Moore College of Art & Design Moore College of Art & Design

Bicycle: people + ideas in motion celebrates Philadelphia’s passion and commitment to the bicycle with exhibitions and events that explore the art and design of the bicycle—from functional object to a canvas for good causes, personal expression and civic mindedness. In addition to vintage bikes from Philadelphia collections, the exhibition will feature a variety of bikes from the urban landscape: “fixies,” folding bikes, road, race and touring bikes, commuters, cargo bikes, and more. The show also highlights Philadelphia annual events such as the Philadelphia International Cycling Championship Race, Kensington Kinetic Sculpture Derby, and Bilenky Urban Cyclocross, as well as community-based organizations like Neighborhood Bike Works and the Bike Part Art Show and the Pedal Co-op. While primarily focused on the Philadelphia-based bicycle community, artists and designers from Philadelphia and beyond who find inspiration to create new forms, functions and materials from bicycles and bicycle parts will also be featured. Curated by Lorie Mertes, Rochelle F. Levy Director and Chief Curator.

Press Release

Scroll down for a list of Bicycle related programs and exhibitons.

 

Special thanks to lenders and participants:

Advanced Sports, Bell's Bike Shop, Bicycle Ambassadors, Bicycle Coalition, Bicycle Film Festival, Bicycle Therapy, Bilenky Cycle Works, The Franklin Institute Science Museum, New Kensington Community Development Corporation and Kensington Kinetic Sculpture Derby, Daniel Lesinski, Neighborhood Bike Works and Bike Part Art Show, Trophy Bikes, Via Bicycles, Whole Foods Food Market and many more...

"Ride your bike" t-shirts available for sale through The Art Shop at Moore, click the image above to purchase.

RELATED EXHIBITIONS

Click here to read about Ryan Humphrey's Fast Forward exhibition, on view through September 26.

Ryan Humphrey: Fast Forward
Levy Gallery for the Arts in Philadelphia
May 29 - September 26, 2009

Ryan Humphrey, a New York-based artist who stirred it up on the first season of Bravo's Top Design, will re-create his Fast Forward installation that was recently featured in the Queens International with a collection of more than thirty BMX bikes, three versions of Marcel Duchamp's Bicycle Wheel (1913) made from BMX bicycle parts, and a massive rug created with the help of designer Todd Oldham that will wrap the walls of the gallery. Bike ramps in the space will be artfully put to use by Ryan along with selected pro level BMX riders from the Philadelphia area and 80's pro John "Dizz" Hicks. Presented in conjunction with Bicycle: people + ideas in motion curated by Lorie Mertes, Rochelle F. Levy Director and Chief Curator.

Calendar Announcement

 

InSights: Lee Stoetzel - Big Bike
Window on Race
May 29 - July 4, 2009

Philadelphia-based artist Lee Stoetzel’s 10 x 8-foot high bicycle is twice the scale of a regular bike. Made entirely of fractured mesquite, a naturally degraded wood that emphasizes the beauty and detail of the object's original design.  

From May through October in conjunction with Bicycle: people + ideas in motion, the InSights series of exhibitions featured in the Window on Race Street gallery will feature rotating solo exhibitions of works inspired by the bicycle by Philadelphia-based artists.

Calendar Announcement

Bicycle Design’s Commuter Bike for the Masses Competition
Goldie Paley Gallery
June 19 – October 13, 2009

“What kind of bicycle, or pedal powered machine, would it take to get non-cyclists out of their cars for trips to the store or to work? This is the question that drove an internet-based design competition for a transportation-oriented bicycle for the noncyclist. A driving force in sharing ideas and creative solutions, this exhibition focuses on one blog’s contributions to creating dialogues on how pedal power can contribute to sustainable communities. James Thomas’ Bicycle Design blog invited a jury of six industrial designers and a journalist to select the six finalists and Torkel Dohmers' “ThisWay” winning entry whose designs are featured in the exhibition.

 

InSights: Steven and Billy Blaise Dufala – Toilet Trikes
Window on Race
July 11 – August 30, 2009

Artists/brothers Steven and Billy Blaise Dufala create witty, satirical twists on the readymade inspiring us to think about new possibilities in odd combinations of objects. Three of the Dufala Brothers’ racing tricycles made out of toilets painted with racing stripes and welded onto bike frames will be on view in addition to photographs and video of the Toilet Trikes being raced through Old City as part of the Philly Fringe Festival in 2005.

 

321Go: Bike Polo Portraits
Window on Race
September 2 – 9, 2009

Bike polo has been around since the 1890s. Today it is played all over the world. In the early 2000s in Seattle, Modern Hardcourt Bike Polo was born. Played on asphalt courts and parking lots in cities throughout the country, it has become a sport embraced by bike messengers, bike-shop employees and assorted cycling enthusiasts who have transformed it from its prim beginnings to a rough-and-tumble sport. The exhibition, including portraits by Cecily Upton, looks at the players and the gear as the Hardcourt Bike Polo World Championship comes to Philadelphia in early September.

www.hardcourtbicyclepolofederation.com

 

InSights: Dan Murphy - Style Points
Window on Race
September 11 – October 13, 2009

Philadelphia native Dan Murphy is a photographer, designer, painter, archivist, and co-founder of Megawords Magazine (megawordsmagazine.com). In 1994 he was hired as a bicycle messenger and began to document and strongly influence both the messenger and graffiti communities. He is the co-curator of the book Public Wall Writing in Philadelphia, and is the co-author/designer of the upcoming book The Landlords Cycling Club. Dan has worked with Bilenky Cycle Works, RVCA clothing, NIKE, Neighborhood Bike Works, Cinelli Bicycles, and R.E. Load Messenger Bags. He has organized and participated in bicycle races and has done multiple bicycle tours in the U.S. and Europe. He will create a site-specific multi-media installation in the galleries’ Window on Race.

RECENT PRESS

Thursday, June 25, 2009: Bicycles Built for Art

Sunday, June 28, 2009: Bicycles put Art in Motion...

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

Saturday, July 18, 1 - 4 pm

Bikes & Trikes Family Fun Day on Aviator Park - FREE

An afternoon on the park in front of Moore for kids and their families featuring free hands-on kinetic art activities by Neighborhood Bike Works, bike parade, refreshments, bike safety demos by the Bicycle Ambassadors, music and more.

Saturday, June 27

Street Party and Film Screenings, 2 – 8 pm
The Galleries host the Bicycle Film Festival

Street Party, 2 – 6 pm
Bunny hop, foot down and more in front of Moore on Race Street between 19th and 20th Streets

Film Screenings, 2, 4, 6, 8 pm - $9 each program – Moore’s Stewart Auditorium
Visit www.bicyclefilmfestival.com for program and to purchase tickets.
Seating is limited - advance ticket purchase recommended.

Friday, June 26

Opening Reception & Performance, 6 - 8 pm - Free

Celebrating the opening of Bicycle:  people + ideas in motion and related exhibitions including InSights artist projects.

Fast Forward Performance, 7 pm

Ramps in Ryan Humphrey's installation will be artfully put to use by 80s BMX Pro John "Dizz" Hicks and other select pro-level BMXers from Philadelphia.

Film Screening, 8 pm, $9

The Galleries at Moore welcomes the Bicycle Film Festival to Philadelphia for the premiere of I Love My Bicycle: The Story of FBM Bikes (2009) Directed by Joe Stakun, of Philadelphia. Buy tickets online at www.bicyclefilmfestival.com. Seating is limited - advance ticket purchase recommended.