ArtPrize Artist Lists His Exhibit For Purchase On Facebook

The biggest event in Grand Rapids every year has begun with a blast (pun intended), and over the weekend, thousands flocked downtown to view as many of the over 900 entries as they could. The impact on the city during this event is huge, not just economically but also socially, with hundreds of thousands of visitors.

From September 18 to October 4, the public will vote to decide which artist will win the $100,000 grand prize, while the winner of each of the other categories (2D, 3D, Installation, Time-Based, New Media, and +Design) will win $10,000. That gives any artist a chance at either $10,000 or $100,000.

Six artists out of over 900 entries is steep competition, and if artists were to bank solely on prize earnings, that wouldn't be worth the effort for most. That's why artists can sell their work if they choose, which is great and totally normal.

READ MORE: Grand Rapids Makes Bold Stance About AI Art In ArtPrize

It can, however, make perusing on something like Facebook Marketplace an interesting time when you accidentally stumble across an ArtPrize entry in the wild. For someone like me, who sees all these entries but doesn't tend to see the business side of things, it's an interesting peek into the artist's perspective.

The listing by John Smith Jr. on Facebook has an asking price of $20,000, with the description reading:

16ft tall Giant statue. Entered in Art Prize. Currently installed at Sixth Street Park off Monroe. Until Oct 4th. I'll be taking offers during the Art Prize Festival. All metal construction that breaks down into five pieces for Transportation.

 

The head pivots in the wind. Also, the arms swing. It has solar-powered spotlights for eyes. Currently mounted to a 1-inch thick plate.

Currently installed at Sixth Street Park off Monroe, it is viewable to the public, and Smith Jr. is taking offers. It's also a curious way of advertising not only the entry but also that it is part of ArtPrize in general.

ArtPrize public voting ends on October 2nd.