Austin revs up for art; Motorcycle show draws crowd to bank building
Published 11:27 am Monday, March 24, 2014
Jenelle Cummings writes a description of a photo for Marlys Trimble that featured Marlys and her husband, Dick, in 1971 meeting the president of Honda at the Build Bike Art Show Saturday at the downtown bank building Saturday. — Eric Johnson/photdoesk@austindailyherald.com
At first glance inside the downtown bank building Saturday, it looked like invitations for a party got mixed up. But in reality, it was a demonstration of what art can do for a town.
People of all backgrounds melded and came together for the Build Art Bike Show to appreciate not only what the bank building could offer, but what art a motorcycle can be.
Jay Sullivan of Geneva looks over a motorcycle on display at the Build Bike Art Show.
Motorcycles were on display downstairs in the bank building, with minibikes upstairs and art of various kinds was fixed to the walls. It was an experiment in art that came from the mind of Andy Hull in an attempt to bring shows he had seen in other cities to Austin.
The result, though he was unsure leading up, was a good one for Hull.
Visitors to the Build Art Bike Show Saturday gather and talk at the downtown bank building.
“It’s been awesome,” Hull said in the filled main room of the bank building. Around him people were talking, enjoying wine and beer while admiring all that was motorcycles. “I couldn’t have asked for better.”
Officials say about 268 people attended the show Saturday, which raised more than $2,000 for the Paramount Theatre.
For an event that came together in a rather short amount of time the turn out made it even better.
“We had people here at 11 a.m. wanting to get in while we were setting up,” Hull said. “It’s been such a good mix with people who like motorcycles and ordinary people that haven’t really been around motorcycles.”
Motorcycle art hangs above a Harley Davidson on display at the Build Art Bike Show.
The event not only celebrated motorcycles. It was also a fundraiser for the Austin Area Commission for the Arts. Donations were taken at the door as people entered the building.
Jennie Knoebel , executive director of the Austin Area Commission for the Arts, saw the show as exactly what Austin wanted. She was also pleased with how well the show was received.
“It’s ideal to have shows like this that show all the different arts you can have in this building,” she said. “It’s making people in the motorcycle world aware of art and getting the people in the art world to see it as art.”
It’s not something you have to tell those that love motorcycles. People like Jay Sullivan of Geneva have always seen motorcycles as art.
“I think they are all individual works of art,” he said, standing between two of the bikes on display. “The customizations make me want to ride.”
Old pictures rest on a wall above a motorcycle on display during the Build Bike Art Show.
One of the big things the show did though was bring different kinds of people together that might not mingle otherwise. It acted as a point of focus and potential.
“It’s good to see people come out in the community that just aren’t motorcycle-centered,” said Nick Pedersen who along with his brother Jeremy Pedersen helped Hull organize the show.
“It’s cool to see some of these people telling stories we haven’t heard before,” Jeremy added.
For Knoebel, it demonstrated the power of art.
“That’s another cool thing,” Knoebel said. “People have come just to hang out and share stories and that’s what art does. It allows people to come around and hang out.”
The show was such a success that there may be another show down the line. Maybe even a show that could correspond with the Austin ArtWorks Festival.
“Everybody has said they’ve been super excited to see this,” Jeremy Pedersen said. “It shows you don’t have to hang art on the walls.”
He followed that up by saying with a smile, “Another indoor show would be cool, maybe in the plant.”
