Warrior Pose at Dawn
Paul Grant
Mixed Media
$75 or $250/4

 

Crane Pose on Handlebar
Paul Grant
Mixed Media
$75 or $250/4

 

Pregnant woman doing Shiva Pose
Paul Grant
Mixed Media
$75 or $250/4

 

The astavakra pose on a mountain bike
Paul Grant
Mixed Media
$75 or $250/4

 
I showed these pictures earlier this year at a biking festival that had as it's final destination an art gallery (Reversable Eye in Chicago) where there were live bands, refreshments and people from all over getting together as part of a movement to get away from the use of cars and to celebrate the act of cycling year round. They claim that more than 200 people showed up at the final party - all with bikes. As the band played and several kegs were tapped and bottles of wine were uncorked - there was a sudden interest in my work. It was not the "I want to buy that" type of interest - it was the "I want to try that" type of interest.
In my artist statement, hung on the wall with the pictures, I explained how yoga and biking were two of my hobbies and art was my profession, so I had combined all three. I wrote that I actually had been able - while riding, to perform the sun salutations ( a series of yoga positions) though with some variations. I even mentioned that the most intense moment of my life was doing a headstand on the handlebars while going down a steep hill.
This event - with all of these people on bicycles, was happening in the February Chicago winter. It was 20 degrees outside. People were bundled thickly and many were using alcohol as a source of warmth. And there was a lot of testosterone flowing among many of the men. Soon a large group went outside to try yoga postures on their bikes. Most of the party attendees went to watch. Some spectacular balancing was being shown. The end came when one young man tried a fast moving handstand. He crashed into a parked car and did a flip in the air over the car and came crashing down with a thud. An ambulance had to be called. ( I never did find out what happened to the poor guy.) The crowd went back into the gallery and the band played uptempo songs, and the happy party mood returned.
My goal is to make art that moves people.
Paul Grant (follower of Basho)

 

for information regarding works please contact Altered Esthetics

1224 Quincy St. NE - Mpls MN 55413

612.378.8888

contact@alteredesthetics.com

 

the Bike Art group-show featured work by the following artists:

Jamie Schumacher - Curator