Sculptor Encourages Youth Art Bicycles
As an artist in residence, Houston metal sculptor starts a new organization called "Space City Art Bicycles" which awards bicycles to kids who decorate them in the style of the collaged art car.
Online, September 21, 2010 (Newswire.com) - Ever notice how kids seem to relish in drastically altering an otherwise perfectly good bicycle? Local sculptor James Ciosek is legitimizing it.
His new club, "Space City Art Bicycles" (S.C.A.B.) represents a new youth bicycling and art infrastructure in Houston. Ciosek's organization unites kids, the Third Ward arts scene, local bicycle advocacy groups, and the art car community. The basic deal: kids pledge to practice safe cycling and to decorate a bicycle in the style of the ubiquitous collaged art car. Then they get to keep the bike. A final critique by the other participants in the workshop determines the eligibility of each bike artist to be awarded a Space City Art Bikes club patch, exhibit in the Art Car Museum's 2010 "Good Gulf" show, and ride in the 2011 Art Car Parade.
To see some of their collaged art bikes in person, come check out S.C.A.B.'s public presentation September 25, 2010 at labotanica, 2316 Elgin, Houston, Texas 77004, from 3-4p.m.. Space City Art Bicycles will exhibit in tandem with the final reception for labotanica's School of Latitudes residency program which runs from 11-5p.m. . Labotanica is a resource and a laboratory using flexible, open-ended formats to frame new art forms and dialogues.
Inspiration for S.C.A.B comes from its founder's love of cycling, the Scraper bike movement, and punk rock D.I.Y. ethics. Involvement in art car events and the School of Latitudes give Ciosek the artistic notoriety to solicit and procure donated bikes, locks, helmets, collage materials, graphic design/printing services, volunteer support, and paid Art Car Parade entries. Elves and More, BikeHouston, Houston Art Car Klub, Workshop Houston, the Art Car Museum, and The Orange Show all gave gracefully along with several individuals. Carrie Schneider, another artist in the School of Latitudes residency, arranged for studio space, helps Ciosek run the sessions, and connected him with his first group of willing participants- five Burmese refugee children living in Southwest Houston.
Ciosek (pronounced cho-zik) says, "I hope that Space City Art Bicycles eventually takes on a life of its own, becoming an autonomous youth activity with art at the center of it." Taught to weld by his grandfather at age eleven, he continues a family legacy working as a professional metal smith and sculptor since 1993. Ciosek holds a blacksmithing certificate from the Artist Blacksmith's Association of North America, and a B.S. from New York University. He regularly exhibits in open call, invitational, and juried shows at the Art Car Museum, The Arts Alliance Center Clear Lake, and others. His first art car "Frankenova" won a second place trophy in the art car category at the 2010 Art Car Parade, and is acknowledged as a new genre (art rod) in the movement. Most recently, James Ciosek was happy to publicly debut the obelisk titled "Man Made Disaster" at Lawndale Art Center's 2010 "The Big Show" and to be chosen as a resident of labotanica's School of Latitudes.
Photos, blogs, statements, and more at :
www.jamesciosek.com and http://labotanica.org/latitudes