Whittled down from over 350 registrants from over 35 states and 13 counties, only 56 lucky pieces were chosen for display. Each artwork was critiqued on categories including overall creativity, execution and construction – a hard job for judges as many pieces excelled in all. The judging panel included The Pink Line Projects’ Philippa P.B Hughes, painter and founder of A.Salon, Ltd George Charles Koch and Laurel Lukaszewski, a local installation and sculpture artist. The winning prize of an all expenses paid trip to Art Basel, the world’s leading modern art exhibit, went to Kathryn J.Beale of Texas who created a familiar donkey and elephant piece representing our fellow Democrat and Republican parties. She commented, “I believe strongly that when two opposites, people or nations, discover they have even the simplest thing in common, a door for further communication is opening, which can lead to acceptance.”
It was product branding at its best, as the opening evening reception left us all drinking from Red Bull can cups, gathering under a Red Bull can shaped canopy, admiring artworks made from, you guessed it, Red Bull cans, and eventually sitting at home wide-eyed awake wondering if I will ever sleep again. Overall, hats off to an inspiring exhibition showing that the art world can be open to us all to contribute, whatever fizzy drink container of choice we chose as a stepping stone to get us there.
The Red Bull Art of Can exhibit is free and open to the public from October 8th to the 19th during Union Station’s regular business hours. www.redbullartofcan.com
Hosts Phillippa Hughes and Adrian Loving with Madelein Starkey (Strauss)
Some of the judging panel and the lucky Red Bull winners
Red Bull 'The Art of Can' Opening night reception
