Thousands of welded bicycles create unique sculpture in Toronto

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The simple, yet efficient, design of the common bicycle is repeated again and again — 3,144 times — in the sculpture Forever Bicycles on display in Toronto for the next couple of weeks.

Forever Bikes - Toronto

Forever Bikes – Toronto

The sculpture is the work of Chinese dissident Ai Weiwei, an internationally renown artist who is not allowed to leave his home country where he’s been critical of the government.

The sculpture of stainless steel bicycles was shipped overseas in sections and assembled on-site. It dwarfs a sculpture he’d done previously that used 1,000 bicycles.

The sculpture is  part of Toronto’s Nuit Blanche celebration through Oct. 27. As the name implies, this is a nighttime celebration and the stainless steel bicycles reflect the hues of different colored light on them.

At 100 feet long by 30 feet deep and 30 feet high, it overwhelms the Nathan Phillips Square. Those who witness it were amazed.

The Verge.com — The static sculpture layers bicycle upon bicycle, evoking a blurred sense of motion from every angle. Up close, the intricate lattice of frames, spokes, and wheels is a geometric wonder.

Itsnicethat.com — “Judging by its reception it’s still as stunning now as it was in January too, in a fine demonstration of how some artworks translate perfectly to different contexts and maintain a sense of spectacle in spite of their repetition.”


Permanent link to this article: https://www.bikingbis.com/2013/10/10/thousands-of-welded-bicycles-create-unique-sculpture-in-toronto/

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