exhibit, “Who Shot Sports: A Photographic History, 1843 to the Present”, which opened Friday, Oct. 26.

 

From the uber-iconic 1965 photo of boxer Muhammad Ali standing over beaten foe Sonny Liston by Neil Leifer, to historic photos of the ordinary athlete and the ideal athletic aesthetic from late 1800s, the exhibit shows again and again the exacting art of the sports photographer.

 

“Who Shot Sports” guest curator discusses aspects of the GRAM exhibit. (WKTV/K.D. Norris)

“You do not get a second chance,” exhibit curator Gail Buckland said to WKTV at a media tour early on opening day. “You have to anticipate. They work as hard as the athletes sometimes. … They don’t want to just take the easy photo. They want something that will last through time. Hence why they are appropriate for the art museum. … they are that universal image.”

 

The exhibition, which will be on view at the GRAM through Jan. 13, 2019, is said to be the most comprehensive survey of the art of sports photography ever produced, with more than 200 images.

 

One of the most impressive aspects of the show is the wide-range of black-and-white photographs — which, void the distraction of color, some consider the purest form of photography — with examples spanning from the 19th to the 21st Century.

 

Organized by the Brooklyn Museum, “Who Shot Sports” highlights the “aesthetic, cultural and historical significance of the images and artists in the history of sports since the invention of photography in the 19th century. Visitors will see how the evolution of photographic technology enabled its practitioners to capture the human body in motion as it had never been seen before,” according to supplied information.

 

“Seeing athletic greatness, we both recognize our personal physical limitations and delight in bodies and minds taken to new heights,” Buckland said in supplied information. “To play and to watch is to be in the moment. Still photographers are masters of moments.”

 

Derek Jeter sliding into Third Base, 2003. By Barton Silverman. (Supplied)

That idea of putting the viewer into a moment of athletic achievement has dozens of examples but none more so than one of baseball great Derek Jeter, who raised in Kalamazoo before eventually becoming a New York Yankee icon, sliding head first into third base.

 

Buckland discussed the photo in detail, both as a perfectly captured moment and as an example of modern — and historic — athletes knowing they are the stars of a “show.”

 

“I see that sports photography is a very important part of sports photojournalism and inherent in photojournalism is a connection to real life,” Buckland said to WKTV. But “athletes, unlike someone walking down the street, expect to be seen. This is performance. In ancient times, it was spectacle. And it is still spectacle. (But often) … they don’t know what they look like until they see themselves in a photograph. And that is a theory of photography too. None of us know what we look like. How we look in a photograph is quite different than we think. But … I do not think it is so much what Derek Jeter looks like as much as what it feels like to slide into the base, to be part of the action.”

 

The exhibition is divided into nine thematic sections exploring different subjects within the field; The Beginning of Sports Photography; The Decisive Moment; Fans and Followers; Portraits; Behind the Scenes; Vantage Point; In and Out of the Ring; For the Love of the Sports; and the Olympics, featuring images from the first modern Olympics in 1896 to the London Olympics in 2012.

 

The exhibit also includes a variety of related events and programming, including curator talks, GRAM After Dark: Jock Jams, drop-in tours, art-making workshops and lectures. For a complete list of programming, visit artmuseumgr.org/whoshotsports .

 

For GRAM’s hours and admission fees visit artmuseumgr.org .

 

Here’s a peek at some of what you will find at ArtPrize 10

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WKTV Staff

joanne@wktv.org

 

ArtPrize 10 is here which means for the next two and half weeks much of the community will be focused on and discussing art.

 

WKTV will be joining the conversation with WKTV VOICES. Introduced at ArtPrize Nine last year, VOICES is housed in a 1958 Airstream trailer and collects stories. Last year, it focused on collecting the stories of artists. This year, the trailer will again return to the corner of Lyon and Monroe, across from the Amway Grand Plaza, collecting stories of artists but also hosting a Voters Feedback Booth, where voters are encouraged to share what they voted on and why.

 

And what should participants expect to see at this year’s ArtPrize? Well, a few of the venues reached out to us with information about who will be at their venue.

 

“1934,” by Amiri Farris

Gerald R. Ford International Airport

5500 44th St. SE

 

Visitors and passengers coming through the airport will be see 14 exhibits on display at the
Gerald R. Ford International Airport. Art at the airport is on display upstairs along the mezzanine, in the indoors observation deck area, and in the east end of the terminal building near the valet ticket counter and exit to rental cars.

 

“We are thrilled to once again serve as a gathering place for ArtPrize –as a venue, a sponsor, and as a way to welcome artists and visitors into our great city,” said GFIA President & CEO Jim Gill. “The Ford Airport strives to be reflective of the people and events in West Michigan, and we have a chance to brighten up our space with local and national artwork that showcases many different types of art. We hope people take advantage of the art on display here and visit us during the competition whether as a traveler or just a general visitor.”

 

Among the feature pieces is “1934,” by Amiri Farris, a portrait of a young President Gerald R. Ford and teammate Willis Ward. This large size painting depicts how President Ford overcame mounting adversity and racial discrimination to hep a friend. Artist Tom Howing, who is battling cancer, worked with his autistic son, Matthew, to put his views of the world into a 3-D format display titled “Matthew’s View.” Also artist Elizabeth Paul Healey fled her home in North Carolina this past weekend as Hurricane Florence approached and is here with her piece “Fear Less.”

 

Petra Kuppers, Salamander by The Olimpias. (Courtesy of the artist)

Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park

1000 E Beltline Ave NE, Grand Rapids

 

Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park will host 16 contemporary sculptors in an innovative exhibition jointly organized by DisArt, a Grand Rapids based arts and cultural organization promoting the full participation of disabled people in and through the arts. The exhibition is titled “Process and Presence: Contemporary Disability Sculpture”.

 

Through examples of three-dimensional practice including sculpture, performance, installation and video art, this exhibition emphasizes the relationship between disability and the fundamental human experiences of change and embodiment. The exhibition offers audiences a survey of contemporary disability sculpture through artists whose work represents local, national and global perspectives on the experiences of living with disability.

 

“Process and Presence: Contemporary Disability Sculpture” will be free of charge during ArtPrize (Sept. 19 – Oct. 7). The exhibition areas will be open to the public during Meijer Gardens’ regular business hours. All other areas of Meijer Gardens observe regular hours and standard admission fees.

 

Arizona-based artist duo Lauren Strohacker and Kendra Sollars shed light on the displacement, reintroduction, and loss of wildlife in urban areas, and have collaborated with Blandford Nature Center to create their time-based entry, Animal Land.

Grand Rapids Art Museum

101 Monroe Center St. NW

 

The Grand Rapids Art Museum’s ArtPrize 10 exhibition will showcase a broad range of contemporary art by local, regional, national and international artists—competing in every ArtPrize category: 2D, 3D, Time-based and Installation. The total number of artists/artist pairs is 10. The exhibition includes outdoor installations and large-scale nighttime projections on the building’s exterior, and also contains sculpture, painting and interactive performance works.

 

“Visitors to ArtPrize 10 at GRAM will find the Grand Rapids Art Museum’s most ambitious presentation yet—dazzling installations adapted to interior and exterior public spaces, technology-based interactive experiences, monumental sculpture and more,” commented GRAM Director and CEO Dana Friis-Hansen.

 

Several themes can be found within the artwork on view—Venezuelan artist, Saskia Jordá, uses her work as a call to action to end violence and hunger. Michigan-based artist John Gutsokey addresses loss, grief, and the aftermath of hate crimes, as well as gun violence, homophobia, violence against people of color and the transgender community, and LGBTQ rights. Arizona-based artist duo Lauren Strohacker and Kendra Sollars shed light on the displacement, reintroduction, and loss of wildlife in urban areas, and have collaborated with Blandford Nature Center to create their time-based entry, Animal Land.

 

“Geode” by Carlson Garcia

Grand Rapids Public Museum

272 Pearl St. NW

 

The Grand Rapids Public Museum will once again host an outdoor exhibition in which the work of 17 artists will visually lend itself to the setting of the Museum grounds. Each year the GRPM curates a rewarding experience with approachable art that is intriguing, distinctive and engages the viewer’s capacity for awe and curiosity. Located in the heart of downtown Grand Rapids along the busy river walkway, the GRPM is able to offer a not-to-be-missed immersive, 24-hour experience.

 

During ArtPrize Ten the GRPM will be open with regular Museum hours and half off general admission fees. The GRPM will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays through Fridays and from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays of ArtPrize. For more information about artists, exhibitions, special programming and tickets visit grpm.org.

 

GRAM’s popular exhibitions extended through ArtPrize

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Intersections by Anila Quayyum Agha

By Grand Rapids Art Museum

 

Visitors to the Grand Rapids Art Museum (GRAM) during ArtPrize 2018 will get a special experience as two current exhibitions, Anila Quayyum Agha: Intersections and Mirror Variations: The Art of Monir Shahroudy Farmanfarmaian, will be on display through Oct. 7, the last day of ArtPrize 2018. During ArtPrize, there will be no admission charge for these exhibitions.

 

In 2014, Intersections won the ArtPrize Public Vote and Juried Grand Prize, the first and only time in the international art competition’s history. Four years later, Intersections remains equally as popular.

 

“It was exhilarating to watch GRAM’s ArtPrize visitors encounter Intersections in 2014, and there’s been an amazing response with the return of her work this summer,” said GRAM Director and CEO Dana Friis-Hansen. “We’re excited to give our guests an extra surprise, allowing them to extend their visit during ArtPrize 10.”

 

Agha’s work is presented alongside Monir Shahroudy Farmanfarmaian, an Iranian artist with an international reputation for sculpture and drawing that fuses traditional Persian patterns based in mathematics with geometric abstract art. Her work develops out of her interest in the serial progression of rectilinear forms, such as triangles, pentagons and hexagons.

 

The work of Monir Farmanfarmaian will be up through ArtPrize.

“Monir Farmanfarmaian is one of the most fascinating artists in the world—truly an artist of the 21st century,” commented GRAM Chief Curator Ron Platt. “We are delighted to share her works with the diverse audiences that come through GRAM’s doors during ArtPrize 10.”

 

Both artists create work which draws inspiration from Islamic tradition and modern abstraction, creating objects of great beauty and depth. GRAM’s presentation of the two solo exhibitions is part of its commitment to highlighting works of art by diverse artists year-round.

 

During ArtPrize 10, the Grand Rapids Art Museum will feature 10 artists along with the exhibits of Farmanfarmaian’s and Agha’s work.

 

For GRAM’s hours and admission fees, visit artmuseumgr.org or call 616-831-1000.

Public Museum announces two new fall exhibits, Dinosaurs and Toys

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Two happy children are having fun pretending to be in the dinosaur jaw

By Christie Bender

Grand Rapids Art Museum

 

The Grand Rapids Public Museum (GRPM) just announced that it will open two new exhibitions this October, Expedition: Dinosaur, a traveling family exhibit, and TOYS!, a GRPM-created exhibition. Expedition: Dinosaur will feature life-sized and life-like animatronic dinosaurs, themed around the hunt for dinosaur fossils. TOYS! will be an interactive, multi-generation exhibition of toys and games to rekindle childhood memories and spark the creation of new ones.

 

Expedition: Dinosaur – Opening October 14 – Tickets on sale now!

Expedition: Dinosaur explores the fascinating world of dinosaurs and the hunt for their fossils from Stage Nine Exhibitions, on display from October 14, 2018 through Spring 2019. Two special events, Breakfast with the Dinos and the Expedition: Dinosaur Opening Party, will take place on Saturday, October 13, 2018 to celebrate this new exhibit. For details and tickets, please visit grpm.org/Dinos.

 

This exhibit has something for every age and interest, from life-sized and lifelike animatronic dinosaurs – some controlled by visitors – to mechanical and electronic learning stations. Visitors can learn about modern imaging techniques like high-energy neutron beams that reveal the inside of a T. Rex skull in microscopic detail never seen before. The exhibit includes a number of hands-on interactives that explain dinosaur movement, digestion, and evolution, and show the life and methods of dinosaur hunters from the 1800s to today.

 

Expedition: Dinosaur taps into our fascination with these incredible creatures. It is perhaps the closest experience to what it would have been like to be in the presence of a living, breathing Mesozoic-era dinosaur.

 

This exhibit focuses on the science of paleontology. Exhibit developer Stage Nine Exhibitions engaged renowned paleontologist Dr. Thomas Williamson to consult and inform the exhibit. Dr. Williamson, Curator of Paleontology at the New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science, was featured in the PBS documentary “The Day The Dinosaurs Died.”

 

For more information and tickets, visit grpm.org/Dinos.

 

TOYS! – Opening October 27, 2018

Baby Boomers loved Paper Dolls, Erector Sets, and Mr. Potato Head, Gen Xers preferred Holly Hobbie and Hot Wheels, and Millennials have never known a world without Super Mario or My Little Pony. Some toys, like Barbie and G.I. Joe, have adapted to appeal to different generations and remain popular today. Toys and games have changed over time, but the desire to imagine, compete, and create has not. Explore this and more in the new exhibit, TOYS! opening at the GRPM on Saturday, Oct. 27.

 

TOYS! is an interactive, multi-generation exhibition of toys and games to rekindle childhood memories and spark the creation of new ones. This GRPM original exhibit features toys and games from the Museum’s Collections and on loan from the community, allowing visitors to imagine, compete and create, while taking going on a journey of toys through generations.

 

“TOYS! is a fun and interactive exhibit experience that is meant to spark inter-generational conversations about the importance of imagination and play, and how toys have changed over time,” said Alex Forist, the GRPMs Chief Curator. “We hope each visitor will remember playing with their favorite toys from childhood, as well as make new memories with their family, friends, and classmates.”

 

Through the design process of the exhibition, the Museum worked with several experts from the community making sure the design was as inclusive as possible so everyone visiting can enjoy it. The exhibition will be presented in both English and Spanish, and will also include Braille.

 

Museum members have the first chance to see TOYS! on Saturday, Oct. 27, during the members only preview from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. Members can RSVP to the members only preview at grpm.org/Toys. TOYS will be included with general admission to the Museum.

 

Thanks to the many donors, lenders, collaborators and friends of the GRPM who shared their toys and ideas for the exhibit. These include: Arcade Market, Children’s Museum of Indianapolis, Comprehensive Therapy Center, Dave Dennett, Eileen DeVries, Sophia Forist, Melissa Fortino, Organized by Melissa, Brian Gritter, Great Start, Grand Rapids Public Museum School, GRPS Early Childhood, Highscope Educational Research Foundation, Torin Hodgman, Inclusive Performance Strategies, Dr. Mira Krishnan, Meijer, Sarah Murphree, Rick Overway, Penske, Playmonster, Tim Priest, Becke Shiel, Dr. Phil Stegink, Neal and Silas VanTil, Vidiots, and Gloria Warren.

Snapshots: Wyoming and Kentwood news you need to know

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WKTV Staff

joanne@wktv.org

 

 

Quote of the Day

"I would travel only by horse, if I had a choice."- Linda McCartney

 

 

Come One, Come All

 

Patrons visit the GRAM for free during ArtPrize.

The Grand Rapids Art Museum recently announced it would be part of the Museums for All programs, providing free admission, for up to four people, with the presentation of a SNAP Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) card; commonly known as the Michigan Bridge Card. The GRAM joins the Grand Rapids Children Museum and the Urban Institute for Contemporary Arts in offering free and reduce admission. The Grand Rapids Symphony has the Symphony Scorecard program, which provides up to four free tickets to those receiving financial assistance from the State of Michigan and/or are active, reserve or guard military families.

 

 

A horse is a horse, of course, of course…

 

Bill catches up with an old friend at Lee’s Summit Equestrian.

WKTV volunteers Bill and Charlotte Rinderknecht have hit the road in search of stories about horses and the people who work with them for their documentary series “Horses and Their People.” Follow the couple as they journey through the United States, visiting ranches and exploring the local culture of the communities they visit.

 

Feeding the Mind and the Body

 

Snatching up the snacks

During the summer, Kent District Library’s newest branch, the Kelloggsville branch, has been participating in The Meet Up and Eat Up program. Sponsored by the state, the program is designed to bring nutritious meals to lower income areas. Set to wrap up this week on Aug. 17, the KDL Kelloggsville Meet Up and Eat Up served students living near the high school, where the facility is located. As KDL Executive Director stated “Feeding the minds, imaginations and spirits is something that we have always done at KDL, but now we are literally feeding hungry people.”

 

 

 

Murder She Wrote

 

The cast of the upcoming production of “And Then There Were None”

At first, no one wanted to produce the play version of Agatha Christie’s “And Then There Were None” because they insisted that the storyline wouldn’t work on stage and that people would laugh at it. In 2015, it was voted the World’s Favorite Christie having been made into several movies with such groups as the Superman comics and “Family Guy” making parodies of it. This weekend you can catch several local residents as they perform the murder mystery at the Jenison Theater of the Arts, which has productions running Aug. 17-19 and 24-26. If you can’t make that production, Grand Rapids Civic Theatre will be offering a production in January. In between the two productions, you can always read the book.

 

Fun Fact:

17 hours

That is how long it took to make all the costumes and puppets for the Broadway production of Disney's The Lion King. It took 750 pounds of silicone rubber with the tallest animal being the 18-foot giraffes and the smallest being a five-inch trick mouse on Scar's cane. You can see it all next year as Broadway Grand Rapids recently announced that Disney's The Lion King will be part of its 2019-2020 season.

GRAM announces access program for low-income individuals and families

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Patrons visit the GRAM for free during ArtPrize.

The Grand Rapids Art Museum (GRAM) announced today that it has joined Museums for All, a national access program of the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) and Association of Children’s Museums (ACM). Museums for All is designed to encourage people of all backgrounds to visit museums regularly and build lifelong museum-going habits. The program is effective as of today, Aug. 13, 2018.

 

The Museum for All program grants those receiving food assistance (SNAP) benefits visiting GRAM free admission, for up to four people, with the presentation of a SNAP Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) card; commonly known as the Michigan Bridge Card. Similar free and reduced admission is available to eligible members of the public at more than 250 museums across the country. Museums for All is part of the Grand Rapids Art Museum’s broad commitment to seek, include and welcome all.

 

Grand Rapids Art Museum Director and CEO Dana Friis-Hansen visits with a student. Hansen just announced a new that the GRAM will be part of the Museums for All program.

“The Grand Rapids Art Museum is proud to announce its participation in Museums for All,” said GRAM Director and CEO Dana Friis-Hansen. “Access to the arts is critical for the vibrancy of our community, and this program furthers the Museum’s initiative of offering inclusive and accessible experiences for visitors year-round.”

 

Museums for All helps expand access to museums and also raise public awareness about how museums in the U.S. are reaching their entire communities. More than 250 institutions participate in the initiative, including art museums, children’s museums, science centers, botanical gardens, zoos, history museums and more. Participating museums are located nationwide, representing more than 40 states.

 

 

GRAM is one of three institutions in West Michigan participating in Museums for All, along with the Grand Rapids Children’s Museum and Urban Institute for Contemporary Arts. GRAM joins Museums for All after a year piloting the Grand Rapids Symphony’s access program, Symphony Scorecard. The Scorecard program is in effect at the Museum through the end of August 2018.

 

 

The Museum’s fall 2018 season offers a dynamic lineup of art experiences for eligible visitors to enjoy, including Who Shot Sports: A Photographic History, 1843 to the Present and Dylan Miner: Water is Sacred // Trees are Relative. Visitors are additionally invited to participate in a wide array of the Museum’s free programming and events, including Drop-in Studio, Artist and Curator lectures, Drop-in Tours, Yoga at GRAM, Lunch and Learns, Baby & Me Tours, Discovery Club, and the Sunday Classical Concert Series.

 

For more about the Grand Rapids Art Museum programming, visit artmuseumgr.org.

ArtPrize winner returns to the GRAM in series of exhibits that represents diversity

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Anila Agha’s “Intersections” is at the Grand Rapids Art Museum through Aug. 26.

By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma

joanne@wktv.org

 

This summer, the Grand Rapids Art Museum celebrates diversity with three shows featuring artists from Pakistan, Iran, and South America.

 

“It does turn out to be that way but it wasn’t exactly what we set out to do,” said Grand Rapids Art Museum Chief Curator Ron Platt. “We always strive to represent diversity in our programming, so we are really happy about the convergence of these shows.”

 

In 2014, Anila Agha took ArtPrize by storm with her installation “Intersections,” featuring a large cube with a light bulb in the center that helped to reflect out the patterns and ornamentation inspired from traditional Islamic architecture and design. The piece, which hung in the GRAM in 2014, won both the ArtPrize Public Vote and Juried Grand Prize.

 

It returns to the museum with the exhibit “Mirror Viariations: the Art of Monir Shahroudy Farmanfarmaian.” An Iranian artist, Farmanfarmaian is known for creating work which draws inspiration from Islamic tradition and modern abstraction. Now 90, she was the first Iranian artist of her generation to use cut-glass mosaics as a medium, as art without religious function.

 

The work of Monir Farmanfarmaian is up through Aug. 26.

“These shows are very engaging for people of all ages and people who are art fans and people who are causal art viewers,” Platt said. “The Farmanfarmaian show includes intricate mirror mosaics crafting that I think is astonishing in how complex and beautiful it is.

 

“It also has, at its base. geometry which you know is a universal language in itself which is something that kids learn and study about, and everybody knows what squares, triangles, and rectangles are. It’s amazing to see what she is doing with those shapes.”

 

The “Mirrors Variations” exhibit is centered around large sculptural reliefs with surfaces of cut mirror mosaic and reverse-glass painting. The materials were used extensively in traditional Persian architecture, an inspiration to the artist.

 

Bruja Infante by Oswaldo Vigas

There is a variety of programming planned around the Agha and Farmanfarmaian exhibits including artist talks, a film screening, and drop-in tours. For more visit, www.artmuseumgr.org.

 

In a separate exhibit, located on the first floor, is “Oswaldo Vigas: Transformations,” which is the first solo exhibit of the Venezuelan artist in the United States.

 

“The Vigas show is really interesting because it covers a 40-year period of his work,” Platt said. “It is paintings and drawings, and it looks at how his drawing practice forms his paintings but also shows how he moved through different styles but still remained interested in ideas about mythology and Latin American identity in his work.”

 

“Mirror Variations” and “Intersections” will be up through Aug. 26. “Transformations will be up through Sept. 2. The Grand Rapids Art Museum is located at 101 Monroe Ave. NW.

5 Local Things You Need to Know: Headlines for the Week

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Roger B. Chaffee By NASA/photographer unknown – NASA [1] Great Images in NASA Description, Public Domain

Wyoming and Kentwood: WKTV Journal Newscast

The latest WKTV Newscast takes a look at the new Roger B. Chaffee statute that was dedicated in May along with celebrating Older American Month with Holland Home. To get residents ready for the summer, we take a peak at the summer concerts in the cities of Kentwood and Wyoming and look at the summer exhibits that have opened at the Grand Rapids Public Museum and the Grand Rapids Art Museum.

 

For the full broadcast, click here.

Wyoming: Lee High School’s Top Ten

University of Michigan, Grand Rapids Community College, Grand Valley State University, Western Michigan University, these are just some of the places that that the top 10 of Lee High School’s Class of 2018 are heading.

 

For more on the story, click here.

 

Wyoming: Active Commute Week Challenge

It’s that time again when many area residents will take the challenge and leave their vehicle at home. June 11 – 15 is Active Commute Week, where commuters are encouraged to consider how they get to work and seek other ways that help benefit the environment.

 

For more on the story, click here.

 

Viewed from left and right, “Let Go” by Pamela Alderman. (Courtesy of the artist Alderman)

Kent County: ArtPrize Top 25 artists donates piece

 

When Pamela Alderman created “Let Go” for ArtPrize in 2017, she was looking to impact the audience with a large interactive piece. Alderman‘s work, an ArtPrize Top 25 finalist, is a beautiful seascape on five large wood panels that includes three Plexiglas figures that transform as you move around the artwork. The work was installed this month on the fifth floor of the Kent County Courthouse.

 

For more on the story, click here.

 

 

Kent County: Students get the  chance to be the change

 

A local radio group is teaming up with local organizations and businesses to provide Grand Rapids area students with funding, resources and mentors to implement the change they want to see in their community.
The #GRSummerProject is open to area students from sixth grade to college freshmen. The project is a collaboration led by Townsquare Media and includes the support of Level One Bank, Start Garden, Experience Grand Rapids, Amplify GR and Grand Rapids area schools.
For more on the story, click here.

Summer Camps in West Michigan offer myriad fun activities

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Photo courtesy of Compass College of Cinematic Arts

By Jeremy Witt, West Michigan Tourist Association

 

It’s nearly that time again! Get your child involved in some fun and meaningful activities — consider a summer camp!

 

Make a movie this summer with the Film and Acting Summer Camps at the Compass College of Cinematic Arts in Grand Rapids! Learn from professionals how to act on camera and make films when the camp runs from June 18th to 22nd for ages 13 to 18. Film Camp students will write, shoot, and edit your own short film with guidance from seasoned filmmakers. In Acting Camp, you’ll learn on-camera acting techniques with a film actor as your coach and then star in a film produced by Film Camp. At the end of the week, walk the red carpet at the film’s premiere for family and friends on the big screen!

 

The Downtown Market in Grand Rapids has three-day and four-day summer camps for the young foodie in your life. Each camp has a distinct theme, ranging from Michigan’s fruits and vegetables to creating and utilizing a backyard farm. Sign up today for what Downtown Market cleverly calls their “Simmer Camps”!

 

Tiny dancers at the Grand Rapids Ballet dance camp (photo courtesy of GR Ballet)

The Grand Rapids Ballet has a variety of camps that are all centered around dance. Their Ballet School has programs for ballet, young dancers, boys ballet, and summer intensive training. They also have two Adaptive Dance programs: Explorer Dance (for children with Down syndrome) and Dancing with Parkinson’s (for adults with Parkinson’s disease). These Adaptive Dance classes allow students to experience the joy of dancing who may otherwise not have the opportunity to do so. Summer camps at the Grand Rapids Ballet are both fun and accessible for everyone!

 

The Grand Rapids Civic Theatre has summer camps that give students the chance to spend an entire week learning about theatre while having a blast making new friends. They’ve made some fantastic additions to their extremely popular summer camp program this year, so you’ll want to take a look at their new offerings for the season. Camps range from age 4 all the way through high school!

 

Summer fun happens at the Grand Rapids Public Museum! Join them and explore the wonders of science, history, culture, art, and fun! For nine weeks this summer, kids ages 4 to 14 can use the museum as a learning lab, experimenting and growing, all while having a great time in one of the area’s most history-rich and “cool” environments.

At The Critter Barn (photo courtesy of Critter Barn)

 

The Critter Barn in Zeeland offers a one-of-a-kind Critter Camp class for students who are eager to engage in animal care. Work through the entire farm with the barn’s staff and return to volunteer throughout the entire year. These camps are available for ages 8 to 15.

 

 

Area organizations offer lots of activities to make sure no student is left bored this spring break

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The Grand Rapids Art Museum will be offering free admission to students.

 

Looking for something to do on spring break? Well, there are lots of camps and activities available through a variety of organizations. Here are just a few ideas.

 

 

Wyoming and Kentwood Parks and Recreation Departments

 

There is always something to do at a local park and with the weather warming, a chance to get some fresh air is always a nice option. Along with that, make sure to check out your local parks and recreation department for programs or activities taking place during the week. It is also a good time to check out the spring and summer leagues. For the Wyoming Parks and Recreation Department, click here.

 

Kentwood Parks and Recreation will be hosting its annual Easter Egg Hunt on Saturday, March 31 at 10 a.m. at Kentwood City Hall, 4900 Breton Ave. SE. Also, Kentwood is currently taking applications for the Kentwood Farmers Market, which opens in June. For Kentwood Parks and Recreation Department, click here.

 

 

The Salvation Army Kroc Center

 

Family art projects, bounce houses, swimming, and climbing are just a few of the family–friendly activity options available at The Salvation Army Kroc Center during Spring Break 2018, April 2–6.

 

The Salvation Army Kroc Center is located at 2500 S. Division Ave.

 

Open swim, climbing wall, and game room hours will be extended. Special guest presentations at 11 a.m. each morning include Blandford Nature Center, Binder Park Zoo, puppeteer Kevin Kammeraad, and interactive drumming with WaZoBia.

 

Day passes are only $7.50 for all ages, and Kroc Center members get unlimited free access to all activities. All children age 11 and under must be supervised by an adult while visiting the Kroc Center. New this year, the Kroc has added a “family room” where parents and kids looking for a break can have snacks, play games, and more.

 

Also new this year is an annual Family Pool & Play Pass, cost is $99, which provides day pass access to the Kroc Center for a family of up to five people during the most popular open swim times – Saturdays and Sundays, Spring Break, and Christmas Break.

 

For more information, visit GrKrocCenter.org/springbreak or call 616-588-7200.

 

 

The Grand Rapids Art Museum will host two drop-in art studio programs, April 3 and 7.

Grand Rapids Art Museum

 

The Grand Rapids Art Museum will offer free admission to kids 17 and under during Spring Break, April 3-7.

 

The Grand Rapids Art Museum is located at 101 Monroe Center NW.

 

Free admission includes entry to all of the Museum’s current exhibits, as well as related programming offered at the Museum on the day of the visit. The Museum will offer two drop-in art studio programs during the week, April 3 and 7 from 1-4 p.m., as well as a drop-in tour, April 7 from 1-2 p.m.

 

GRAM’s current exhibits are “Alexis Rockman: The Great Lakes Cycle,” exploring the past, present, and future of North America’s Great Lakes; “From Wilderness to Resource: A Story in Pictures,” a selection from GRAM’s permanent collection designed to complement the Rockman exhibit; and “Tony Mendoza: Cats and Dogs,” featuring the work of Ohio-based photographer and writer of Cuban descent Tony Mendoza.

 

For more information, visit artmuseumgr.org/exhibitions

 

 

At the Grand Rapids Public Museum, students can create a mermaid or unicorn puppet.

Grand Rapids Public Museum

 

The Grand Rapids Public Museum (GRPM) will have its two traveling exhibits, planetarium shows, hands-on activities and more from Spring Break, which will run from March 30 – April 8.

 

The Grand Rapids Public Museum is at 272 Pearl St. NW.

 

Museum hours will be extended until 8 p.m. from April 2 – 6. The Museum will be closed Sunday, April 1 for Easter.

 

Special hands-on activities include creating your own Chinese dragons, make-and-take your own mermaid or unicorn puppet, playing BIG games, build structures with Keva blocks and Magformers magnetic shapes, and special Museum artifacts on a touch-it table.  Visitors can explore the mythical creatures from around the globe in the “Dragons, Unicorns & Mermaids,” and become a water droplet in “Water’s Extreme Journey.”

 

Keva blocks and Magformers magnetic shapes

On Tuesday, April 3, there will be a special Science Tuesday activity in the Museum’s Watershed Lab using an augmented reality sandbox. Visitors will change the topography of a land map, creating different terrains from lakes to mountains to learn how a watershed works. This Lab will be free with general admission.

 

The GRPM will be offering additional Chaffee Planetarium show times for the most popular shows. Planetarium shows are $4 with general admission, $5 for planetarium-only tickets and free to Museum members.

 

For more information on Spring Break activities including planetarium shows and for tickets visit grpm.org.

 

 

Grand Rapids Ballet

 

The Grand Rapids Ballet will offer two programs for youth during the week of April 2-6, a Spring Break for Kids day series of one-hour program of entertainment and activities, and a series of longer Day Camps focused on dance and physical fitness activities.

 

The Grand Rapids Ballet is located at 341 Elllsworth Avenue SW, Grand Rapids.

 

Spring Break for Kids will run Monday-Friday, April 2-6, from 10:30 to11:30 a.m., at the Peter Martin Wege Theatre. Doors open every day at 10:30 a.m. for fun activities including a Gymco obstacle course and costume dress-up, followed by a 30-minute kid-friendly ballet, “Mother Goose’s Friends”. Tickets are $7 per day.

 

Spring Break Day Camp will run Monday-Thursday, April 2-5, at the Grand Rapids Ballet School. Each day of Day Camp includes social and physical activity for boys and girls ages 3-6 years. In the camps, campers will learn the fundamentals of etiquette, cooperation, goal-setting, musicality, flexibility, strength, and more. Campers can enroll in one day or all four days For cost, call 616-454-4771 (Ext. 17). The camps are also available for entire weeks during summer vacation.

 

For more information call 616-454-4771 (Ext.10) or visit GRBallet.com.

 

How do you mark 10 years in the community? By serving cake, of course

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By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma

joanne@wktv.org

 

When Dana Friis-Hansen interviewed for the position of director and chief executive officer at the Grand Rapids Art Museum, he already knew how special the white and glass facility at 101 Monroe Center NW was.

 

The building, constructed in the early 2000s, was the world’s first LEED Gold certified art museum, setting a standard that only a few have achieved such as the Boston Children’s Museum, San Diego Natural History Museum, and East Lansing’s Eli and Edith Broad Art Museum. Friis-Hansen also knew of the work of London-based Munkenbeck+Marshalls Architects which designed the building and of architect Kulapat Yantrasast of wHY Architecture who completed the project.

 

Grand Rapids Art Museum Director and CEO Dana Friis-Hansen talks to a visiting student.

“It was the first purposed building for the art museum,” Friis-Hansen said during a recent phone interview. At the time, the Grand Rapids Art Museum was housed in what is now the Kendall College of Art and Design of Ferris State University’s Fed Galleries on Pearl Street. The GRAM building was designed to serve many functions with the 125,000-square-foot building having three floors of gallery and exhibition space, an auditorium, education area, store, and lobby.

 

“In the lobby area, we could have a classical works program and it can also host a wedding,” Friis-Hansen said as an example of the facility’s multiple uses. “The auditorium provides space for various programs, community events, and activities.”

 

Simply put: the GRAM building when opened in 2008 had many taking notice of what Grand Rapids had to offer and its commitment to the arts.

 

It has been 10 years since the facility was open and this Saturday, Nov. 18, the art museum is hosting a party, “10 at 101: Celebrating GRAM’s Tenth Anniversary at 101 Monroe Center.” The free event will include a variety of activities:

 

10 a.m – 4 pm.: party hat making in the GRAM’s lobby

10 a.m. – noon: birthday cake in GRAM’s Auditorium

11 a.m. – 4 p.m.: screen printing in GRAM Studio

 

There also will be two Drop-in-Tours to explore the GRAMs newest exhibition with a museum docent at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. The exhibit is “Andy Warhol’s American Icons,” which runs through Feb. 11 and also celebrates the museum 10th anniversary since a Warhol exhibit was the first exhibition in the building when it opened.

 

The 2007 official ribbon cutting at the Grand Rapids Art Museum.

“When the idea was first brought up to have a Warhol exhibit, the response was people have already seen that,” Friis-Hansen said. “As we discussed it further, we felt as if there was a whole generation who had not seen the show and perhaps had never seen a real Warhol.”

 

The “American Icons” was organized by GRAM and is designed to be a celebration of America by bringing together a selection of Warhol paintings, prints, and photographs. Among those items is Warhol’s famous “Campbell’s Soup” silk-screen and two screen prints from a 1967 series of Marilyn Monroe.

 

Also at the GRAM is “Christian Marclay: Video Quartet” through Jan. 14. Marclay is an international artist who has spent the last 30 years exploring the fusion of fine art and audio cultures. In this exhibit, he has taken more than 700 individual film clips in which characters play instruments, sing, or make noise in one form or another.

 

One of the goals of the GRAM with its current facility has been to provide the community with a broad spectrum of art such as the visual art of Marclay, the pop art of Warhol, the fashion work of Iris van Herpen, the prints of Grand Rapids artist Reynold Weidenaar, the pottery of Newcomb, and the popular exhibition “Diana – A Celebration” featuring the Princess of Wales’ wedding dress.

 

Looking at the next 10 years, do not expect the GRAM to slow down. On the horizon is the contemporary painter Alexis Rockman exhibit “The Great Lakes Cycle” which takes a look at the past, present and future of North America’s Great Lakes and next fall, “Who Shot Sports: A Photographic History, 1843 to the Present,” which will feature more than 200 images from the past 175 years of sports photography. Friis-Hansen said the GRAM also will have an exhibit called “What Happen Here?,” which will explore how the land the museum currently sits on has changed from a place where American Natives gathered to become the site of the world’s first green museum.

 

Note: While GRAM does not offer parking, there are many public parking lots located directly adjacent to the museum. Various city lots do offer the first hour of parking free, and the closet is the Monroe Center Parking Ramp, located on the corner of Louis Street and Ionia Avenue.

Local pianist Talaga, with symphony strings, offers premier work at GRAM

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Pianist Steve Talaga, at right (shown with a jazz trip), will team with Grand Rapids Symphony strings to present two works written by Talaga in a Nov. 26 concert at the GRAM. (Supplied)

WKTV Staff

news@wktv.org

 

The Grand Rapids Art Museum’s Sunday Classical Concert Series, a series of 16 performances during the fall and winter each year, will present a special program featuring local pianist Steve Talaga on Thanksgiving weekend.

 

“String Fling: The Music of Steve Talaga”, will be presented Sunday, Nov. 26, at 2 p.m. at the museum.

 

“An ensemble of virtuoso string players from the Grand Rapids Symphony will perform my string quartet and a new quintet for piano and strings, “From Darkness into Light”, Talaga said to WKTV. “This will be the world premier (of the second work) and I’ll be joining them at the piano.”

 

Talaga wrote the string quartet when was written in 1990 when he was a graduate student at Western Michigan University.

 

The setting of the concerts is one of the GRAM’s beautiful, natural light filled spaces which showcase the buildings architecture and galleries as well as the music. The concert is open to the public with general admission, and free for all GRAM members. Seating is first come, first served.

 

The GRAM is located in downtown Grand Rapids. For more information visit artmuseum.org .

 

Grand Rapids Art Museum offers free studio events for kids at ArtPrize Nine

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By Crystal Chesnik

GRAM Studio Programs Manager

 

Kids can get into the ArtPrize Nine action this weekend at the Grand Rapids Art Museum’s (GRAM) drop-in studios.

 

“Mighty Chrysanthemum Tree” by Mel Watkins

The GRAM’s ArtPrize drop-in studios will feature a project based on one of its ArtPrize exhibits, Mighty Chrysanthemum Tree by Mel Watkins.  The piece is based on the artist’s love and respect for the trees and flowers surrounding her farmhouse in rural southern Illinois.  The piece has a menacing aspect to it, because even though nature is beautiful, it can also be deadly. “Mighty Chrysanthemum Tree” imagines a tree-sized handful of Chrysanthemums swaying ominously overhead.

 

Kids and families will be able to create their own beautiful, and even a bit menacing, flower prints using stamps they can craft from clay. In addition, the GRAM has created a large-scale, collaborative flower garden on the walls of its studio. Guests can use their stamps to add their own unique flower to the flower garden.

 

The event is free and open during the last weekend of ArtPrize Nine, from 1-4 p.m. on both Saturday, Oct. 7, and Sunday, Oct. 8.  There is no need to register in advance, but more information can be found at artmuseumgr.org or by calling 616-831-1000.

 

Grand Rapids Public Museum partners with local art museum for reciprocal membership benefits

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The Grand Rapids Public Museum. (Supplied)

By Kate Moore

Grand Rapids Public Museum

 

This August the Grand Rapids Public Museum (GRPM) is partnering with the Grand Rapids Art Museum (GRAM) to offer reciprocal membership benefits.

 

Through this partnership, GRPM members can visit GRAM during the month of August and receive free general admission and discounts in the Grand Rapids Art Museum’s store. GRAM members can in return visit the GRPM and receive free general admission, free planetarium shows, free carousel rides, and FREE admission to the special exhibit “Mindbender Mansion!”

 

Grand Rapids Art Museum (supplied).

As an added benefit GRAM members will receive member pricing to the Grand Rapids Maker Faire, hosted by the GRPM, taking place August 19th & 20th. Maker Faire is a gathering of fascinating, curious people who enjoy learning and who love sharing what they can do. From engineers to scientists to artists and crafters, Maker Faire is a venue showcasing inventions, creations and more.

 

“It’s a great time to be a member of the GRPM!” said Kate Moore, VP of Marketing and PR for the Grand Rapids Public Museum. “We are thankful to the Art Museum for their partnership, making it possible for us to offer even more to the community.”

 

“GRAM’s proud to partner with the Grand Rapids Public Museum for the third year in a row,” commented Juliana Nahas-Viilo, Membership Manager of the Grand Rapids Art Museum. “The Grand Rapids Public Museum is one of the many outstanding cultural institutions in our city, and we are excited to offer this reciprocal benefit to our members.”

 

For more information on the reciprocal membership benefits or to become a member of the GRPM, please visit grpm.org/membership.

 

Grand Rapids Maker Faire

 

Part science fair, part county fair, and part something entirely new, Maker Faire gathers all-ages to learn and teach about new ideas and collaborations! Interactive stations and inventions will be showcased by tech enthusiasts, crafters, educators, tinkerers, hobbyists, engineers, artists, students, and commercial exhibitors. All of these “makers” come to Maker Faire to show what they have made and to share what they have learned. Visitors to this year’s Grand Rapids Maker Faire can expect to see and interact with more than 100 maker booths.

 

Join the family-friendly celebration of tech enthusiasts, crafters, hobbyists, engineers, artists, and commercial exhibitors. Visitors will be hands-on driving robots, being a part of an iron pour, testing renewable energy sources, seeing 3D printing and more!

 

The Faire will be open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 19 and from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, August 20th. More information and tickets available at GrandRapids.MakerFaire.com.

 

Eclipse Party

 

The Grand Rapids Public Museum (GRPM) is hosting a special Eclipse Day Party on August 21st between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. to celebrate the total eclipse that will span the continental United States. The Eclipse Day will include hands-on solar related activity booths, multiple shows on the half hour of “Eclipses and Phases of the Moon” in the Chaffee Planetarium, and a live stream of the total eclipse will be shown in the Meijer Theater.

 

Activities as part of the Eclipse Party will be included with general admission to the Museum. GRAM and GRPM members be FREE for this event. Activities will take place outside, weather permitting. Visitors attending the Grand Rapids Maker Faire on August 19th and 20th, will receive free admission to the Eclipse Day Party by wearing their event wristband! Visit grpm.org for more information.