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Austin360 blogs > Austin Arts: Seeing Things > Archives > 2009 > February > 23 > Entry
People’s Choices exhibit winners at Austin City Hall
The people have chosen.
“Buba at Barton Springs” a photograph by artist Roy Mata is the winner of 2008 People’s Choice Award from the annual People’s Gallery exhibit at Austin City Hall. The winner was announced Friday at the opening of the 2009 People’s Gallery exhibit.
‘Buba at Barton Springs,’ Roy Mata. 2003/
Each year, a purchase is made from the People’s Gallery annual exhibition of work by more than 100 Austin artists to build a permanent collection of art for City Hall. Each year, the public is invited to recommend art pieces for the purchase. Mata decided to forego any payment from the city for his artwork which was priced at $100.
And in an interesting development, Zach Booth Simpson interactive video piece “Elevator Goblins” was also elected for the People’s choice. But because of the high price tag of the complex artwork — said to be upwards of $20,000 — the city couldn’t afford to purchase it.
However given that the “Elevator Goblins” was so popular, Simpson offered to loan City Hall “Elevator Dragonflies,” another interactive projection piece that “lives” on the first floor elevator entrance. “Elevator Dragonflies” — which uses infared lights — will be buzzing elevator riders at City Hall for the remainder of 2009.
You can see a video Dragonflies here.

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