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La Grande Vitesse |
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For more information about the Grand Rapids Gallery Association, contact any member gallery or send an email to information@grga.org. |
Public Art in Grand Rapids In addition to all the wonderful galleries, museums and arts organizations, we are lucky to have a number of public sculptures that are easily viewable when walking around town. Perhaps the best-known piece is La Grande Vitesse, created by Alexander Calder in 1969, and known to many as “the Calder.” Its vibrant color is eye-catching from its site on Calder Plaza on Ottawa Avenue. Many festivals and events take place near its sheltering shadow, and the piece has become a symbol of the city. Nearby is Dissected Pyramid, a welded steel piece created by Joseph Kinnebrew IV in 1977, and tucked in the courtyard behind the Federal building, Motu Viget, a 33-foot tall sculpture created in 1977 by Mark DiSuvero. Rosa Parks Circle, on the corner of Monroe NW and Monroe Center, contains renowned artist Maya Lin’s Ecliptic. It was installed in 2001 and is a popular place for many to gather in summer or winter, as the main feature is an oval amphitheater that converts to an ice skating rink during the winter. If murals are more to your liking, you will enjoy visiting Richard Haas’ Grand Rapids Furniture City in the Heartside neighborhood, near the intersection of Division Avenue and Cherry Street. Venturing a little further north along the river, be sure to stop by the Grand River Sculpture and Fish Ladder – a sculpture with a practical purpose – to help fish navigate upstream and past the dam to spawn. Created by Joseph Kinnebrew IV in 1974, it resides at 560 Front Street, north of Bridge Street, and is a popular spot for both art and fish enthusiasts. New pieces are being installed all the time. In 2007, Dutch artist Cyril Lixenberg completed a monumental steel sculpture, Steel Water, next to the new J.W. Marriot hotel off Campau Avenue, on the banks of the Grand River. The Rapid Station downtown at 300 Ellsworth Avenue will also see a new Dennis Oppenheim piece titled Journey Home in late summer of 2008. If you’ve walked around in Grand Rapids much, you’ll know that this is a very small segment of all of the sculptures, murals, and other public art that can be found. A few helpful resources to learn more about public art in the city are: http://www.sculpturesitesgr.org and http://www.ci.grand-rapids.mi.us/download_upload/parks_Outdoor_Art_Inspirations_Walking_Tour.pdf Take some time to see the wonderful public art that Grand Rapids has to offer. |