Installation description courtesy of Sarah Mendelsohn, AB’12

The most recent art installation in the Young Building foyer showcases abstract sculptures, created by students Sarah Mendelsohn (AB’12) and Fred Schmidt-Arenales (AB’13), in recognition of the collaboration between the University of Chicago Office of Sustainability and Blackstone Bicycle Works.

Scrapped bike parts collected from the trash bins of Blackstone Bicycle Works provided both the structural and narrative foundation for these three sculptures. The parts collected and assembled represent the bottom of the barrel: bent forks and locks rusted shut, blunt cogs and defunct brake cables. The state of these broken and abandoned pieces prompts a material investigation of leftover parts. Hanging produce scales found in supermarkets provide visual references for the evolution of the sculptures: the scale serves as a pliable metaphor for talking about re-use, for measuring or weighing the value of what can be recycled. The walnut and Brazil nut shells represent another kind of leftover. Cemented within the lower masses of each sculpture, the nutshells playfully gesture towards the theme of refuse.

This installation speaks to the University’s shifting culture around cycling, as well as its increasing awareness around sustainability in general. Feel free to pop into the Young Building to check out the latest art exhibit!