GRAND RAPIDS -- ArtPrize first-place winner Ran Ortner will be chatting with, not speaking to, his audience tonight at the Grand Rapids Art Museum.
"It's a conversation, which is great. I originally was told I was gonna speak, and I was like, 'Uh ...,'" Ortner said, chuckling during a media meet-and-greet Friday afternoon.
"I wrote a speech and I'm like, 'This is horrific,' as I read it back to myself. And then I called and said, 'Celeste (Adams, the museum's director), can we have a conversation?' And she just said yes."
| IF YOU GO | ||
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ArtPrize 2009 winner Ran Ortner
When: 7 tonight | ||
Ortner will be at the museum at 7 tonight for its weekly "Fridays at GRAM." The event will include a question-and-answer session and a visit to his 19-foot, three-paneled undulating wave painting on display on GRAM's second floor.
Ortner stood in front of "Open Water no. 24" that has, since winning $250,000 in last fall's inaugural art competition, been purchased by Dick and Betsy DeVos.
The painting will become part of an ongoing collection of ArtPrize-winning pieces to be displayed in the city. It remains on temporary loan at GRAM.
Ortner said he is happy the DeVoses acquired the piece, citing them as "amazing stewards of the arts."
Tonight, he plans to expound about his piece, which he said he created specifically for ArtPrize.
"I was aware that this painting was going to a competition, which was a nice feeling actually. Right. We're having a painting contest. Lovely. I know how to paint."
And with "Open Water," Ortner said he created an accessible piece -- different from some of his more brooding and tumultuous wave paintings.
"You have so much that's so personal as an artist, but also you have a desire to reach others. And there's a tremendous amount of it you do entirely for yourself. But there's also an extension where you want to get outside of the sealed container of yourself and reach the audience.
"And when I was doing this I just thought it had enough, kind of openness to be accessible."
Ortner said he had no idea Grand Rapids was "so immersed with a deep sense of water."
Since his ArtPrize win, Ortner said he has been presented with numerous opportunities, such as being approached by authors and filmmakers. He is looking into one independent filmmaker's proposal to film him painting and surfing that would take about two years to complete.
Ortner still is struggling with the constant media attention.
"I suppose I'm ...," Ortner began, but stopped himself. "No, I'm not getting accustomed to it. I'm trying to be cool with it, but it's still quite bizarre."
Ortner is preparing a series of works for a fall show in New York City that will coincide with ArtPrize, so that prevents him from participating again.
"I would like to come back for it, but we'll see what happens."
E-mail Rachael Recker: rrecker@grpress.com