Grand Rapids Tape Drawing

Grand Rapids, Michigan

Tape Art Crew: Leah Smith, Charlotte Witte, Tobias Schillnger, Michael Townsend, Joan Townsend

We wanted to capture Grand Rapid's love of wheeled transportation. Despite only visiting this one parking lot of the city, it took no time to notice the constant parade of bicycles, tall bikes, tandem bikes, roller blades, scooters, long boards, etc.

This mural is a reflection of the sidewalk that runs kitty-corner across the parking lot to the wall, complete with bus station and trees drawn one-to-one. But the city's wheels are being stolen right out from under them as a swarm of mythical catfish grab ahold of anything round. Not even the city buses are safe.

The people of Grand Rapids loved the nod to their culture on the go. The characters in the mural were drawn as portraits of the people that rolled by us on the street. And since the city was so kind to us, we decided to "save" them from the scourge we brought and drew in parachuting cats in for the meal of their lives.

The fish were made in advance and backed with plastic, so the bodies rippled as if they were swimming. The Michigan winds brought them to life.