There’s a lot of buzz around town for the Cyclepedia exhibition that opened Saturday at the Portland Art Museum. The Embacher collection is a marvel of design and we’re lucky to have it. And of course kicking off a major museum exhibition by hosting thousands of naked bike riders is a proven way to get people talking. But Cyclepedia isn’t just what you’ll see at the museum, the exhibition has inspired and collaborated with Portlanders to bring the spirit of the show into the community.
This morning, the University of Oregon’s Portland School of Architecture and Allied Arts announced a series of courses titled, Fabrication for Cyclists. Accorinding to UO’s Sabina Samiee, the three courses are open to currently enrolled students (and good for one course credit) as well as the general public. Check out the flyer and course titles/descriptions below:
Prototyping Bicycle Accessories
June 24 – 26Customize your bicycle using the digital fabrication tools at the University of Oregon’s Fab Lab in Portland. Learn the basics of digital modeling and receive an overview on cutting-edge prototyping processes. Each participant will pedal away with customized accessories that they have designed, modeled, and fabricated themselves. Take an optional bike tour and connect with Portland’s growing community of craft persons and creative entrepreneurs developing and manufacturing products for cyclists.
Participants will develop basic digital modeling skills using Rhino3D. Modeling techniques will be applied with the specific intention of rapid-prototyping projects using laser cutting, 3D printing, or CNC cutting.
Bicycle Frame Fabrication
June 28 – 29Engage with Portland’s growing community of bicycle builders on a bike tour that will showcase an exquisite array of classic artisanship and innovation. Talk shop with the masters and get a behind the scenes introduction to custom fabricated frames and components manufactured in Portland. Plan on arriving at the White Stag Block (with your bike and appropriate safety gear) on Friday, June 28, at 1:00 PM. The tour will last until 5:50 PM, and the last stop will be the Portland Art Museum exhibit, Cyclepedia: A Century of Iconic Bicycle Design. Please be prepared with cash or credit card to purchase your ticket to the exhibition.
On Saturday, pedal back to the University of Oregon’s Fab Lab to design and 3D print an ABS pattern for a custom lug or headbadge. You will receive an introduction to CAD/CAM fundamentals including 3D modeling basics and file preparation for digital fabrication.
Bicycle Transit Technology
July 1 – 3Cycling is on the rise in American cities. Bicycles are redefining our methods of transit and significantly altering our urban infrastructures and public spaces. Discover the creative ways in which designers, engineers, planners, and fabricators are collaborating to creatively integrate cycling into the urban fabric. Guest lectures will be offered by designers, engineers, planners, and fabricators. Participants will develop projects during a design charette will fabricate their prototypes using equipment at the University of Oregon’s Fab Lab in Portland.
Join your classmates for an optional tour (June 28, from 1-5:50 PM) to visit facilities specializing in fabricating transit racks and urban equipment for cyclists. Those interested in the optional bike tour should plan on meeting at the White Stag Block (with your bike and appropriate safety gear) on Friday, June 28, at 1:00 PM. The tour will last until 5:50 PM. The tour ends at the Portland Art Museum where students will view the exhibit, Cyclepedia: A Century of Iconic Bicycle Design. If you would like to attend this portion of the tour, please bring cash or credit card to purchase your entrance ticket.
You can register for these classes and learn more at the UO website.
Another way the Cyclepedia exhibition is going beyond the museum is a new art competition dreamed up by Linda and Brent Engstrom. Linda has taught illustration and Landscape Design at Portland Community College for over 30 years and Brent was art major in college and is aslo the owner of Veloce Bicycles on SE Hawthorne Blvd. Linda says there have launched The Bike as Art in conjunction with Cyclepedia and the museum has agreed to let them exhibit the winning entries during the week of July 20-21. Entries are due by June 29th. Winners will get gift certificates to Blick Art Supply and bike gear from Veloce. Check out more details at the contest website and check out the flyer below:
Thanks for reading.
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I am really glad to see the Portland Art Museum really stepping up with this particular exhibit and partnering with other organizations.
I remember a few years ago when PAM did an exhibition about tattoos I felt like they really missed an opportunity to engage with the public on the subject and profile not only what tattoos mean in the context of history, but what they mean to every day people and modern culture. It’s such a big topic and they tackled it in a very underwhelming sort of way.
It is good to see they aren’t repeating that mistake.
There was a good interview with Michael Embacher (the Austrian collector behind the exhibit) on KBOO’s “Art Focus” yesterday: http://kboo.fm/content/artfocuson061113
His idea of suspending the bikes at eye level, so that they can be viewed from all sides (except above as usual), was inspired. He says that visitors are welcome to touch the bikes, many of which have residual road grime on them from use. He says that he rides all of his 200+ bicycles.