There’s a Massive Calder Mural in Grand Rapids You’ve Never Seen

Grand Rapids is full of tons of really impressive art, but there's one mural in the city that very few know about or have ever seen.

It's not their fault, though; you can only view this mural from above the city.

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Alexander Calder's Mark on the City of Grand Rapids

One of the most iconic symbols of the City of Grand Rapids is the Calder Statue, formally known as La Grande Vitesse, informally known as "that big red thing". But did you know that there's another piece of art from Calder pretty much right next to it that goes largely unseen?

READ MORE: Yes, The Calder Plaza Red Statue Has An Actual Name

High atop the Kent County Building (next to Grand Rapids City Hall), you'll find a red, white, and black mural painted on the roof. That mural was also a piece done by Alexander Calder. (Seems Mr. Calder was a big fan of the color red.)

The piece is named "Calder on the Roof", and, according to Roofing Magazine, it was the largest Calder painting in the world at the time (1974).

Why Was a Mural Painted on the Roof of the Kent County Building in Downtown Grand Rapids?

Why is the mural there? Vibes, I guess? Or, more accurately, aesthetics. Folks working at the city building next door could see the roof from their offices and thought it looked, well, plain. So, Calder was asked to spruce it up for them, and he did.

The Mural on Top of the Kent County Building Isn't the Original

The mural that you see now looks exactly like the one that was painted on the roof over 50 years ago, but it's not the original. Roofs don't last forever, and sometimes need to be replaced.

The roof of the county building was replaced by Great Lakes Systems, based out of Jenison. The team at Great Lakes took tons of photos and measurements before tearing off the original rubber membrane (complete with the mural). Once the new membrane was installed, they painstakingly recreated the mural.

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If you're interested in learning more about the process behind recreating the mural, check out this fantastic piece from Roofing Magazine.