Love Bikes

by Dwayne Matthews

Black and White Photograph $160

I have always found that bicycles, like cars, function not only as transportation, but tell us something about their owners. They can be status symbols, enjoyed by people who can afford to own the absolute top of the line, or they can be simple and more affordable with a child's seat attached, attesting to parents' joy in sharing weekend rides with their children. In the first photo, The Love Bikes, I was exploring Amsterdam when I witnessed a young couple very much and passionately in love. I was charmed by how when they parked their bikes, they rested together-almost melding, providing a physical manifestation of the bond between the young lovers. In the second photo, Snow Bike, I've tried to capture something small, but powerful to represent the harsh and raw experience presented by Minnesota winters. I moved here from North Carolina in August of 2005 and found a warm, green and energetic city in Minneapolis. It was filled with people walking and riding bicycles everywhere, but as fall moved on and winter set in, the people went indoors and sadly, the bikes disappeared. Snow Bike represents my frustration with learning to survive in a cold climate where walking and biking seem practically impossible and for months I simply had to settle with feeling cold and trapped.