Art Rush at CMWC Tokyo

Maybe you've heard that CMWC festivities will be tearing it up in Tokyo this September? A new feature of this year's extended championship, Art Rush, requires some planning. Which is why we're telling you all about it NOW.

Art rush hopes to integrate art and messenger culture. It's a contest for art that messengers will wear while they compete. The messenger riding will become a moving piece of art.

The medium? The ever-friendly, athletic favorite: a t-shirt. Each submission much be an actual t shirt, of course, as the riders themselves will hand select one to wear while they race. The t-shirt should serve as the canvas, but beyond that the possibilities are open to all variety of media, except maybe Etch a Sketch. Stitch it, draw it, print it, paint it! You're creative! You figure it out. It's a great way for people unable to travel to Tokyo to still participate in the event.

Your submission will not be returned to you after the competition wraps, as your work will be transported across the globe, worn by a competitor even after the race is over. A way of connecting people across the world through a love of bikes and art and comraderie. Their website whispers, Your artwork will be running through streets, somewhere in the world.

Organizers plan to display artist profiles and submissions, as well as the recipient of each shirt, on their website.

Yuki has all the details, but you can also head over to Art Rush for more information. The only cost to enter is the price of shipping your shirt to Japan, and the longer you allow for that part, the cheaper it will be! All submissions must be shipped by September 7, 2009.

Do it! This is your time to shine!

We Love Him

We do! We love Seiya so much that he gets two mentions on this blog in the same week. Not only is he a good customer but he's also a great person, whose goodness is remembered by almost everyone I know who's ever met him. He's like a cycle-messiah, "Have you heard? Seiya's coming!" Er...maybe more like a cycle-saint.

In any case, he starred in an episode of Working, a series of short films by Tramnesia, documenting his shop, Depot. As told by the filmmakers:

WORKING is a series of short videos profiling the practices of small, owner-operated businesses. Inspired by Studs Terkel's landmark oral history of working people in the early 1970's, WORKING interviews individuals who have rejected the idea of working for others, instead setting up businesses in order to work for themselves. If Terkel's study triumphed the survival of the human spirit against the daily humiliation of the Job, the individuals presented here update that theme with personal examples of autonomy against the economies of scale that perpetuate the demoralized workplace.

WORKING attempts to highlight the successes of these individuals in carving out ways to live, of tailoring a "work" situation that "works" for them, offering up business models that value independence over financial and/or material preoccupations. Terkel, quoting a union leader: "Once we accept the concept of work as something meaningful -- not just as the source of a buck -- you don't have to worry about finding enough jobs."

WORKING seeks to learn about the actual practice and challenges of running a business by asking specific questions of how things are done. WORKING tries not only to look behind-the-scenes but also to consider self-assessments regarding the successes and failures of the respective business practice. Ultimately, we hope the profiles inspire you to do it yourself.

Pretty good idea, eh? We really thought so. And Seiya's shop is a perfect example. Go check out Tramnesia's written profile of Depot and then watch the movie. There will be a smile stretching across your face by the end of it. Promise.

Warsaw Made

A new label out of Philadelphia by our friend Elsa, formerly a Black Floor lady, who set out on her own as of February of this year to make a line of things inspired bywell-made goods of the past.
She's called it Warsaw Made.

With a decidedly antique look and feel, her bags could easily transport their wearer to another time and place. And they're all handmade in town, by one visionary lady with an eye for romance. Don't be fooled; though beautiful, each piece is tough as nails and made by hand to endure the ages. There are even quilt references, if you're paying attention. She certainly has her bases covered.


See for yourself.

Congrat-U-Ma-Lations

To Bilenky Cycleworks, our hometown framebuilding outfit! They won best tandem last weekend at the NAHBS in Indianapolis. If there were ONE prize worth winning, best tandem is probably it. In my mind, the gold medal of gold medals. Those bicycles built-for-two are just the most fun.



And such a lovely shade of red...

Gerik Is Our Buddy and He Likes To Draw

Gerik does all kinds of drawings, usually good ones, and he just started a smart little blog to keep track. It's more functional than your everyday, ordinary blog because it's called Caption Please. The comments are the captions, get it?




We like them, untitled or titled.

Small Change

If you happen to live in the esteemed Southern portion of the east coast, our friends at Small Change are on the road and coming quickly! to a town near you. These friends are of the cinemotographic persuasion and host a series of experimental videos and music videos by Philly based filmmakers. For your viewing pleasure, they're toting...

Fantastical deteriorating video narratives, metaphysical workout videos, music videos, and experimental animations and documentaries from Philadelphia. Curated by the members of the Small Change film screening series you can expect the full range of emotions from sensory overloading trance-party-inducing visuals, deeply personal life-affirming introspection, Wu-Tang dance parties, and TGIF television nostalgia.

An event dubbed the Action News Tour, is one not to be missed! Besides, this could be your only chance to see those fancy nurses costumes in action on the dr. biggles screen.

The films in question are from the talented brains and braun of Ted Passon, Dave Dunn, Chris Ward, Andrew Jeffrey Wright, Ryan Trecartin, Sarah J. Christman, Michael Robinson and Clare E. Rojas. The pictures in question are of course, therefore:

2/21: Roanoke Marginal Arts Festival Jefferson Center 541 Luck Avenue, Roanoke, VA * 12:30pm

2/22: NIGHTLIGHT Bar & Club 405 1/2 W. Rosemary St. Chapel Hill, NC * 9:30pm * $5.00

2/23: The Sentient Bean 13 E Park Ave. Savannah, GA * 7:30pm * $5.00

2/25: FLEX (Florida Experimental Film Festival) Hippodrome State Theatre 25 SE 2nd Place, Gainesville, FL * 9:00pm * $5.00

2/26: New College of Florida 5800 Bay Shore Road Sarasota, FL * 8:00pm * FREE SHOW * Outside screening @The Z-Quad

2/28: The Eyedrum 290 MLK Jr. Dr. SE (suite #8) Atlanta, GA * 9:00pm w/ Oicho Kabu

3/01: Green Cup Books Richard Arrington Jr. Blvd. South Birmingham, AL

3/03: Church Of Crystal Light 309 N. Adams St. Richmond, VA * 8:00pm w/Cars Will Burn!!

Since there's nothing like a good new-fashioned movie, show these good ones some Southern hospitality please.

Any thoughts?

Our buddies got all wrapped up in some controversy over at boingboing the other day over this new shirt. They've sold quite a few now, but I NEVER would have predicted that people's interpretation of the print would be so ugly. Do YOU happen to get a "cruel irony of the cost of the two wars" sort of a vibe? I mean I suppose that truly dark people might go there, but not really.



Thoughts?

Speaking of Fleather-Brained

I mentioned yesterday the fourth contributor to the MISS giveaway, Fleathers, but realized that you may not be familiar. You haven't been formally introduced to yet another Philly label that continues to inspire the work around our studio. Fleathers and Rabid Fox (two branches from the same tree) are jewelry lines by Linda Smyth, a Philadelphia based store-keeper and designer that have long adorned the lobes and fingers of Miss Carrie Collins.

Fleathers is Linda's leather-based line, usually earrings that are large and colorful and you guessed it, crafted to mimic the fluttery fringe of a feather. Rabid Fox on the other hand, which is co-created with Rebecca Pulver, is all metal, forged in the shape of little animals. The pieces are designed so the animals perch in the unlikeliest location--a knuckle or two--making for quite the visual impact.



Both lines are at home at TopStitch boutique, where wouldn't you know it, FH also happens to sell our wares. Carrie was kind enough to buy me a Rabidfox ring as a moving-out-west present, and boy it is swell. I'll bet you can guess which member of the animal kingdom we favor in jewelry format...

For He's a Jolly Good Fellow

Old FH buddy and dear dear friend of mine, Ralph over at Via Bicycle has started updating the blog over there more regularly and I thought it deserved an announcement. He's been posting images of some of the rarer clutter in the second floor Museum at Via and talking about some of his own restorative projects, recent acquisitions and just generally, the life and times of a vintage bicycle aficionado. Plus, he's a really nice guy. A veritable fountain of know-how, you've probably seen Joel at a swap anywhere from Michigan to Virginia and didn't even know it. (Hint: he's the one with all the loot.)

Go ahead, give a little peek.

Bike Friends

It's never to late to make a play date for your bike. Just because he or she is made of steel doesn't mean your bike lacks feelings.



Couldn't we all use a hug from time to time? I thought so.

CMWC My Dudes

Delinquent! Delinquent. We've been back five days. I really wanted to be your correspondent and bring you photos ON LOCATION but you know, one beer leads to another, and before you know it the weekend is over with not a sober moment to spare on reporting. Do forgive.

Last Friday we set out for that great city in the north, Carrie, Mary and honorary FH Abbey "Snakes" Gunn. See Abbey above modelling our hot new ladies' tank. We stayed til Monday, ate lots of snacks, made some friends, broke some hearts. You know, the usual.

Finally though today, I'm happy to report that Toronto was pretty awesome. As a city, we found it friendly and inviting, despite being somewhat expensive. There were trolleys, to keep us from homesickness, with tracks as far as the eye could see to keep us on our toes. There were hippie girls singing into carrots, strip clubs offering European lap dances, old bleach blonde and permed diner waitresses and hot dog trucks on every corner serving up vegan dogs and dozens of condiments. Oh goodness, Canada.

The festivus mostly took place on Toronto Island, which required a ferry boat to reach. The island holds significance in the city's cycling history as the location for one of the first outdoor cycling tracks. This allowed for much bonding time and camaraderie, as you might imagine. Friendships were forged, sea legs were gained. By Festivus, I mean the CMWC's...Cycle Messenger World Championships. Maybe you are wondering the same thing the folks at border control were wondering. What exactly does that entail? Well from the organizers' brain to your eyes:

CMWC is a world championship sporting event, but it is also a world festival celebrating messenger culture and its broad influence on modern urban culture. CMWC hosts a variety of related galas, shows, parties and vendor markets where spectators mingle with messengers to get a jump on the latest bike trends and urban utilitarian fashion. The side events showcase the artistic, photographic, musical and literary talents of the world’s hardest working professional athletes.

Basically a competition for messengers the WORLD over coming together to run a course of checkpoints and have lots of fun and celebrate the glory. The event's taken place in various cities since 1993. The race takes place on a closed course that is sanctioned by the International Federation of Bike Messengers Associations (IFBMA). And most competitors are bike messengers but the weekend's events were open to everyone. And no cars on the island, did I mention that? Which made the race a lot safer, albeit less like actual messengering. The island is home to a small community of permanent and deliberate carfree residents.

Because this was a business trip, ahem, we didn't get to watch the actual racing quite as much as we would have liked, but the course snaked all over the island and we could glimpse it through the trees from our tent spot. We were in the Vendor Market with RELoad and across from other Philadelphians, Bilenky Cycle Works.

There were several other events taking place as part of the Championships: 300 Meter Sprints, a Cargo Race, Bunny Hop Competition, Skids, Track Stands, a Slow Race, a Pedal Boat Race and a Bike Polo Tournament. In other words, lots of people doing lots of things, all at once.

I'm not suprised that Toronto was named Bicycle Magazine's Most Bicycle-Friendly City in North America. I found it both bikable and friendly. You might say we had a pretty good time. Got a tan, got stormed on, saw two rainbows, got detained at border control inexplicably, and made it home in one piece. A success.