Popularly referred to as simply "the Calder", since its installation in 1969 it has come to be a symbol of Grand Rapids, and an abstraction of it is included in the city's official logo.

The sculpture is a popular gathering place for residents and tourists alike, and it is the centerpiece of the city's annual Festival of the Arts, first held a year after its installation.

Opponents wrote letters to the editor and created songs and cartoons deriding the sculpture, and advocates used the mayor's bully pulpit and public service television to call attention to Calder's credentials and vision.

After receiving the architectural plans and specified materials for the development of the site,[3] Calder completed an 8-foot maquette in 1968, and began fabrication at the Biémont foundry in Tours, France later that year.

"[4] The $128,000 cost of commissioning, fabricating, shipping, and installing the sculpture (equivalent to $900,000 in 2020) was shared by the NEA, local philanthropic foundations, area businesses, and individual citizens.