You see them lined up on the edge of downtown streets, riding in the road’s detritus, pedaling through sun and rain and maybe even snow: Commuters. Urban cyclists. Gutter bunnies.
Krista Homiak and Sarah TV Russell, Denver-based media professionals and cyclists, are celebrating the experience of these dedicated riders (and those of us who only go out on sunny days) with the Gutter Bunny Project.
Through the art installation, which will weave together video footage shot by cyclists around the world, the pair hope to find peace in urban surroundings - and bring cyclists together to share in one experience.
“It’s really about tying a community together, even though we’re not all riding bikes in the same place,” Russell said. “We can all get connected by it.”
It was probably only a matter of time before the duo decided to do an art installation. Both have film degrees, Russell has a mountain biking background, Homiak has been partial to cruisers and both are giving track bikes a ride at the moment. In fact, Russell says they’ve been talking about doing an art project like this for two years.
Now that the project is underway - the first exhibition is slated for July 30 at the Denver Art Museum - the pair is focused on getting more footage. Ideally, they’d like to play five to 10 minutes from each city before switching to another, and to have enough of a video collection to keep it fresh.
Cyclists are encouraged to strap a camera on their helmet or handlebars, and send in their video. Film should be shot from the perspective of a cyclist in an urban setting and be two to three minutes in length. (It also doesn’t need to showcase your traffic-weaving skills: “We definitely don’t want anyone to get hurt trying to give us footage.”)
In addition to the art museum show, the Gutter Bunny Project is scheduled to make appearances in Santa Fe and Chicago, as well as at the Denver Bicycle Film Festival. “We encourage cyclists to check it out and become part of the experience,” Homiak said.
Russell agreed, adding, “We really just want people to think, ‘Hey, maybe I should just get on a bike and go down to the store or commute to work.’ Because it can be fun.”
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