The next Streets Alive art installation is going to be off the chain.
During Saturday’s Starry Night Studio and Gallery Tour in Orillia, Streets Alive founder Leslie Fournier unveiled the theme for the 2019 project: bicycles.
“But not in the way you might think,” she told the crowd. “There are going to be more bicycles in Orillia as art than you’ve seen in any community.”
Bicycles as art aren’t unusual, but the local artists who take part in next year’s Streets Alive will be doing more than slapping some decorations on a two-wheeler.
There will be two options for the artists taking part. They can create sculptures or they can upcycle by using bikes they “find in their basement, buy second-hand or steal from their kids,” Fournier said.
“There are the builders and the craftsmen and there are the fine artists,” she said, adding she wanted to offer something with which all of them could be involved.
The theme also sends an environmentally friendly message.
“The future of towns that are thriving are towns that are people-friendly,” she said, “towns that put a focus on active transportation.”
“I want it to be about art,” she continued, “but I also want people thinking about how we get out of our vehicles and get around town.”
The idea, although vague at the time, came to Fournier about two years ago, “but it’s just been in the past month that I’ve figured out how to do it in a way that allows everyone to be involved on some level.”
Streets Alive celebrated 10 years this summer with a retrospective showcasing all of its themes over the past decade, including sculptures of guitars, sailboats, maple leaves and more that can be found downtown.
Keep an eye on the Streets Alive Facebook page for more details on the 2019 project.
