Manidoo Bawating Hybycozo

Best Time to See:

Anytime

Manidoo Bawating (pronounced Ma-ni-doo Baa-wa-ting) is a permanent 11-foot steel sculpture honoring the important symbols and unique traditions of the Native American community that thrived along the Grand River and throughout the Great Lakes region.

Designed by the Grand River Bands of Ottawa Indians and local artist Alan Compo, in collaboration with HYBYCOZO, the piece symbolizes the “Spirit of the Rapids,” a term from the Anishinaabemowin language.

The sculpture, unveiled during the World of Winter Festival in January 2021, serves as both a tribute to local Native traditions and a way to raise awareness of Indigenous culture.

Location:

Sixth Street Park, Monroe Avenue Northwest, Grand Rapids, MI, USA

Categories:

Light Based, Local, Sculpture

Artist Name:

Materials Used:

Steel

Artist Statement:

This original public art piece was designed by the Grand River Bands of Ottawa Indians and local artist Alan Compo in collaboration with the HYBYCOZO art initiative based in Oakland, CA.

“The Manidoo Bawating sculpture and our storytelling events serve to remind us of the rich human culture and community who originally settled this place we call Grand Rapids,” Grand River Bands of Ottawa Indians Chairman Ron Yob said.

“A vital and active Native community continues to call this place home today. So this is more than an opportunity to reflect on our history. This is also a moment to continue raising the visibility and awareness of Native tradition while we work together to find new ways to honor the coexistence of all the people and cultures that give life to our community.”

Artist Bio

The Grand River Bands of Ottawa Indians is a native sovereign nation with agreements with the federal government dating back to 1795. The Grand River Bands originally included 19 bands of Ottawa people who lived along the Grand River and other waterways in southwest Michigan. Most of the Grand River Bands’ current membership resides in Kent, Muskegon and Oceana counties.

Alan Compo is a painter, illustrator, and muralist from the Grand River Bands of Ottawa Indians. Born and raised in Grand Rapids, MI, Alan’s work dives into the many amazing stories and traditions he grew up within the urban Native community. His vibrant, detailed work is his vision of preserving rich Anishnaabek culture, tradition, and stories.

HYBYCOZO is the collaborative studio of artists Serge Beaulieu and Yelena Filipchuk. Based in Los Angeles, their work consists of larger than life geometric sculptures, often with pattern and texture that draw on inspirations from mathematics, science, and natural phenomena. Typically illuminated, the work celebrates the inherent beauty of form and pattern and represents their ongoing journey in exploring the myriad dimensions of geometry. HYBYCOZO is short for the Hyperspace Bypass Construction Zone, a nod to their favorite novel (The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy) and was the title of their first installation in 2014. They continue to create under this name.