Warner Norcross, Fifth Third Bank Will Host 24 Artists, Sponsor App for ArtPrize 2012

GRAND RAPIDS, MI, September 15, 2012 (Press-News.org) For the fourth year, Warner Norcross & Judd LLP and Fifth Third Bank will co-sponsor an ArtPrize venue in the heart of downtown and will again proudly sponsor the official ArtPrize mobile app.

Warner Norcross and Fifth Third are hosting 24 artists in this year's competition. Ten artists are local to Michigan, 11 artists are from around the country and three are international artists from Japan and Quebec. Artwork will include sculptures, photographs, mixed media, painting, fiber and other media.

The 111 Lyon Street NW location is perfectly centered in the downtown footprint of ArtPrize. The venue offers a variety of spaces to showcase each entry, and will feature seven outdoor installations in addition to the 17 hosted indoors throughout the main lobby and first floor.

Warner Norcross and Fifth Third are also sponsoring the official ArtPrize app, an important tool to connect visitors with ArtPrize. The app makes it easy to vote for and keep track of their votes for artists, as well as helps users locate venues and learn more about artists and individual installations. The app is now available for download for iPhone and Android users.

"ArtPrize continues to draw our community together," said Douglas E. Wagner, managing partner of Warner Norcross. "Since 2009 it has been an event that connects people not only to wonderful, thought-provoking art, but also to each other and the city of Grand Rapids itself.

"We are incredibly honored to host 24 artists from around the world and to co-sponsor the voting app with our partners at Fifth Third Bank."

Mary Tuuk, president of Fifth Third Bank Western Michigan, noted: "ArtPrize is as much about art as it is about community, and at Fifth Third, community is the lifeblood of who we are. We're excited to open our facility, showcase art and share it with West Michigan."

Yolanda Gonzales is returning as curator for the second year. Her work has been displayed in museums across the world, including the Armand Hammer Museum, the Geffen Contemporary at MOCA, the Japanese American National Museum and the Diego Rivera Museum in Mexico City.

For ArtPrize 2012, Gonzalez has spent months coordinating the stunning array of art to be displayed at the Fifth Third building. From traditional oil paintings and metal sculptures, many of the 24 artists are breaking out of what may be considered "typical" media:
• Lynn Johnson of New York will be displaying a three-dimensional installation using tea bags and light.
• Aaron Hauck of Oklahoma will be exhibiting a six-piece, three-dimensional polycarbonate and enamel installation.
• Dianne Wolter of Williamston is also working in three dimensions and will feature a whimsical collection of paper mâche sculptures.
• Nancy Gildart of Illinois will be working with office chairs, hanging works on the wall and utilizing sound to create a multi-sensory experience.
• Renee Bova of Spring Lake is "yarn bombing" her piece, transforming a chair into a three-dimensional sculpture encased with knitting.
• Susan Knight of Nebraska is creating a two-dimensional piece from hand-cut reflective Tyvek and paper with applied Mylar dots.
• Burleigh Kronquist of Grand Haven will install an 18-foot long by six-foot high digital print.

Additional details on the Warner Norcross and Fifth Third artists can be found at http://www.facebook.com/ArtPrize53BankWarnerNorcrossJudd.

ArtPrize bills itself as a radically open art competition that gives away the world's largest art prize. Part arts festival and part social dialogue, ArtPrize winners are decided by public vote. ArtPrize opens Sept. 19 and runs through Oct. 7.

About Warner Norcross & Judd
Warner Norcross & Judd is a corporate law firm with more than 220 attorneys practicing in six offices throughout Michigan: Grand Rapids, Holland, Lansing, Muskegon, Southfield and Macomb County. By providing sound legal advice and proactive legal advice, Warner Norcross & Judd forges a better partnership with its clients. To learn more visit wnj.com or follow us on Twitter, @WNJLLP.

About Fifth Third
Fifth Third Bancorp is a diversified financial services company headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio. The Company has $111 billion in assets and operates 15 affiliates with 1,316 full-service Banking Centers, including 103 Bank Mart locations open seven days a week inside select grocery stores and 2,456 ATMs in Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana, Michigan, Illinois, Florida, Tennessee, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Missouri, Georgia and North Carolina. Fifth Third operates four main businesses: Commercial Banking, Branch Banking, Consumer Lending, and Investment Advisors. Fifth Third also has a 49% interest in Vantiv, LLC, formerly Fifth Third Processing Solutions, LLC. Fifth Third is among the largest money managers in the Midwest and, as of June 30, 2011, had $276 billion in assets under care, of which it managed $25 billion for individuals, corporations and not-for-profit organizations. Investor information and press releases can be viewed at http://www.53.com. Fifth Third's common stock is traded on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol "FITB."