The Rapidian Home

Opinion

 

Why we do what we do: categorization on The Rapidian

Submitted 10-06-2011 under OPINION

It’s been over two weeks since The Rapidian relaunched, high time we start talking about what we did and why we did it. This is the first part in a brief series of recaps detailing recent technical changes on The Rapidian, both behind the...

[read more]

Grand opening for Nourish Organic Market set for Saturday

Submitted 10-06-2011 under OPINION

Wondering how to buy food locally, but not sure where to start? Look no further than Nourish Organic Market. Located at 634 Wealthy St SE, Nourish sells products that are organic and locally produced. Here you will find items from Michigan farms...

[read more]

Local manufacturing workers react to Austin Bunn's "RUST"

Submitted 10-04-2011 under OPINION

"It was a good run," said Marty Green, former employee of the General Motors Metal Fabrication plant in Wyoming, Mich. Marty sums up much of the sentiment radiating from "RUST." Namely, that the era of Michigan-as-titan-of-industry—of sweaty, hard-...

[read more]

What does this year's Top 10 say about our public?

Submitted 10-03-2011 under OPINION

Let me first clarify by saying that I realize the term public is general and does not directly represent the many who didn’t participate in the ArtPrize hullabaloo. If all of Grand Rapids cast their votes for what they deemed “good...

[read more]

Art and dying cities: What does “Top Ten” really mean?

Submitted 10-03-2011 under OPINION

ArtPrize: This event opens many cans of worms for me from the nature of art (and craft) to the value of success. I’m questioning the concept and the nature of the Top Ten. In this article, I ask the question: How do Top Ten lists come to be,...

[read more]

RUST: A sympathetic portrait of post-industrial Michigan

Submitted 10-02-2011 under OPINION

If the stories of individuals impacted by the closing of the Wyoming General Motors plant were not told with the actual words of those interviewed, Austin Bunn’s play RUST could be reduced to a narrative of nostalgia or fatalism...

[read more]

Wow. That's Bad.

Submitted 09-30-2011 under OPINION

The top ten is out. The majority of the pieces are bad. Now what? ArtPrize has a problem. If this is the kind of work that gets awarded colossal sums of money, then the best and brightest of the art world will not bother. The contest has the...

[read more]

How to help the good guys win

Submitted 09-28-2011 under OPINION

Today is the last day to cast wide your votes. Until today I was a staunch non-voter for several reasons. I believe that art is intrinsically awarding on its own, both for the maker and the viewer. I worry about mass appeal. But ArtPrize wants...

[read more]

Relax: Art Doesn’t Think You’re Dumb

Submitted 09-27-2011 under OPINION

At a panel discussion last Friday at GVSU, ArtPrize artist Cynthia McKean defended the moose-o-nails that made headlines in 2009: “It was so real, you could almost touch it.” Her admiration of the odd representation of moose fur wasn...

[read more]

New Picturesque gallery open to the public

Submitted 09-27-2011 under OPINION

Thanks to the generous support of Colorinc Prolab, we are able to continue our Picturesque series throughout the year. For the fall Picturesque, we're having fun with a big question that's on all of our minds now during ArtPrize 2011: Is it...

[read more]

Browse