ArtPrize 2011 - "Numinous Community"

I decided to enter the ArtPrize competition again this year. For those who don't know what this is, in short the top prize is $250,000. Places all over downtown Grand Rapids, MI host art exhibitions. The winner is decided by public vote. It's wild, kind of chaotic, exuberant, fun focusing on art and the city of Grand Rapids. During the weeks of the event the streets are filled with people all talking about art, and I do mean filled!

This year my entry is Numinous Community. This is a grouping of my vessels designed to show off some of the range of my metalsmithing skills, specifically focusing on the techniques of angle raising, chasing, and patination. Of course, a hightlight is also the luminous inner glow of the pieces.

Conceptually this is about a metaphorical expression of people. We come in a wide variety of shapes, sizes, colors, and complexities. Yet, within us all is a divine being, an inner light. I want to try and show the beauty in our differences and similarities. Those who know my regular work will note that this isn't really different from what I normally do. This is true. It's a general theme I've been working with for years. So like all my other work it's also about trying to find a timeless beauty, something that speaks to all of us at the core of our humanity. It's about honoring and valuing skilled labor, the sort that challenges us to develop our bodies and minds. It's about the natural, sensual world, being very tactile objects that let the materials and tools have a voice in their creation. It's also about gently guiding attention to our inner being and the wonder of life.

This year my hosting venue will be the Grand Rapids Art Museum, located at 101 Monroe Center, Grand Rapids, MI. ArtPrize runs from Sept. 21st - Oct. 9th, 2011. If you are able, I hope you'll stop by and see Numinous Community.

The business guy side of me feels I should make a note about potential sales of this work. As per ArtPrize rules all sales must be considered pending until the final winner of the competition is determined. This is because the top winning piece becomes part of the the ArtPrize collection. Further, I've decided that anyone who wishes to buy this group as a whole by Oct. 9th, 2011, will get precedence behind the ArtPrize collection. I will take "pending sales" on a first come first served basis for all the pieces individually. After Oct. 9th, if the collection is not sold as a whole, we will complete the individual "pending sales". I hope that makes sense. If you have questions or wish to reserve a "pending" sale of one of these pieces feel free to contact me at: huang @ davidhuang.org (remove the spaces I inserted to hinder spam bots!) You may also contact LaFontsee Gallery if you would like to get a "pending" sale of a piece. Their phone number is (616) 451-9820.