We’ll fess up. We’ve been known to bike in heels.
O.K., so perhaps David Byrne isn’t advocating cycling in stilettos, but with all the talk about biking lately and Amber's post on bike racks, we were still thrilled to spot “The Ladies’ Mile” on our way to Central Park yesterday.
Fittingly, the shoe bicycle rack is on 5th Avenue, outside Bergdorf Goodman. David Byrne created nine site-specific bicycle racks, which the PaceWildenstein gallery helped to fabricate and the Department of Transportation agreed to install. The design of each is based on its location. There’s a coffee cup in front of a pastry shop, the dollar sign on Wall Street, a guitar in Williamsburg, and a New Jersey-commuting car near the Holland Tunnel.
In fact, DOT has worked with the musician and bike advocate before. We attended a bike lecture David Byrne hosted last winter in which DOT was a participant. We applaud the collaboration and are enthusiastic about the bike lanes and numerous racks that have been installed, but we still have a couple of questions.
It seems like these nine bike racks are considered a form of public art, and therefore will only be installed for 364 days. Afterwards, they’re going to be sold. We can’t help but wonder, is the limited-time only designation just a way to increase hype? Why not them have permanent? What will the money go towards?
What do you think?
top photo: jend; bottom photos: via davidbyrne.com
Copyright © 2008 Apartment Therapy
Cool, I with they connected the plate on the front of the sole - it would make it a lot more recognizable.
view amt230's profile
Sweet! I am so going to lobby for these to go up in Austin, maybe from a local artist. Talk about exactly what we need...but I'd hope the city would make them permanent fixtures.
view amber77's profile
Hehe. I too have biked with a broken arm and with heels (not at the same time -- at least as far as I can remember!). Back to the point thought -- I love bike rack art -- there are a few places around here that have done this and it is so much fun to use them! And, they are asthetically pleasing to boot.
view Green Me's profile
i friggin' HEART David Byrne, man! last weekend i went and saw Playing The Building - it was incredible!!!
http://www.creativetime.org/programs/archive/2008/byrne/project.html
i think he's tops.
view kdkaboom's profile