Grand Rapids is known as a city of beer, a city of laughter, and, for a few weeks in the fall, a city of art. But when you start to pay attention to the walls and alleys of our city, it is also a city of murals, every day of the year.
It seemed to me that every time I turned around, I would bump into a mural somewhere. Everywhere. So I started to make photographs of the murals in Grand Rapids to get a better grip on how many there are. This collection of photographs is by no means representative of all of the murals in town. There are so many, often tucked away in a quiet alley, or behind a building.
Some of the murals celebrate a business or a place. Some of them are just unusual. In all cases, they are a part of the rich tapestry of culture and art that makes the urban community that we live in interesting and unique.
West side of Sheldon, just south of Weston. Adam Bird
South side of Fulton, just east of Sheldon. Adam Bird
West side of Sheldon, just north of Fulton. Adam Bird
Northeast corner of Weston and Commerce. Adam Bird
Southwest corner of Division and Pearl. Adam Bird
Rear of parking lot, east side of Division between Oaks and Cherry. Adam Bird
East side of Division, just south of Oaks. Adam Bird
West side of Sheldon, just south of Library. Adam Bird
Northwest corner of Division and Cherry. Adam Bird
South side of Lake, just northwest of Wealthy. Adam Bird
Southwest corner of Division and Goodrich. Adam Bird
Alley on the south side of Wealthy, west of Fuller. Adam Bird
West side of Sheldon, just south of Oaks. Adam Bird
South side of Wealthy, between Henry and Charles. Adam Bird
West side of Sheldon, just north of Cherry. Adam Bird
East side of Monroe, just north of Trowbridge. Adam Bird
West side of Plainfield, south of Grove. Adam Bird
West side of Bond, north of Fairbanks. Adam Bird
South East corner of Plainfield and Spencer. Adam Bird
North wall of The Woods at Grandville and Oaks. Adam Bird
Northeast side of Lafayette, east of Plainfield. Adam Bird
Parking lot behind buildings on the Northwest side of Williams and Division. Adam Bird
The south turnaround of the Courtyard Marriott Hotel downtown. Adam Bird
Southeast corner of Weston and Division. Adam Bird
Rapid Growth photographer Adam Bird has begun documenting the diverse murals that grace the walls of Grand Rapids' neighborhoods, some well-known and others tucked away. Get to know the city through its street art in this week's photo slideshow.
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