“Art,” thought Pablo Picasso, “is a lie that makes us realize truth.”
For novelist Theodore Dreiser, art is “the stored honey of the human soul.”
Stella Adler, actress and teacher, once said, “Life beats down and crushes the soul and art reminds you that you have one.”
Since perhaps the beginning of human civilization, art in its many forms has been a vital part of our self-expression and connection to others. It’s why we listen to music together, tell each other stories, suggest our favorite movies and shows to our friends. It’s why there are art museums in cities all around the world. More than that, though, cities— especially Grand Rapids— are filled with art in the cities themselves. This art is fundamentally different from art in a museum, since it has the ability to become part of a person’s daily life.
“Because it’s outdoors and it’s in a public space, it allows people to shift and change their opinion,” said Jody Patterson, Chair of Art History at The Ohio State University, to the
Ohio State Impact. “You can form a relationship with it, get to know it. Your response can develop over time. It encourages critical judgment and interpretation in a way that a single visit to a museum doesn’t allow.”
America’s first public art came commissioned in 1934 as part of Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal, to adorn federal buildings. Roosevelt saw public art as “essential” to society— a sentiment the artists of Grand Rapids still hold.
Grand Rapids is a city full of art. Beyond even the many museums and seasonal installations— such as World of Winter, the John Ball Zoo Lantern Festival and ArtPrize, public spaces overflow with sculptures, murals and so many other kinds of art.
Here are a few:
Sculptures
Sculptures make up some of the most famous art in the city. “La Grande Vitesse,” which translates to “the great swiftness,” (or, Grand Rapids, if you’d prefer) even became the city’s unofficial logo— it’s just better known by the last name of the sculptor who created it, Alexander Calder. Nearby is Motu Viget, a giant tire swing designed by Mark di Suvero that represents the city’s strength. Grand Rapids Community College’s own campus has “Aspiration of Inspiration,” a 28-foot tall sculpture which asks, according to sculptor Robert Browning, “what is heaven for?” Grand Rapids also plays home to one of Robert Indiana’s iconic “Love” sculptures, originally designed for the Indianapolis Museum of Art in 1970. The city even has a number of statues commemorating historical figures, such as the statue of Rosa Parks near Rosa Parks Circle, immortalizing the moment Parks refused to give up her seat on a segregated bus to a white passenger.
Murals
Murals adorn many walls throughout the downtown area, with many having been created as part of Grand Rapids’ annual ArtPrize event. “Raining Wisdom,” which won ArtPrize in 2023, is the result of artist Abdoulaye Conde spending 25 days painting the national animal of his home country, Guinea. Elsewhere in the city is “The Amazing Coe,” painted by Esan Sommersel. It represents the impact of humanitarian Ethel B. Coe, the first Black woman to run for public office in Grand Rapids, in a comic-book style. Next to it is a piece by Michael J Mayosky, featuring an oversized guitar and speaking to the power of music.
Other Forms
Grand Rapids is also a haven for nontraditional forms of art. Since 2023, many parking garage ticket booths have been covered in creative paint jobs, with each booth getting a unique design. In 2019, the city also started the Rad Women Public Art Initiative, which hired local female artists to adorn the city’s electrical boxes with portraits of influential women. Additionally, the city’s historical background means many buildings have architecture that act as their own form of art.
This list is far from comprehensive— taking a look in nearly any direction from any spot in the city reveals a new piece of art. Each one is a labor of love from the artist who made it and adds to the multi-layered tapestry that is Grand Rapids. By filling the city with art, each person’s relationship with their city becomes a bit more colorful.
