Bicycle Art at Moore College

By Tara Moore
Add Comment Add Comment | Comments: 0 | Posted Jul. 8, 2009

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"Big Bike" towers over the room at the galleries of the Moore College of Art & Design.

Photo by Tara Moore

Moore College of Art & Design is celebrating the bicycle this summer, from June until October, with rotating exhibitions highlighting some of the bicycle’s most artistic and beautiful features.

“The revolution against the car,” as sculptor Lee Stoetzel puts it, the bicycle has emerged as not only Philadelphia’s most “green” mode of transportation, but also a symbol of urban culture.

Stoetzel's work, “Big Bike,” is a mesquite masterpiece pictured in the Moore College gallery Window on Race,.

“It’s very true and not that hard to work with,” Stoetzel says about the wood used to sculpt this double-scaled version of a track bike.

At 10x8, "Big Bike" towers over everyone in the room, standing against a bold bright “green” backdrop in a rich deep shade of brown with true chips and fractures in the mesquite. To avoid trouble from those imper, he also let us know his “cheat” for this project; carbon fiber wheels instead of wooden spokes.

“Bikes were not celebrated like this when I was in high school or college,” he explained. “It’s about being healthy, less congested, global warming.”

Lorie Mertes, curator of the exhibitions, found designers and artists from Philadelphia and beyond to contribute.

“Not only are bicycles integrally linked to the creative communities in Philadelphia and the primary mode of transportation for the city’s many art and design students, the bicycle is also one of the most significant designed objects to affect the lives of women,” Mertes ssaysaid.

Drawing her inspiration from 19th century suffragists such as Susan B. Anthony -- who one said the bicycle “has done more to emancipate women than anything else in the world” -- Mertes designed an exhibit that includes works by Ryan Humphrey, Steven Bilenky, Aaron Igler/LURE and Dan Murphy. For the opening reception, Humphrey’s installation -- including ramps and over thirty BMX bikes -- became the stomping ground of pro BMXers in the Philadelphia area for a few hours.

Moore is also offering local bike businesses the opportunity to feature some of their favorite work. Steve Bilenky of Bilenky Cycle Works is one of the featured craftsmen.

Using raw materials and tubing, Bilenky makes custom bikes for individuals who can create their own designs on his website or by speaking with any of the designers at the shop. At Moore, Bilenky pointed out his favorite piece in his display: A cute yellow bike with a banana seat, which he describes as “the perfect city bike for a woman.”

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