La Grande Vitesse

Alexander Calder's La Grande Vitesse has been a symbol of Grand Rapids since it's creation. At right an earlier letterhead graphic shows the stabile in front of the grids of the County and City Buildings, used on old City letterhead.

Below, the later 1982 logo of Grand Rapids, designed by artist Joseph Kinnebrew, includes the red La Grande Vitesse along with the yellow of the sun and the blue of the Grand River.

Most Grand Rapids Citizens are familiar with this multicolored symbol painted on the side of the city garbage trucks. However, many may not be aware that initially just the red image of La Grande Vitesse was used on the side of the earlier white trucks.
Images from the Nancy Mulnix Collection

The image at the right is taken from the publication “This is your City Government”. It shares the “Symbols” page with the early city seal, Moto Viget, seen below. La Grande Vitesse is described in this publication as “a magnificent work of environmental sculpture which Calder designed for this particular site. Counterbalancing the architectural elements of the two buildings, the form of the stabile creates a unique aesthetic unity.”

This image of the 1982 city symbol is taken from the staff newsletter "City Limits".

The caricature of Nancy Mulnix seen at right was drawn by Alexander Calder.
Nancy Mulnix Collection

This photographic rendering of the Calder by William Hill captures the image within the grids that surround it, in the City and County Building facades, and in the then Union Bank Building across Ottawa Street.
William Hill Photographs Collection

Alexander Calder's monumental sculpture “La Grande Vitesse” is considered today a local, as well as national and international success story. It continues to be cited as an important example of support for public arts, as the first sculpture obtained with National Endowment for the Arts funds.

Considered one of the best examples of Calder's work, “La Grande Vitesse” represents quality art from an American artist, one who found joy in life, space, movement and color. Though we may not understand the abstraction of the art, we can still experience the sense of color and space when looking at, walking around and through, or touching the object.

Along with its site on the Calder Plaza at Vandenberg Center, “La Grande Vitesse” has become the heart of Grand Rapids, where individuals and groups of all kinds are welcome to celebrate, regardless of race, religion, creed, or economic, educational or social level.

It is owned by no one individual or group, but is a public trust, protected for Grand Rapids citizens, and for the world, by those citizens, and their government.