Michigan artist wins top ArtPrize award

[October 08, 2010]  GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (AP) -- A Michigan artist has won the $250,000 grand prize for his work in the ArtPrize competition.

Organizers of the Grand Rapids, Mich., event announced Thursday night that Chris LaPorte was honored for his penciled drawing "Cavalry, American Officers, 1921."

LaPorte has described the work as being "about the process of drawing, and also a portrait" of cavalry officers "who must have survived horrific events."

The second-place award of $100,000 went to Mia Tavonatti from Santa Ana, Calif., for "Svelata" and the third-place award of $50,000 went to Beili Liu of Austin, Texas, for "Lure/Wave, Grand Rapids."

ArtPrize opened Sept. 22, with 1,713 artists displaying their works at 192 venues. The public decided the top 10 winners.

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Online:

ArtPrize: http://www.artprize.org/

[Associated Press]

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