Uncategorized – Uppity Bike Commuters Collective

The Uppity Bike Commuters Collective asks the question “Why do people feel compelled to harm others who are riding bicycles?” The seeds of the UBCC were planted through an incident that occurred while working as a bike messenger in Philadelphia. An automobile driver rode up next to me at a stop sign and shouted, “ Aren’t you all Uppity!! Riding your bike in the street!! ” This stuck in my memory for many years. Then in San Francisco, a colleague was run off the road by a Fed Ex truck. Thoughts arrived towards making art addressing the bicycling transportation experience. These ideas were shared with a circle of fellow bicyclists of multiple identities. We decided to celebrate our lives on bicycles. The Uppity Bike Commuters Collective was created. Featuring 5 core members: Professor Crank, Dr. K, The Unicorn, Notorious D.A.V., and Mr. Bubble(S).

The Uppity Bike Commuters Collective advocates for the necessity of Bicycle Transportation while analyzing a societal perception directed towards us. Since the System of Enclosure, Privatization and Common ( Public ) Space has been contested. One way American culture displays its values is through transportation. Class, Morality, Identity and Body Politics all play a role. Living within a culture whose predominant ethic is the tunnel vision of production, a bicycle is viewed as less than. In contrast, the UBCC ( UBC for short ) presents bicycle transportation as an essential element for the democratic functionality of public space. We also promote the bicycle as agency for independence, solidarity and autonomy. Also a catalyst for creating community, plus the ability to create personal space by de-accelerating. By interacting with and (re) – creating these scenarios through printmaking, the Uppity Bike Commuters Collective unveils cultural mechanisms and creates dialogue as well as connections of shared experience.