Monday, February 5, 2007

Jen's RX

Kelly,



Just amazing.

The spokes are so delicate and imply movement even though they are stationary.

As for the handrail material, I think it should be something that is unexpected and yet very ‘touchable’.

Could you form a gel that has movement and play or ….is it a fabric; like felt.

I see the rail as the sensual moment when the curiosity of approaching the piece is satiated by surprise.



The connectors should be either very refined or coloured or maybe patina.

Clearly ‘worked’ as opposed to the roughness of the spokes.



I will check on you tomorrow.



Jen

1 comment:

kelly_steeves said...

The subject of hand-rails fascinates me. What to use as your rail that is both sensual and in-keeping with the Rubins-esque nature of the project?

I think you're right, essentially, about tires being the dirtiest part of a bike and thus unappetizing as a hand-rail. On the other hand, properly cleaned up, of all the parts of a bike, tires, to me, would be the most sensual to the touch. They have a built-in pattern of ridges and channels that makes for an interesting sensation, and the rubber could be fun, too. Although, maybe they'd leave a bad smell on your hand after touching them, as some tires often do...

Another possibility I see (without going with something other than a bike part) are the leather bike seats -- but there's something pretty gross about running your hand over something a stranger's ass has occupied. Aside from that: Maybe a bike bottle. A series of plastic bike bottles arranged as a railing. It would feel... okay. And it wouldn't be revolting.

Just tossing out ideas...

Hmm. I suppose another obvious choice would be to cover a simple metal hand-rail with bicycle handlebar grips. I'm sure you could find a bunch of cheap ones, slice them down the middle, and fit them over whatever structural metal you go with. It makes perfect poetic sense -- I mean, they're hand grips! For a railing. Get it? Plus, they have the tires' rubber sensuality...

Yeah -- that's my number one choice thus far -- hand grips!

-from a good friend of mine.