Dan Cadwallader is on his way back to Adelaide, and he’s bringing an artcycle collection: Paperback Rider.
The project takes 10 bicycles, 10 local artists and 10 original designs, grafted together into a practical, aesthetically pleasing pile of pedallers. Each artist designs a particular pattern, printed onto paper which is then used to cover the frame of a single-speed bicycle. While Cadwallader is hoping to make the exhibition (and design harvesting) a twice-yearly affair, the Adelaide exhibition at The Mill (opening this Friday, June 19) will be the first outing for Paperback Rider.
Cadwallader first had the idea of paper-decorated pedallers a few years ago, but really locked down on the idea after a career change, an overseas trip and a bit of down time. The last six months have been hectic, with a successful Pozible campaign kicking things into high gear.
“I’ve been working full time through it all as well,” says Cadwallader, “so it’s been pretty tough to find the time for it as well and has required quite a few late nights and early mornings.”
His cluster of guinea pig artists – 10 Adelaide locals – have been really helpful in the project’s fledgling stages, guiding Cadwallader on the development of the brief. It’s been an interesting venture into strange new territory for all involved.
“It’s totally wigged out a few of them [artists], which is kind of cool. An architect [Nick Harding] is on board and he was, in particular, a bit daunted by the whole thing, which I really like. I think it’s a cool way to go to kind of challenge people on it.”
Choosing the people to challenge was the first task.
“From the get-go, I knew it would be important to get artists of varying disciplines so that we didn’t end up with 10 very similar-looking bikes, so we’ve got Alice [Potter, a jeweller], Nick Harding [architect], Vans the Omega [street artist], a couple of illustrators and designers, a typographer,” says Cadwallader. “I want the exhibition to be a good exhibition in itself, beyond just the idea of patterning bikes.”
Alice Potter’s bike is a particular one to keep an eye out for on Friday: there’s going to be a bling session between now and the exhibition opening.
“She loves colour; hers is super colourful,” says Cadwallader. “When she sent the pattern through it looked quite wild, but hers is actually sophisticated and somewhat restrained compared to the others. It’s just weird, once you get the pattern onto the bike, it just does a completely different thing. But tomorrow night we’re meeting up because she wants to get her hands on the bike and accessorise it, because a lot of her jewellery is really ‘little bits and pieces’-based, so she’s been begging to see it so she can smash it full of fun little things.”
As always with best-laid plans, things take different turns than expected. That, says Cadwallader, is when Treadly Bike Shop stepped in. An artist had pulled out, and Cadwallader was considering putting one of his own patterns in the exhibition, against his original curatorial plan. Sam Neeft, owner of Treadly, had been generously helping out with parts for the bikes, and called upon his graphics background to whip up the 10th Paperback Rider pattern.
“He hadn’t done any graphics for ages, so he was writing me these emails saying ‘I’m so rusty with this stuff; I just want to get it right’ and it looks great. It looks really, really cool.”
If you like the look of the cycles, you can pick one up for $800, or sling some clams at a print of your favourite pattern.
You can pop in to take one of the bikes for a spin on Saturday – they’re fully functional with quality parts: “they’re very sweet rides all around”.
Paperback Rider #1 artists
Ella Egidy
Nick Harding
Kano Hollamby
Lisa King
Alice Potter
Lucy Potter
Screamdance
Billie Justice Thompson
Treadly Bike Shop
Vans the Omega
Paperback Rider is not affiliated with Nicholas Cage’s rider-based masterpiece
What
Paperback Rider
Where
The Mill
154 Angas Street, Adelaide
When
Opening, Friday June 19, 6.30pm
Test rides, Saturday June 20, 10am – 4pm
Take one home
Chat to Dan Cadwallader about purchasing a cycle. They’re $800 a pop.
Information
Photographs
Che Chorley
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