A federal government shutdown has left this year's ArtPrize winning artwork trapped inside the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum, preventing the artist and public from accessing the celebrated piece. The shutdown, which entered its ninth day on Thursday, has forced the closure of the presidential museum, creating an unprecedented situation where the competition's grand prize winner remains locked away from view.
Artist Mark Lewanski, who won the prestigious ArtPrize competition, has been unable to see or showcase his winning creation since claiming victory. His artwork, titled "Arras," is a magnificent ten-foot-wide glass tapestry that represents months of dedicated artistic work. The piece required six months to complete and took three full days to properly install within the museum's exhibition space.
Lewanski expressed frustration with the unfortunate timing of the government shutdown, describing it as the worst possible scenario for his moment of artistic triumph. During the final days of the ArtPrize competition, he was able to display a smaller version of his work to visitors, but he emphasized that the reduced scale could not capture the true impact and grandeur of the original piece. The smaller display served as a substitute but failed to provide the full artistic experience he had envisioned for audiences.
The artist revealed his disappointment about missing the opportunity to celebrate his victory properly with the public. "We've lost the opportunity and kind of miss that feeling of saying here this is the winner. This is the one everyone voted for, what do you think and it was kind of like doing a victory lap and I was denied that. A lot of people were denied of seeing the winner on Saturday," Lewanski said, highlighting how the shutdown affected both him and art enthusiasts who wanted to view the winning piece.
Once the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum reopens following the resolution of the federal government shutdown, Lewanski has outlined his plans for the artwork's future. He intends to relocate "Arras" from the presidential museum to a local gallery where it can be properly displayed and appreciated by the community. Following this exhibition period, the artist plans to offer the ten-foot glass tapestry for sale, allowing collectors or institutions to acquire this award-winning piece of contemporary art.
