Mixed media (geodesic dome, acrylic, steel, LED and tea light sources, old bicycle)
Late one winter afternoon, I was bicycling along a muddy country lane when my lights failed and I ended up in a ditch. As I got to my feet, the idea of cycling in a warm, dry, well-lit environment seemed irresistibly attractive and when I arrived home I started sketching the Star Turn bike. The design is also an exploration of our cultural obsession with celebrity. This is a tongue-in-cheek bicycle for celebrities, where we can all take our turn to cycle for fifteen minutes of fame. It is supposed to be the ultimate exercise machine, which keeps both muscles and ego in prime condition. A chance meeting on a train led to a most important venture for Star Turn: the Help For Heroes charity. By the end of the train journey, I was determined raise funds for the cause, which I did by gaining sponsorship to ‘cycle’ through the night of the Winter Solstice in 2011. For the rider it felt like one was immersed in the lens of a kaleidoscope.
