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In May 2019, artist Nik Ramage ran a week-long workshop at Metal Southend. Working with local students, the goal was to design sculptures and artwork for ForwardMotion’s site at Village Green 2019. Watch the video to see how they did.
The centrepiece of the finished artwork was an interactive, moving sculpture crafted from recycled bicycles that was created by sculptor Nik Ramage. This spring, Nik ran workshops for groups and individuals, including students from Seevic and South Essex College. The workshops explored ideas of motion, sustainable travel and how man and machine can connect and interact.
By altering bikes and walking, drawing, printing and writing, Nik and workshop attendees developed imaginative ways by which Nik could use the frames, wheels and pedals of the recycled bicycles to produce the sculpture on display at the Village Green Festival. The finished work formed part of the ForwardMotion Village area at the festival. And not only was it something impressive to behold, it’s also interactive, impressing many festival-goers. At the festival the bikes were used to signpost members of the public to the ForwardMotion Village. The bikes were then used to promote the work of ForwardMotion at various events around Essex.
The workshops promoted an in-depth understanding of the mechanics of a bike and provided a fresh look at sustainable travel. It also encouraged young people to inspire other young people to participate in ForwardMotion’s plans, which included where and how the bikes were displayed. As a result, the workshops provided a rich and rewarding experience overall for the young people involved.
ForwardMotion worked with the ReCycle Centre to upcycle bikes that are no longer useable and used the media to ask for members of the public to donate old bikes for upcycling. The bikes were then available for FM to use at other events.
ForwardMotion would like to send a massive thank you to Nik Ramage, Metal Culture and all of the students involved for making this possible.
To see more images from the festival, visit our gallery here.
Or click here to watch what happened at Village Green 2019 on YouTube.
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