Tomorrow is the Private View Bike Ride. We are starting at 2pm at
Two Wheels Good
PUSH cycles
, then
London Fields Cycles
, onto
Lock 7
and we will arrive at
Look Mum No Hand
s around 4ish.
The weather is looking good.
See you there.
The Bike Portrait exhibition has been featured in:
CTC Cycle Clips
We are also featured on the websites of the bike shops/cafes such as:
Look Mum No Hands
Many thanks to Gareth Greene from UEL Press Office for assisting with this aspect of the project.
I have been making bike sized bunting for the launch on saturday.
The final installation was at Lock 7
Britt, working at height
Entertaining the locals
Drinking coffee, making mess
Portraits on the cafe wall
View from outside
Next we installed the portraits at Two Wheels Good,
Britt measures up around the window framing
Collaboration
There was a lot of climbing onto things
View from inside
View from outside
EDIT: We were asked by Two Wheels Good to put up more images as they had great feedback from customers and passers by. So, Britt and I packed up all the remaining materials and headed there on the morning of the launch to install two more images.
Today, we installed the exhibition at PUSH cycles
Getting set up
Tools of the trade
Working out the best combinations
Making labels on the service desk
Labels
Finished!
Getting started
Working out the best combinations of portraits
Tools, comments book, labels and postcards
Portrait of Adam in the corner
Putting everything back to order
Britt making finishing touches
Finished!
Installing an exhibition at London Fields Cycles (LFC) provided the unique experience of working with window dresser, Barley Massey. Barley is an independent designer and owner of Fabrications , a textile shop, studio and workshop on Broadway Market. She has been working with the LFC for years, creating innovative ways of representing local cycling cultures. (We will hopefully be showcasing some of her past work on this blog.) Barley, Britt and I worked together in the months leading up to the installation to produce a display that encompassed the entire window and was reflected in the product for sale in the shop.
Working inside the window
Barley tying knots at great heights
Measuring everything
Photos installed
I am very lucky to be working with Britt Hatzius on the installation of the exhibition. She has extensive experience in this kind of work and she will also be making a short film of the launch. Britt and I toured the five locations with a massive amount of materials – cardboard, photos, clips, hammers, fishing line, string, labels, scissors, tape, glue dots, nails, scalpels, cutting mats, and sticktape. We were warmly met by people at each shop, given room, often tea/coffee, assistance and encouragement even while we were making mess. Despite having specific plans for each installation, we worked with the materials of each location, and with the owners, mechanics and window dresser (in one place), which invariably shaped the hanging of the images. Overall we ended up putting up many more photos than expected. Originally, we were hesitant to take over entire store fronts and yet in many cases the owners of locations asked us to do just that.
What better way to install an exhibition of Bike Portraits in five bike shops/cafes than by bike!
This is the postcard to accompany the exhibition of the Hackney Bike Portraits.
See details for the launch bike ride and private view below. Let me know if you want to come along. Numbers are limited for the ride and RSVPs are already adding up.
