Solitude Speedway

Solitude Speedway closeup. chadf57 (atlas obscura user)

This image of a cherry-red bike parked atop a sea of bright white salt is sure to grab anyone’s attention, even from a distance. Look closely the artwork, and you’ll see it’s made with a rather unconventional medium: tape.

Solitude Speedway is a 32-foot-by-eight-foot piece of wall art. Salt Lake City artist Chad Farnes created it using mainly duct tape, though there are other types of tape incorporated as well.

It’s an eye-catching work of art adorning the halls of the city’s Salt Palace, a bustling convention center. With its crisp colors and striking patterns, the work adds a vibrant touch of nature-themed beauty to the indoor space.

The piece is inspired by the Salt Flats just west of Salt Lake City. It’s meant to highlight the two previous Salt Palace buildings; the first which held a velodrome (a bike racetrack) and the second which was a sports arena that was home to the Salt Lake Golden Eagles hockey team.

Know Before You Go

The piece is located on the second floor (the floor that you walk in on from the West Temple entrance) near the 255 rooms. The piece is not accessible when the Salt Palace is closed, which is during most major conventions.