Gallery of Tyre Art
Only imagination and hard work set the limits for what the tyre can continue to live its life as. Whether as a new bag, building material, a sole for summer sandals, or as facade tiles - or as art.
It's not uncommon at all for artists to have used this material to create spectacular sculptures and artworks. Therefore, we dedicate this page to highlighting specifically those artists who have used the material to create art and sculptures rarely seen before.
Carolyn Butts
Carolyn Butts, an art, and design visionary founded her eponymous company in 2005, alongside designer Hans Honegger. The pivotal moment for Butts’ journey occurred in 1989, Carolyn meticulously sources specific tyres from repair garages and landfills, transforming them into art and design pieces after thorough cleaning and cutting. Butts’ designs often evoke astonishment, with many finding it hard to believe that they are crafted from used tyres. While the aesthetic of tyres may pose a challenge for some, Butts views her designs as a harbinger of a future where manufacturing with waste products becomes commonplace.
Subodh Kerkar
In addition to "​The Flying Carpet on a hanger" Subodh Kerkar has also used recycled tyre material in combination with fibreglass to create a variety of remarkable artworks. Discover more below.
Chicken Cafreal & Rooster
Goa was a significant hub for the slave trade. Beginning in the 16th century, the Portuguese transported thousands of slaves from Mozambique to Goa. Many of these individuals were conscripted into the army. In one army camp, the black soldiers prepared a chicken dish with chillies, coriander, and other spices. The Portuguese officer was so impressed with the dish that he named it 'Chicken Cafreal' after the African soldiers, who were referred to as Kafirs. Today, it remains a popular dish both in Goa and Lisbon.
Chicken Cafreal Medium:
Fibreglass and recycled tyres
Size: 215 cm x 150 cm x 80 cm
Year: 2014
Rooster Medium:
Fibreglass and recycled tyres
Size: 305 cm x 254 cm x 79 cm
Year: 2020
Chillies
No other imported commodity has had as profound an impact on the lives of Indians as chillies. It's rare to find an Indian who hasn't experienced the fiery taste of chillies. Prior to their arrival in Goa on a Portuguese caravel from Brazil in the early 16th century, Indian cuisine relied on pepper and other spices. The earliest reference to chillies in Indian literature dates back to a poem by the South Indian composer and saint poet Purandaradasa, written in the 1560s. The poem states:
I saw you green
Then turning red as you ripened
Nice to look at and tasty in the dish
Enhancer of good food
And when I eat you
Even to think of Vithala is difficult!
The Goan bread
The Goan bread holds a special significance and is widely embraced across all communities today. A staple breakfast dish in Goa is the Mixed Bhaji Pao, a combination of vegetables and bread. Bread was introduced to Goa by the Portuguese, who used toddy for fermenting the dough. Initially, Hindus refrained from consuming bread as it was associated with Christian food. Additionally, the Portuguese used bread as a means of 'conversion', where a piece of bread thrown into a Hindu well was believed to baptize the entire family. Goa stands out as perhaps the only place in the country where the local baker visits every home twice a day, delivering fresh bread in a basket mounted on his bicycle. There are four main varieties of bread: pao, poli, kankan (bangle bread), and katreacho pao.
Medium: Fibreglass and recycled tyres
Size: 220 cm x 165 cm x 60 cm / 81 cm x 100 cm x 34 cm (each)
Year: 2014
​Miles of Laughter – Hasya
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This artwork embodies my interpretation of the 'Hasya Rasa'. Crafted from children's bicycle tyres, it captures the essence of a child's first experience with riding a bicycle. As a child learns to balance and manoeuvre the bike, a myriad of emotions accompany them on their journey. The sheer delight and laughter of joy that bursts forth from the child are celebrated in my sculpture, commemorating the countless miles of laughter shared by children riding bicycles. At the heart of the sculpture is a laughing boy, adorned with a fluorescent pink bubble of joy mounted on the nose. Playfulness has always been integral to my artistic vision.
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Medium: Fibreglass, steel and recycled tyres
Size: 152 cm x 122 cm x 96 cm
Weight: 82 kg
Year: 2019
Medium: Fibreglass and recycled tyre pieces
Size: 220 cm x 40 cm x 70 cm (each chilly)
Year: Various
