Notoriety

Throughout the world there are famous landmarks which are symbols for various cities. Sydney has its opera house and St. Louis the Gateway Arch. The Eiffel Tower is in Paris and the Statue of Liberty in the Big Apple. The coliseum in Rome, the Liberty Bell in Philly, Big Ben in London and the Golden Gate in San Fran. The icon of our neighborhood may not be as well-known, but it has its own claim to fame.

Located on the plaza in front of City Hall, La Grande Vitesse was the first public work of art in the United States to be funded with federal monies acquired from the National Endowment for the Arts through their Works of Art in Public Places Program. Its formal name, which roughly translates into “the great swiftness,” refers to the Grand River which flows through the heart of the downtown area. But because the steel sculpture was created by Alexander Calder, it is often simply referred to as “The Calder.” Dedicated on June 14, 1969, it is a distinctive landmark and has become a symbol for Grand Rapids. Its likeness can be found on most things related to the city, from letterhead to street signs to public vehicles.

In the world of art the Calder is known as a “stabile”—an abstract sculpture which is similar in appearance to a mobile, but made to be stationary. Like many of his other sculptures, La Grande Vitesse is painted in the artist’s signature Calder Red. Although it measures 54 feet long, 43 feet high and 30 wide, and weighs more than 42 tons, it uses multiple flat planes to give the appearance of movement and airiness.

I like this piece because it provides different views from different angles, and proves to be a very photo-worthy subject. You’ll be seeing more of this one!