Last year in September in Grand Rapids I went to an underground gypsum mine to collect materials for my ArtPrize installation. I was with a group—the SiTE:LAB team, the curator and his students, and videographers. Yet despite their presence I still experienced instances of total subterranean silence and darkness and an accompanying fear and awe toward the unknown. I certainly could not comprehend my proximity to deep time embodied in this gypsum, formed 350 million years ago, or the inherent entity of the void. The minerals, especially their crystals carry a sidereal darkness and silence. My installation is an homage to this silent and somehow sentient being. - Site:Lab is pleased to include this piece by Shinji Turner-Yamamoto, winner of last year's ArtPrize juried award for best international artist, as part of its 2012 ArtPrize exhibition. As a winner of 2011 juried award, Shinji is not eligible to participate in the public vote, and therefore does not have a voting number.

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