Press Release

02/14/2020

Grand Rapids — The ArtPrize competition returns this fall, and the first artist to be in the running for the $200,000 grand prize awarded by public vote is confirmed. Seaum Shim wowed the judges and audience at last night’s ArtPrize Gangnam Showcase event held in Seoul, South Korea. He won a $25,000 grant to bring a multipart installation which captures the sounds of endangered animals in 3D form from across the world to DeVos Place Convention Center in downtown Grand Rapids for ArtPrize 2020.

Last night’s ArtPrize Gangnam Showcase was the second of a three-part international event held in collaboration with the Amway Korea Foundation. The final phase will be installing the work for hundreds of thousands of visitors to experience at ArtPrize from September 16-October 4, 2020.

“This really served as a good opportunity in guiding me in moving in the right direction,” said Seaum Shim, speaking through an interpreter. “I studied new media art in Germany, and this opportunity will help expand my work to speak more to society in general.”

Seaum Shim was one of over a hundred artists to show their work at the ArtPrize Gangnam Roadshow in September and October 2019. Drawing inspiration from ArtPrize, the exhibition spanned ten venues on Nonhyeon Furniture Street in Seoul’s Gangnam district, and visitors voted on their favorite artworks. The top ten all received cash prizes, five of which were then selected to present a proposal for ArtPrize 2020 at last night’s ArtPrize Gangnam Showcase event. An adaptation of ArtPrize’s Pitch Night program, the five artists pitched their ideas in front of a live audience and a panel of judges, who then selected Seaum Shim as the winner.

The artist will expand on an ongoing work titled Collection. The installation taps into the human desire to capture and catalogue the natural world by creating small abstract sculptures based on recordings of the sounds produced by endangered animals. The 3D-printed objects are encased in resin and glass jars, and displayed in a way that references biological artifacts in a natural history museum.

Included among last night’s judges was Eddie Tadlock, Assistant General Manager of ASM Global and organizer of DeVos Place Convention Center’s ArtPrize exhibitions.

“I was really impressed with the caliber of work from all of the artists,” said Tadlock. “I’m looking forward to showing Seaum Shim’s work, because I think his piece speaks volumes to the environment and ecology and all things sustainable, and that’s a big deal in Grand Rapids. I think that will resonate with people in the city.”

A photo of the winning artwork, as well as images from yesterday’s event, are available to download here.

ArtPrize 2020 will take place in Grand Rapids, Michigan from September 16 to October 4. Venue registration will be open from March 2 to April 2, and artist registration from April 13 to June 4.

ABOUT ARTPRIZE The ArtPrize organization produces citywide contemporary art experiences that encourage critical discourse, celebrate artists, transform urban space and promote cultural understanding.

The ArtPrize competition, which takes place every other fall in Grand Rapids, MI, is open to any artist and decided by public vote. It invites artists to try out new ideas for an enormous audience. Registered artists and venues connect online at artprize.org and agree to present the artwork for public display during the 19-day event. The public votes using mobile devices and the web to distribute $250,000 in cash prizes. In 2018, the tenth installment of ArtPrize included over 1,260 entries representing 40 countries and 41 U.S. states and territories. ArtPrize annually attracts more than half a million active participants. Since its inception, individuals of all backgrounds have cast more than 3.4 million votes for public art.

ArtPrize is made possible in part through the generous support of many organizations. Please visit artprize.org for a full list of corporate and foundation partners.

MEDIA CONTACT Jaenell Woods, ArtPrize Senior Communications Manager 616.401.1608 // jaenell@artprize.org

About ASM Global DeVos Place is managed by ASM Global. ASM Global is the world’s leading venue management and services company. The company was formed by the combination of AEG Facilities and SMG, global leaders in venue and event strategy and management. The company’s elite venue network spans five continents, with a portfolio of more than 300 of the world’s most prestigious arenas, stadiums, convention and exhibition centers, and performing arts venues. From Aberdeen to Anchorage, and Sydney to Stockholm, its venues connect people through the unique power of live experiences.

ASM Global’s diverse portfolio of clients benefit from the company’s depth of resources and unparalleled experience, expertise and creative problem-solving. Each day, the company’s 61,000 passionate employees around the world deliver locally tailored solutions and cutting-edge technologies to deliver maximum results for venue owners, and operations, and amazing experiences for guests. By consistently looking for new ways to envision, innovate and empower the spaces and places that bring people together, ASM Global elevates the human spirit while delivering the highest value for all stakeholders. For more information, please visit www.asmglobal.com.