bike rack in front of Powell's Books, Burnside Store
I love these "art racks" installed throughout Portland - functional bicycle racks with an aesthetic sensibility (and often, a sense of humor). One is molded to look like a pair of eyeglasses, one is shaped like a bridge, and another like the handlebars and front tire of a bicycle. They are some of the most successful public art pieces anywhere, inviting art into every day life, begging us to touch them, and most importantly, reminding us that utility does not exclude beauty.
Beyond all of this, the bicycles themselves are transformed. For a brief moment in time, they are joined to a sculpture. They are art. And in this way, the racks are like little oases for community, places for people to come together and literally sculpt an aesthetic for the neighborhood. An aesthetic that includes metal bars and oily chains, but also, shared space, earth-friendly transportation, and collaborative art. (Too bad it also has to include locks).
A parking lot could never accomplish this.
Comments (4)
oh hey for a gift last week I got the lomo colorflash woohoo, I have yet to take some night time picture but i should maybe i will start posting some lomo shots on my site. I have some cool ones of my cats. It is cool how you can always tell a lomo shot somehow. I like all the little things the lomograph people come out with like that new photo album and such.
Posted by jonathan | September 12, 2003 2:57 PM
Posted on September 12, 2003 14:57
I'm so jealous of your color flash! Yes - post some pictures. Lomo is so cool it hurts . . .
Posted by K | September 12, 2003 4:02 PM
Posted on September 12, 2003 16:02
i went out and took some portland photos myself today as it got dark I shall see how they turned out. When you develop yours do you get matte or glossy? I really like matte with borders that you can get at fred meyers. But with lomos i like to not get borders. I saw your snapped photo with out looking through the view finder. I was reading somewhere where people put tape over the view finder so they cant use it.
Posted by jonathan | September 13, 2003 4:12 AM
Posted on September 13, 2003 04:12
Nice picture -- brings back memories of going to Powell's -- my favorite Portland store when I was in college there.
We have some bike racks -- at least, I think they are bike racks -- in my current neighborhood that are in the shape of old-fashioned large-wheel/small-wheel cycles. They are very cool, but I have yet to see any bikes actually attached to them -- I think others are as unsure about their purpose as I am.
Posted by Rana | September 13, 2003 4:12 PM
Posted on September 13, 2003 16:12