Brooklyn, NY, artist wins $250K top prize in new Mich. art competition
By APThursday, October 8, 2009
NYC artist is $250K winner of art competition
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — A Brooklyn, N.Y., artist has won the $250,000 top prize offered in a new art competition in Grand Rapids, Mich.
Ran Ortner and his painting “Open Water no.24″ topped the voting among ten finalists competing for a total of $449,000 in prize money in the first ArtPrize event. The winner was announced Thursday night.
Tracy Van Duinen of Chicago receives $100,000 for second place with her mural “Imagine That!” and Eric Daigh of Traverse City, Mich., places third and wins $50,000 for his series of portraits created with pushpins.
The remaining seven finalists each receive $7,000.
The public has selected the finalists and winners “American Idol”-style from among 1,262 works displayed throughout downtown Grand Rapids.
On the Net:
ArtPrize: www.artprize.org/home
