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RE:CYCLE – The Ubiquitous Bicycle
Dee, JoJo, Frankie and Lisa after school, Prince Street, NY, 1976. Photo: Susan Meiselas.
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Elgin Skylark, 1936. Steel; leather saddle and accessories.
Courtesy of The Bicycle Museum of America, New Bremen, Ohio. 2000.001
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Bottom: Dexter Boneshaker (replica), 1869. Cast Iron.
Courtesy of The Bicycle Museum of America, New Bremen, Ohio.1997.003
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Exhibition Runtime: October 8th – December 17th
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On your marks, get set, go! This autumn The Church looks at the humble bicycle in a whole new light. As part of our on-going series of exhibitions exploring material culture, RE:CYCLE – The Ubiquitous Bicycle presents rare and atypical examples of bicycle design alongside an exceptional selection of fine art photography and video testifying to the world’s enduring relationship to travel on two wheels. The exhibition is the fruit of a series of remarkable collaborations.
The 19 unusual bicycles come from the collection of the Bicycle Museum of America (BMA) in New Bremen, Ohio, and were chosen by The Church Co-Founder Eric Fischl and the BMA’s Coordinator Ryan Long. They highlight innovative ideas about the design of the bicycle. Dating from 1891 to 2017, they show how the materials and engineering of bicycles changed over time to reflect their different uses and include a c.1898 Stoddard Cygnet, 1936 Elgin Skylark, 1960 Bowden Spacelander, and 2017 Handcrafted Wooden Cycle by Warren J. Von Botbyl among many other wonderful examples. We are grateful to Janet and Jim Dicke, founders of the Bicycle Museum of America, for their support of this essential component of the exhibition.
These bicycles are complimented by an exhibition of photography co-curated by Mark Lubell (former Executive Director of the International Center of Photography and former Director of Magnum Photos) and Jennifer Tripp (independent curator and former Director of Print Sales for Magnum Photos). Looking at the work of modern and contemporary masters of the medium – from Elliott Erwitt, and Evelyn Hofer to Susan Meiselas – they have culled a selection of images from around the globe highlighting the ubiquitous nature of the bicycle. The photographs reflect the bicycle’s accessibility and practicality, its beauty and gift of freedom, and its enduring presence in almost all cultures.
In addition, artist Steve Miller is lending a work by the Brazilian artist Jarbas Lopes from his Cicloviaéreabike series—an ongoing project in which he encases bicycles in intricately woven material. Otherworldly, beautiful, but still functional, these bikes are destined to be used on Lopes’ ciclovia, an ambitious series of elevated urban bike paths that have not yet been built.
The Church’s Chief Curator Sara Cochran is overseeing all components of the larger exhibition and will contribute a selection of contemporary video works that incorporate the bicycle in varied and poignant ways, reflecting our reliance on and love for the two wheels.
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THE BICYCLE MUSEUM OF AMERICA
The Bicycle Museum of America has nearly 150 bicycles on display in its galleries and 800 in its collection. Its guided and self-guided tours allow visitors to explore the history of the bicycle and how it helped shape the American landscape through innovation and design. The Museum’s mission is to provide an understanding through interpretation, social relevance, and the dissemination of information on bicycles and cycling on a global and historical platform.
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RYAN LONG
Ryan Long graduated from The Ohio State University with a degree in North American History. His position at the Bicycle Museum of America allows him to indulge his passion for preserving human history, as he believes history defines and gives context to our present. Through its collection and scholarship, the Bicycle Museum offers a unique opportunity to preserve not only a litany of historic bicycles but the history behind them and the manufacturers that created them.
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MARK LUBELL
Mark Lubell served as the Executive Director of the International Center of Photography (ICP) from 2013-2021. Under his leadership, ICP built its new building on the Lower East Side, reuniting its school and museum. Here it launched breakthrough exhibitions, expanded the school’s online offerings, and continued its commitment to community and public programs. From 2003-2011, Lubell was Director of Magnum Photos, where he worked with its world-renowned photographers to transform the legendary agency. American Photo named Lubell “Innovator of the Year” in 2007 for his pioneering approach to multimedia and online communities. Prior to Magnum, Lubell was Chief Operating Officer of “Here is New York: A Democracy of Photographs,” which was formed in the aftermath of the events of September 11, 2001. Lubell currently divides his time between Sag Harbor and New York City.
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JENNIFER TRIPP
Jennifer Tripp, an independent curator and advisor, is the founder of Tripp Projects where she curates exhibitions and assists in the acquisition of photography for private and public collections. Previously, Tripp was the Assistant Director of Craig Krull Gallery in Santa Monica, CA, before joining Magnum Photos New York as Director of Print Sales where she built strategic partnerships and conceived of exhibitions from Magnum’s vast archive. She received her BFA in Photography from SCAD (Savannah College of Art & Design) and continues to collaborate with leading contemporary artists, advisors, and cultural institutions internationally.
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The Church was established in 2019 by artists Eric Fischl and April Gornik. Housed in a deconsecrated 19th-century church, its doors were opened in April 2021. Our mission is to foster creativity and to honor the living history of Sag Harbor as a maker village. The East End represents an exceptional artistic legacy, spanning the practices of Indigenous art of several centuries ago, Abstract Expressionists of the mid 20th Century, and the many celebrated writers, makers, musicians, and visual artists of the recent past and current moment. Core programming includes visual art exhibitions, concerts and events, educational programming, workshops, lectures, and an artist’s residency.
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The Church
48 Madison Street
Sag Harbor, NY 11963
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AAQ / Resource: Sotheby’s International Realty
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