Bike-powered film installation coming to PDX Fest

This installation debuts in
Portland tomorrow.
Photo: Vanessa Renwick

There will be a provocative, bike-themed video installation at the upcoming PDX Film Fest. Filmmaker and artist Vanessa Renwick of the Oregon Department of Kick Ass, says people will be offered a new way to appreciate her classic film, The Yodeling Lesson.

If you haven’t seen The Yodeling Lesson. Here’s a recap:

Accompanied by a soundtrack of bagpipes and yodeling, the 4+ minute film depicts a woman (Moe Bowstern) riding (mostly no-handed) up the N. Mississippi St. hill on a dreary and cold morning. When she gets to the top, she takes off all her clothes and proceeds to careen down the hill, riding the whole thing completely nude and with no hands.

Vanessa will create an interactive installation based on this film for the PDX Film Fest that starts this weekend. Here’s more about the installation:

“I tracked down the original official Portland bike lane stencil alterer, Mister Todd Roberts, and he agreed to make a naked lady bike lane stencil for me. Adam Dowis rigged up a super secret electronic box that made it so that you had to be pedaling a bike, and kind of hard I might add, in order to see the movie playing.”

Vanessa says the installation debuted in Portland in 2000 and has also been shown in Eugene, New York City, and Los Angeles (see photos here).

You can see it for yourself starting tomorrow night (4/25) at Audio Cinema (226 SE Madison, under the Hawthorne Bridge). The opening night party starts at 8:00. After that, you can view it Thurs-Sat from 12pm-6pm.

Jonathan Maus (Publisher/Editor)

Jonathan Maus (Publisher/Editor)

Founder of BikePortland (in 2005). Father of three. North Portlander. Basketball lover. Car owner and driver. If you have questions or feedback about this site or my work, feel free to contact me at @jonathan_maus on Twitter, via email at maus.jonathan@gmail.com, or phone/text at 503-706-8804. Also, if you read and appreciate this site, please become a supporter.

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Vigilante
Vigilante
16 years ago

Isn’t that Moe from Xtra Tuf? She is AWESOME!

Cecil
Cecil
16 years ago

Is it BYOB (Bring Your Own Bike)?

justa
justa
16 years ago

sweet! we were supposed to have this showing at the sprockettes benefit last fall, but technical difficulties foiled us.

jon
jon
16 years ago

i love that movie. my mrs and i reference it often (as we live in that area), especially when we are biking up that hill and have the nerve to complain. “think of moe….”

Vanessa
Vanessa
16 years ago

HI,
It is $3-5 tomorrow night entry fee for the opening night party/installation show.
That includes free PBR.
But if you come with a ticket stub from the 7 o’clock show at the Hollywood Theatre, you get in free.
Here is more info on the show
http://www.peripheralproduce.com/pdx_film_fest/2007/schedule.php

On Thursday thru Sat. the installation show is free.

Thanks for the plug Jonathan.
Have a nice ride everyone!
p.s., and yes, that is Moe Bowstern from Xtra Tuf zine.

vespabelle
vespabelle
16 years ago

I saw the Yodelling Lesson a few years ago when I checked out a VHS tape of Vanessa’s shorts from the library. A quick check shows that there are copies ready to be checked out right now.