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 when I was 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, after 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. In solidarity, we decided to critique a societal attitude directed at us. 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 American Classism. Since the System of Enclosure, Privatization and Common ( Public ) Space has been contested. One way American culture predominantly displays its values is through transportation. Capital, Identity and Body Politics all play a role. Living within a culture whose only ethic is the tunnel vision of production, a bicycle is viewed as socially deviant. In contrast, the UBCC ( UBC for short ) looks at bicycle transportation as an essential element for the democratic functionality of Public Space. We also promote the bicycle as a catalyst for creating community, the ability to create personal space, and the agency to de-accelerate. 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.