BIKE DREAMS
Art inspired by two-wheelers takes over New York City.
Say “BFF” and you might think “best friend forever.” But it also stands for the time of year when we celebrate our two-wheel friend - the bicycle. In other words: Bicycle Film Festival, the other BFF.
The five-day event, now in its ninth year and celebrated in 39 cities, brings bicycling and the arts together. It all began when founder Brendt Barbur had an unkindly incident with a bike and a bus in 2001, landing himself in the hospital for a painful recovery. Taking the positive from the negative, he created BFF, which consists of everything from outdoor concerts to art exhibitions.
Joyride, the name of BFF’s annual art show, fills four art spaces in downtown New York City, featuring work by international artists who also happen to be devoted cyclists. With pieces like a spray paint-shooting bicycle brake and speaker-covered moving music machines, it’s not your typical art exhibit.
Traveling from gallery to gallery—some go by bikes, others (cough, me, cough) go by pedi-carts—you’ll see shrines to the sport by artists such as Mike Giant, Aiko, Artus De Lavilleon, and Steve MacDonald, whom Barbur simply describes as, "really good looking.” Twins William and Jeffrey Robbins' dissected their beloved transporter into small plastic boxes (associated with weed delivery) for the exhibit, although Jeffrey is quick to add, "No drug paraphernalia was used in the making of this piece". Lighting up whilst biking is probably a no-no.
The festivities continue through June 21 in NYC, with a series of film premieres and a Sunday game of bike-polo in addition to the art show. It’s enough to keep you busy all weekend long—that is, if you don’t spend it riding around on your bicycle.
Forget the bag, baby's got a brand new bike.
ISABEL HUBER
Visit bicyclefilmfestival.com for more info.
The five-day event, now in its ninth year and celebrated in 39 cities, brings bicycling and the arts together. It all began when founder Brendt Barbur had an unkindly incident with a bike and a bus in 2001, landing himself in the hospital for a painful recovery. Taking the positive from the negative, he created BFF, which consists of everything from outdoor concerts to art exhibitions.
Joyride, the name of BFF’s annual art show, fills four art spaces in downtown New York City, featuring work by international artists who also happen to be devoted cyclists. With pieces like a spray paint-shooting bicycle brake and speaker-covered moving music machines, it’s not your typical art exhibit.
Traveling from gallery to gallery—some go by bikes, others (cough, me, cough) go by pedi-carts—you’ll see shrines to the sport by artists such as Mike Giant, Aiko, Artus De Lavilleon, and Steve MacDonald, whom Barbur simply describes as, "really good looking.” Twins William and Jeffrey Robbins' dissected their beloved transporter into small plastic boxes (associated with weed delivery) for the exhibit, although Jeffrey is quick to add, "No drug paraphernalia was used in the making of this piece". Lighting up whilst biking is probably a no-no.
The festivities continue through June 21 in NYC, with a series of film premieres and a Sunday game of bike-polo in addition to the art show. It’s enough to keep you busy all weekend long—that is, if you don’t spend it riding around on your bicycle.
Forget the bag, baby's got a brand new bike.
ISABEL HUBER
Visit bicyclefilmfestival.com for more info.
This story was published on June 18, 2009.
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