August 30, 2024
Ferris State’s KCAD presents ‘Coming Home’ exhibition for ArtPrize 2024: A Tribute to Michigan’s Creative Spirit
Thirteen artists showcase Michigan's significant impact on art and design in Coming Home, a new on-campus exhibition at Kendall College of Art and Design of Ferris State University for ArtPrize 2024.
Coming Home is on view to from Sept. 3 now through Nov. 2 at KCAD’s 17 Fountain St. building in downtown Grand Rapids. KCAD will serve as an official venue for ArtPrize 2024 from Sept. 13-28.
Presenting works across various mediums—from painting and sculpture to digital art and interactive installations—Coming Home highlights Michigan’s diverse landscapes, industrial innovation, and resilient spirit as sources of creative inspiration.
“We are proud to celebrate our state’s rich creative heritage and its impact in shaping global art and design conversations,” said KCAD President and ArtPrize Steering Committee member Tara McCrackin. "ArtPrize is not only a unique opportunity for our students to engage with a city-wide art experiment, but an invitation for everyone to experience creativity in unexpected places."
The group exhibition features 13 emerging and established artists from across the state and beyond. They are:
- Dianne Carroll Burdick, of Grand Rapids.
- Teresa Dunn, of East Lansing.
- Samuelle Green, of Honesdale, Penn.
- Katya Grokhovsky, of Grand Rapids.
- Elijah Haswell, of Escanaba.
- Megan Klco Kellner, of Grand Rapids.
- Two Eagles Marcus, of Rockford.
- C. Marcus Stone, of Rockford.
- Paloma Núñez-Regueiro, of Ann Arbor.
- Thiago Porraz, of Grand Rapids.
- Stafford Hiroshi, Smith of Grand Rapids.
- Elois Zelada, of Ann Arbor.
- Ange Zelenak, of Rochester Hills.
Haswell, Núñez-Regueiro, Smith and Zelada are ArtPrize 2024 Seed Grant recipient. The public is invited to meet and greet featured artists at KCAD's Coming Home Artists Reception on Friday, Sept. 13, from 4 to 6 p.m.
Highlights of the exhibition include three large-scale installations: Green’s immersive “marshmallow polypore”; Núñez-Regueiro’s "Counted/Uncounted,” representing Michigan’s immigrants, LGBTQ+ community, BIPOC, and disabled individuals; and Marcus’ transcendent “Directions I.”
KCAD alumna Kellner’s 2D entry, “Pretending,” portrays the complexities of motherhood, while Zelenak’s interactive time-based entry, “Dear Future Me,” invites visitors to write encouraging letters to their future selves.
In addition, the exhibition features a digital illustration piece by Elijah Haswell, who was also selected by ArtPrize to design a limited-edition poster for this year’s event. The poster, showcasing Haswell's signature quirky characters, is available for visitors to purchase at The Spark, KCAD’s retail space.
Coming Home is open to the public for ArtPrize during the following hours:
Monday-Thursday: 1 to 8 p.m.
Friday-Saturday: Noon to 8 p.m.
Sunday: Noon to 6 p.m.
High school student groups are encouraged to request a campus tour and guided viewing of the exhibition with KCAD Admissions during ArtPrize 2024.
Beyond the exhibition, KCAD is proud to bring fresh perspectives and creativity to the forefront of the international artist competition as part of the public/private partnership alongside the City of Grand Rapids and Downtown Grand Rapids, Inc.
KCAD’s community of students, faculty, staff, and alumni are involved in the ArtPrize 2024 event in a variety of ways, including over 40 KCAD-connected participating artists, along with project staff, interns, and volunteers.
Returning to ArtPrize 2024 is the popular Honda Paint My Ride Showcase, a partnership between West Michigan Honda Dealers, KCAD, and ArtPrize. The showcase will feature six talented KCAD students painting live on Honda vehicles during the opening weekend near
Rosa Parks Circle. Each student will be awarded $1,500 in compensation for their artistry, and the vehicles will remain on display through Sept. 28.
Plus, ArtPrize and KCAD have partnered again to host free College Portfolio Review Days for students from any college on Sept. 24 and 25 from 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at KCAD’s Woodbridge N. Ferris Building, 17 Pearl St. NW. This two-day event pairs students with local creative professionals who will review portfolios, conduct mock interviews, and critique resumes.
On Friday, Sept. 27, ArtPrize will host the Closing Ceremony on Pearl Street at Division Avenue right outside the KCAD campus to announce and celebrate this year’s winners. The one-of-a-kind closing bash will feature food trucks, a cash bar, a light and laser show, and a circus performance. All ArtPrize 2024 artists, venues, donors, volunteers, and visitors are invited to join the celebration.
For more information about Coming Home, please visit the KCAD Calendar. For more information about ArtPrize 2024, please visit the ArtPrize website.