Bad postcard of the week:

Plenty of room for ArtPrize entries in the Gerald R. Ford Museum lobby
September 22, 2012
From:  The Gand Rapids Press

Thousands of people are heading to Grand Rapids this weekend for ArtPrize, flooding venues including the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum.

Luckily they’ll find a lobby that looks a little better than this.

I couldn't resist pulling this classic bad postcard from the archives to coincide with the festival and the apparent new trend of incorporating our native son into some of the spectacular entries.

Yes, good places can produce bad postcards. Let me be perfectly clear, the Ford Museum is my favorite place in Grand Rapids.

It has outstanding exhibits. I routinely bring my journalism students to listen to fascinating guest speakers. And, this presidential history buff fills his Christmas list with items in the gift shop.

But none of those things are apparent in this boring postcard.

There are some pretty neat things in that atrium – somewhere beyond the impressive collection of potted plants.

Looks like one of those ashtray/garbage can things. And take a look at all those hangers! Yes, you can bring your coat, there is plenty of room on that rack. The floor sure is shiny.

The museum has hosted some incredible ArtPrize entries during the past three years, though for some reason, the artwork featuring President Ford has been housed elsewhere in the city.

Take last year’s “President Gerald Ford Visits ArtPrize” by Sunti Pichetchaiyakul. It was down the block from the museum, at the corner of Monroe and Pearl.

This year we have two. The Unknown Graffiti Artist has an image of the former president and first lady stenciled on the side of The B.O.B.

Then, also at The B.O.B, there is a massive Steam Pig-sized steel bust of Ford by Thomas Moran called “Our President.” Oh, sure, there are Jerry-3P0 jokes out there. But it was the first one I voted for this year.

Now, pandering is an ugly word and I’m not going to use it. I know that these gifted artists were inspired by 38th president and wanted to pay tribute – and would have done so even if the event was held in Buffalo. I happily hit the big “thumbs up” icon on the iPhone for all of them.

Maybe, when ArtPrize is over and the crowds have gone away, “Our President” can make its way over to the museum. There’s room for it in the lobby, once they move those potted plants away.