Hope College alum debuts as an ArtPrize artist

Attention all art enthusiasts! ArtPrize, a festival and competition created in 2009 that showcases art in Grand Rapids, is finally here! Through September 28, you can see art that, as Grand Rapids magazine states, “promises to be more dynamic and immersive than ever before, with over 950 artists showcasing their work across 165 venues throughout the city.” The magazine also informs its readers that, “Throughout the 16 days of ArtPrize, visitors will find an array of events and activations that reflect the diversity and creativity of the participants. Among the highlights is the Bittersweet Symphony, a unique collaboration between artisan chocolatiers and the Grand Rapids Symphony that merges decadent flavors with rich melodies. Each Saturday, the Merchants and Makers Market will offer handmade goods, providing a platform for local artisans to showcase their talents.” One of the main appeals for artists to submit their work to ArtPrize is the cash prize. They use popular and juried voting to award over $400,000 to artists. ArtPrize also distributes $200,000 in annual grants to support the work of eligible artists who are participating in the event. If you are interested in voting for artwork it’s not too late! The ArtPrize website states, “Vote by scanning the QR code associated with each entry or by manually entering the five-digit code (by searching and selecting the entry code within the voting web app)”. All of the information listed above can be found on the ArtPrize website, as well as a list of every artist participating and where their work is hosted. 

Kaitlin VanLangevelde, an ArtPrize artist, is a Hope College alumni who graduated in the fall semester of 2023 with a history degree. VanLangevelde is currently a first-year elementary school teacher. With history and art as her two greatest passions, she proves them evident in her display for ArtPrize. As well as many of her past works, which include lots of historical people and symbols. The art pieces VanLangevelde submitted are titled ‘The Women Who Came Before’. This collection features five separate drawings of diverse Indigenous women in their traditional dress, representing five different continents. 

When asked how she got connected with ArtPrize she stated, “I have lived in Holland my whole life so I’ve always known about ArtPrize, and have always loved it. Last year we went to ArtPrize and saw the art and my sister said ‘you could totally do that’. So right then and there I decided that I would. I then came up with my concept and immediately got started. I worked through all of last year, submitted to ArtPrize in May, and was contacted by a venue who decided to host my art”. VanLangevelde is an outspoken feminist, which is what drove the idea for her project. Her artist statement gives more background information on her inspiration. She states, “As a history major who is passionate about the stories that it tells and the lessons we can learn, and as an artist wanting to tell these stories through different mediums, I feel it imperative to be evocative. To open the door to understanding and empathy and to leave the observer already constructing a narrative borne of their experience with the art. This collection silently bears witness to the lives of the women who have come before us.  They represent different historical periods and each is an indigenous figure; one from every continent. My hope is that this collection stirs in you the mythology, the history, and the stories that these women want to tell.  Stories that ultimately are also ours.” VanLangevelde wanted to show the beauty of these women and their cultures as well as honor the ones who worked to make a better world for women of future generations. You can go see Kaitlin VanLangevelde’s art displayed in Downtown Grand Rapids Inc.