Fifth Annual Rat Bicycle Infestation: Rat Bikes for Rat People

Posted by: Lincoln Arts Council

Steel, rubber and rust; bent, buggered and molested; all culminating into a bicycle that's functional but barely, fanciful yet ugly;worthless but worthy: The rat bike. Rat Bikes for Rat People: announcing the Fifth Annual Rat Bike Exhibit, opening Saturday, October 6 at Against the Wall Gallery in Havelock.

Can a bike be more than just something that you buy off the shelf? Can it be an instrument of self-expression?

Rat: and art form that was born out of the hot rod movements going back to the 40’s and 50’s, where taking an old beater and "souping" it up, making it your own became an American pass-time; a statement of freedom and rebellion. The Rat was thepinnacle of that freedom and rebellion because you didn’t need to have a wad of cash. All you needed was some tools, some know-how and a whole lot of creativity. The Rat is an expression of all that, an expression of freedom, of rebellion and bottom line, fun.With high gas prices, questions about the car’s effect on the planet and advances in technology that make the car nearly impossible to work on, the bicycle has had a rebirth and resurgence. It represents all that the hot rod culture had been.That same freedom and rebellion and creativity can take place with this simple human-powered machine.

Rat Bikes for Rat People will be on display October 6 – November 3, with an Opening Reception Saturday, October 6, 6 to 10 pm.  

Around 25 bicycles, “bike part art”, as well as bicycle related 2D and 3D artwork by local artists will be spread throughoutthe gallery. The reception will feature hors d’ouerves provided by Pepe’s Bistro and Open Harvest and refreshments. Bikes will be voted on by the public for prizes to be announced at a closing ceremony on Saturday, November 3. The exhibit is free and open to the public.