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FROM THE GUGGENHEIM TO MOMA BICYCLING - TWO STRAIGTH LINES, NY 2006
12 min.
video streaming (excerpt: 6 min)
This video is shot with a long (quasi 5 meter long) stick to which I attached the camera. I film myself from above holding the rather very heavy camera stick riding mostly without holding the steering wheel. The route is from the Guggenheim Museum to the MOMA in NYC, i.e. from 89th street on Fifth Avenue to 53rd Street between Fifth Avenue and Sixth Avenue. I filmed around 4 pm on a very hot Friday during a record setting heat wave.
Given the fact that the stick with the camera was very heavy and long I encountered several problems. First I hit trees which already made me almost fall from my bike but also - at one point - I lost control over the camera stick and it crashed on the floor - damaging the camera. It was quite difficult to navigate because apart from driving without (mostly) holding hte steering wheel I had to balance the stick, a stick I couldn't properly hold when falling over, something that could easily affect my control while riding between cars in the middle of Fifth Avenue.
This is part of my video follies I have been engaging in for the last 5 years. I am delighted by the exotic views it creates, the relative danger the filming comes with and the city and its crazy traffic as a play ground wiht tons of trafffic rules to violate. I also love to make a statement on using bicycles instead of cars - needing less fossile fuels for which we are fighting wars. Thinking about the intrinsic narcisism of video the camera serves here as a telescopic eye (or I or ego) as a suspended seeing machine - and couldn't I see myself quasi crashing? (only the camera crashed) or waiting for a bigger crash?? Last but not least, there is currently a Dada show at Moma showing Duchamps Bicycle chair to which this video could be dedicated.
the camera on the stick is hitting trees.. to the point, I almost fell off the bike and the camera showedsigns of disturbances (see below)
at one point. i couldn't hold the camera anymore.. since this stick is quite heavy and the stick with camera smash on the floor - see image below.. (digital video cameras don't like this)
NYC busses are challenging
turning right (arm is indicating) at 53rd street to complete the trip to the MOMA
video streaming (excerpt: 6 min)
total video 12 min.
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