A new sculpture from world-renowned artist Chakaia Booker now greets visitors to Lock 3 in downtown Akron.
Made from donated Goodyear Eagle F1 racing tires and stainless steel, Booker’s newest piece is a striking monument in the Rubber Capital of the World. The sculpture consists of two large, crescent-shaped structures. Rectangular pieces of tires are laid in a shingle pattern over both structures. It stands in a grassy area behind the Frances and Richard Buchholzer Balcony, which is off of South Main Street.
Booker unveiled the title of the sculpture in a public ceremony on Thursday at Lock 3.
“You’ve all been waiting for the title of the work,” she said after the crowd gave her a standing ovation. “The title is ‘Transit’ … and I’m so happy we made it.”
Lock 3 underwent extensive renovations over the past several years before reopening to the public in December 2024. The $17 million project included a new performance pavilion, expansive green space and a winding, accessible path.
“The addition of this work by an internationally acclaimed artist, a 17-foot sculpture, adds another reason to come downtown, to explore the park, and to experience something extraordinary in a place that belongs to everyone,” said Akron Mayor Shammas Malik, one of several local leaders who attended the ceremony.
Curated Storefront executive director: ‘It’s more than I ever could have hoped’
Curated Storefront commissioned the public artwork, with support from the City of Akron, the Ohio & Erie Canalway Coalition and the VIA Art Fund, as well as individual donors. The Lock 3 Art Task Force selected Booker, and the City of Akron Public Art Commission approved the concept.
Heather Meeker, executive director of Curated Storefront, said as the city redeveloped Lock 3, there was “a desire for public art to be part of the equation.”
Regarding the piece, Meeker said, “It’s more than I ever could have hoped.”
She pointed out that some of the rubber pieces bear a yellow label with the name of the person who built the tire.
“There are just so many things to notice about it that are truly remarkable,” Meeker said. “I think it’s something that generations of Akronites are going to enjoy in the future.”
Booker’s latest — but not first — trip to Northeast Ohio
“Transit” is the latest in a long line of large-scale sculptures Booker has made from discarded tires.
“My first introduction to tires was back in the ’80s, and so at that particular time, there was just lots of tires, burnt tires because there was a car fire every weekend, and lots of tire scraps around,” said Booker, a New Jersey native who lives in New York City. “So I started using the tires to make wearable art, and then into sculpture. And then starting in the ’90s is when the sculptures got to be more of a bigger commitment.”
Booker’s work is part of dozens of museum collections including the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Her connection to Northeast Ohio goes back more than two decades. She had a solo exhibition at the Akron Art Museum in 2000 and another at the Cleveland Institute of Art in 2015.
Dara Harper, a former member of the Lock 3 Art Task Force, said Booker’s work with tires was “a key factor” in the group’s selection of her.
“For me personally, that she was a woman and a woman of color, that spoke to me, and that her pieces were large,” Harper said. “When people come to visit Lock 3 or the city of Akron, it’s something phenomenal, and it stands out.”
