bike rides

bike rides the aldrich contemporary art museum, conneticut, USA september 26th, 2009 to january 3rd, 2010

a work from the ongoing series ‘aerialbikeway’ [cicloviaerea] by jarbas lopes, 2001–2007 courtesy of the artist collection of steve miller, new york

bike rides explores the increasing relevance of bicycles in contemporary art and culture. as worldwide trends point to bike riding as a sustainable means of transportation and a way of reshaping the city, the curiosity and use of bicycles is rapidly growing. from avid bike riders, amateurs, recreational bikers, artists and designers, the community at large is reconsidering bicycles through their personal point of view: their own ideal bike. bike rides is a multidisciplinary exhibition which features bikes which have been reappropriated to represent different identities and serve new functions.

in his project ‘aerialbikeway’, brazilian artist jarbas lopes addresses the commuter’s experience. for lopes, bikes function as social sculptures in which people can reconsider bike transportation as a source of enjoyment. he finds cycling achieves a balance between the technology of the body and that of movement.

‘confites lowrider bike’ by mexican pride/vicente olivares, 2008 courtesy mexican pride/vicente olivares

queens-based collective mexican pride design their bikes to pay homage to the low-rider movement of the west coast. the group fabricates chrome frames and details such as ‘long horn’ handle bars, mirror posts, bumpers, chain stays and even kickstands. there is also customized upholstery on the seat and spare wheel, hand-painted portraits of the collective members immediate family in frames with car-metal laminate, which also often include an image of their guardian, the virgin of guadalupe. the overall look of the bikes are that of rebel choppers, imitating motocycles, with low-riding body posture, rear-exhaust pipes and radio antennas – glamorized in their baroque aesthetic.

‘illusion of childhood’ by cai guo-qiang, 2008 courtesy of the artist

cai guo-qiang‘s installation ‘illusion of childhood’, presents a couple of suspended bicycles that the artist purchased from two inflatable-toy vendors in his tometown of quanzhou, china, along with a light box displaying a photo documentation of the sales transaction. the installation is a poetic rumination of the artist’s fleeting childhood fantasies and memories. the vibrant colours, swaying balloons and other toys trigger flashes of freedom, joy and desire, creating a kind of mirage, the bright merchandise standing in contrast to the run-down bicycles of the vendors. here, the innocence of youth and spoils of time give way to illusions of time and latitude over countless years.

‘stealth’ (eurobike concept bike) by cannondale, 2008 courtesy cannondale bicycle corporation, bethel, CT

stealth by cannondale, is an all-carbon-fiber commuter bicycle which reconsiders the commuter bike and the individual rider’s experience.

‘cotter pin bike rack’ (digital rendering) by studio tractor, 2009 courtesy peter kirkiles design + fabrication, kent, CT, and studio tractor architecture, brooklyn, NYpeter kirkiles teamed up with studio tractor architecture to produce the ‘cotter pin bike rack’ which is constructed from folded and bent 1/4 x 2 inch steel bar stock. the form has drawn from the common cotter pin and has been painted ‘aldrich red’ for its premier in the exhibition.