The Accidental Beast - ARTcycle and bicycle safety

This year's ARTcycle entry in conjunction with Art Basel Miami was inspired by my personal horror of seeing my thirteen year old son get hit by a car on his bike. Thankfully, he survived with bruises and scrapes which kept him out of school for two days. It could have been so much worse.

When my son announced that he forgot to charge his cell phone before leaving for school, I decided to ride my bicycle behind him on the way just to make sure he made it to school safely. The week before he fell off his bicycle because he has to carry a heavy backpack that makes him off balance.

We were half way to school when a car stopped at the street, but did not stop at the stop sign line. The car hit my son's bike at the edge of the street. There was not a single thing that I could do. One second my son was hit, the next three seconds he was down under the car where I could not see him. Then, one glorious second later he jumped up and said, 'Mom, I'm ok!"

As the neighbors all brought bandages, I watched car after car pass over the white line next to the stop sign. I realized that anyone could have hit him and that many more bicyclist would be injured or even killed. It also occurred to me that we imagine human beasts lurking in the dark corners waiting to take the lives of our children and loved ones, but it is more likely that an accident will take their lives.

I created, "The Accidental Beast" to bring awareness that anyone could be this beast at any moment, if we don't see one bike, one kid on his way to school. Please stop at the white stop line. Then, move up and stop again at the street to see. Look for bikes! 

The sculpture measures 60" x 89" x 27" and is constructed out of brown grocery bags and handmade colored paper. The bicycle was donated by ARTcycle.

Please join me to view "The Accidental Beast" at the opening reception December 5th 7pm to 10pm at FLOR Miami - 127 NE 40th Street, Miami along with my collection of sculptures titled, "The Food Forest" (In the Design District across from Michael's Restaurant).

There are thirteen additional art bikes created by local artists in various galleries throughout Wynwood during Art Basel week with a guided bicycle tour December 6th through 8th at 1 pm.

Next month the art bicycles will be exhibited together at the Coral Gables Museum from January 16 to February 26 with an artist lecture/panel on January 23rd. For more information about the bike tour visit art-cycle.org.