FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Grand Rapids Art Museum Presents ArtPrize 2022 at GRAM: Andrea Dezsö’

Exhibition features installation by multi-disciplinary artist Andrea Dezsö

Grand Rapids, MI, September 15, 2022 — The Grand Rapids Art Museum (GRAM) today announced the opening of ArtPrize 2022 at GRAM: Andrea Dezsö, which will be on view from September 15, 2022 through January 14, 2023. The exhibition includes a large-scale mural on the Museum’s exterior and in the Museum’s lobby and is comprised of imaginative creatures created by Dezsö during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The installation, titled Family Friends, is based on a cast of characters the artist created in 2020. To conserve materials, Dezsö began cutting leftover scraps of handmade Japanese paper creatures she saw as protectors and companions during the pandemic. In total, she created 117 unique characters, which she has continued to explore over the past few years through woodblock printing, wood carving, and now mural installation. 

The Grand Rapids Art Museum is thrilled to present a public artwork by Andrea Dezsö for ArtPrize 2022 at GRAM,” commented GRAM Deputy Director for Art, Learning, and Engagement Christopher Bruce. Dezsö’s eye-catching characters are whimsical, delightful, and curious, and we can’t wait to see our community interact with her work over the next several months.” 

Born and raised in Romania under restrictive Communist rule, Dezsö found her outlet in the imaginative world of fiction, folk tales, and illustrated books. Dezsö is a multi-disciplinary artist who creates art in a broad range of media, including drawing, cut paper, sculpture, installation, animation, and large-scale public art. 

Dezsö received a BFA in Graphic Design & Typography (1994), and an MFA in Visual Communication (1996) from the Hungarian University of Design in Budapest. In 1997, she moved to New York where she was Assistant Professor of Media Design at Parsons. She is currently an Associate Professor at the Rhode Island School of Design. 

Support for ArtPrize 2022 at GRAM is generously provided by Wege Foundation, with additional support from GRAM Exhibition Society. 

About the Grand Rapids Art Museum 

Connecting people through art, creativity, and design. Established in the heart of downtown Grand Rapids, the art museum is internationally known for its distinguished design and LEED® Gold certified status. Founded in 1910 as the Grand Rapids Art Association, GRAM has grown to include more than 6,000 works of art, including American and European 19th and 20th-century painting and sculpture and more than 3,000 works on paper. Embracing the city’s legacy as a leading center of design and manufacturing, GRAM has a growing collection in the area of design and modern craft. 

For museum hours and admission fees, call 616.831.1000 or visit artmuseumgr.org.

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