9 months ago
EXCHANGE is an exhibition of the completed community engagement projects from the outgoing 2011-2012 40th Street Artists-in-Residence.
My project began by teaching a sculpture class for Neighborhood Bike Works and culminated in the youth design, construction, and riding of a human-powered flying saucer in the Kensington Kinetic Sculpture Derby where we won the Judge’s Choice Award.
Currently, an installation consisting of the bike sculpture, our costumes, and video documentation is on view at 40th Street AIRspace (by appointment, contact 40th Street AIR). The video can also be viewed online: http://youtu.be/ciAac7MFYmA.
10 months ago
Finally edited the video footage from the Kensington Kinetic Sculpture Derby. Artist Jim Garvey and I worked with kids from Neighborhood Bike Works to make a flying saucer sculpture. The kids had their hands in every part of the project from concept, design, construction, costumes, decoration, and of course riding in the parade. And in the end we won the Judge’s Choice Award! Definitely the most fun thing I did so far this year.
(Source: vimeo.com)
1 year ago
I just found this amazing photo of me and Jim Garvey piloting The Neighborhood Bike Works Cyclenaut’s flying saucer through the mud pit at the Kensington Kinetic Sculpture Derby.
1 year ago
Jim Garvey & myself, Michael Konrad: kinetic captains of The Cyclenauts.
1 year ago
All set for the Kensington Kinetic Sculpture Derby tomorrow. Come check out The Neighborhood Bike Works Cyclenauts as we ride from West Philly to Kensington on our flying saucer.
1 year ago
Flying saucer bike sculpture parts & tools.
My very small studio as I’m in the process of building a kinetic bike sculpture.
1 year ago
I’ve been working with kids from Neighborhood Bike Works through the 40th Street Artist-in-Residence program to build a pedal-powered Flying Saucer parade float for the Kensington Kinetic Sculpture Derby. I put together this teaser video that shows our sculpture midway through construction.
We have 17 of these lightweight panels to create the metallic body around the perimeter of our Flying Saucer. Come check it out in action once it’s complete at the Kensington Kinetic Sculpture Derby on May 19!
The Cycle-Nauts pedal-powered Flying Saucer
With the support of a partnership between Neighborhood Bike Works and 40th Street AIR, artists Michael Konrad and Jim Garvey have been working with youth from NBW on a large-scale, mobile sculpture for the 2012 Kensington Kinetic Sculpture Derby.
Beginning with small workshops on design, hanging mobiles, simple motors, found object art, and kinetic sculpture, the artists have been meeting weekly with youth since January to develop a unified concept and hone new skills.
After much brainstorming and experimenting, the youth voted to call themselves “The Cycle-Nauts” and construct a Flying Saucer spaceship using found objects on a welded frame made from two tandem bicycles. Stay tuned for updates on the project, as the big race day is Saturday, May 19 — just 2 weeks away!
