Herman Miller, Inc., based in Zeeland, Michigan, is a major American manufacturer of office furniture, equipment and home furnishings. It is notable as one of the first companies to produce modern furniture and, under the guidance of Design Director George Nelson, is likely the most prolific and influential producer of furniture of the modernist style. Among classic Herman Miller products are the Equa chair, Aeron chair, Noguchi table, Marshmallow sofa, and the Eames Lounge Chair. Herman Miller is credited with the invention of the office cubicle in 1968 under then-director of research Robert Propst. Herman Miller holds a unique position among furniture manufacturers for having cultivated the talents of a large number of modernist designers, producing a significant number of pieces that are now considered icons of industrial design.
ArtPrize® is a radically open, independently organized international art competition and a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. For 19 days, three square miles of downtown Grand Rapids, Michigan, become an open playing field where anyone can find a voice in the conversation about what is art and why it matters. Art from around the world pops up in every inch of downtown, and it’s all free and open to the public. It’s unorthodox, highly disruptive, and undeniably intriguing to the art world and the public alike. What Makes ArtPrize Unique? Open Call for Artists and Venues : Anyone over the age of 18 can be an artist and any space within the ArtPrize district can be a venue. Anyone can participate. Independently Organized : The entire ArtPrize exhibition is independently organized by venues and artists who connect through artprize.org. Public Vote and Juried Awards: Two $200,000 grand prizes and eight category awards, more than $500,000 is awarded. Half decided by public vote, and half decided by a jury of art experts.