As a student of art history at the University, I love seeking out local art shows, exhibits, and galleries around Rochester. Recently, one caught my interests; plural because it caught both my interest in art and in sustainability!
Rochester Contemporary Art Center at 137 East Avenue is a local contemporary gallery that strives to produce “. Though always having intriguing exhibitions, their most recent I found particularly engaging: Ride It: Art & Bicycles in Rochester. Not only does the exhibit cover and discuss the historic, cultural, and artistic aspects of bicycles, but also encourages the environmentally friendly behavior itself! For instance, if visitors arrived at their April 3rd opening reception on on a bike, their admission to the gallery was free. Additionally, they had a bike valet for the event that would park your bike for you, further encouraging the employment of bikes as a mechanism for travel.
The exhibit encompasses a variety of mediums, events, and locations. In fact, there is an event this Saturday at 1pm titled Slow Art Day: Hurry Up & Wait. The show “explores the art of slowing down with the Landmark Society’s Young Urban Preservationists” and features presentations from local artists and cyclists themselves.
Another event is a screening of Power to the Pedals at The Little Theatre, which is a documentary about innovative biking, pioneered by female welder and mechanic Wendzday Jane. “Wenzday goes to the heart of the sustainability issue by offering solutions, and suggests that things don’t have to be the way they are.” The organization she forms is composed of a group of bicycle riders that deliver food, as well as pick up composting, recycling, and waste, all on 2 wheels. This is an event I will definitely attend, as with green efforts on the rise, there strong demand for innovative ways of incorporating bikes into daily activities.
Upcoming events include a bicycle tour of Rochester’s public art and other movie screenings. For more information on these events, you can visit the exhibit’s Facebook page, or ROCO’s website.