Arts

Douglas Coupland Creates “Infinite Tires” Installation with Canadian Tire MotoMasters

Douglas Copeland's new public art for Canadian Tire is as eye-catching as it is imaginative

By Michael Small /

Douglas Coupland’s “Infinite Tires” reaches 60 feet into in the air

The latest Vancouver installation by Canadian artist Douglas Coupland reaches skyward with a tower of tires

While Canadian Tire might not be synonymous with art (unless you consider the Mastercraft 8-in. Mini Bolt Cutter to be a work of art), that hasn’t stopped the Tire from scoring Douglas Coupland, one of the nation’s finest artistic minds, to create a one-of-a-kind installation to celebrate the opening of Canadian Tire’s latest complex in Vancouver.

Infinite Tires

Coupland’s towering piece of public art titled “Infinite Tires” reaches 60 feet into the air and features 18 stacked tires; each ascending tire smaller than the one beneath it. The installation is a wink at the famous Romanian artist Constantin Brancusi’s “Infinite Column“, except this time around the tower is made of Canadian Tire’s exclusive MotoMaster tires.

So what inspired the Canadian novelist, artist and designer to create this landmark? The Generation X author says he wanted come up with something that would make a lasting impression on the casual passerby.

“My installation at Canadian Tire’s Marine Drive Shopping Complex is a beacon, totem and signpost, designed to fascinate from both up close and far away,” he said in a statement.

“Infinite Tires” can be seen on the corner of SW Marine Drive and Ontario Street, and was unveiled on October 11 during the opening of the 7.3-acre shopping complex that features a Canadian Tire, Mark’s and Sport Check. And while the partnership between Coupland and Canadian Tire might seem like an oddball pairing, it’s a win-win for art lovers in the area.

“It takes on industrial form. There isn’t a lot of public art in that area, so I hope it puts people driving by that look at it everyday in a good mood,” Coupland told Metro.