If you got a Christmas card from me last year, you have seen the first piece from the Ghost bike series. I am part of a group show next month where the theme is remembering. I will have 5 Ghost Bike pieces in this show. This is brand new work that has not been shown before. I have worked very hard on these pieces. Hopefully you will come out and see it. The show hangs at Gallery 28, 1228 Grant Street @ Columbus, in San Francisco, from June 29, 2011-July 28, 2011. The opening reception will be Friday, July 1, 2011 from 6p-9pm.
Statement
A ghost bike is a bicycle that is painted all white and locked to a sign near where a bicyclist was killed or hit. They serve as a memorial for those who have been injured or who have lost their lives on a bicycle. Ghost bikes were created in St. Louis, Missouri in 2003. They have since appeared in many cities around the world. More information on ghost bikes can be found at ghostbikes.org.
I discovered Ghost Bikes while shooting in New York in May 2010. I was touched by the sentiment, and profoundly affected by the visible reminders of how fragile life is and how we as a society must be more aware of our surroundings if we are going to keep each other safe. One can pass a memorial hundreds of times and eventually forget that it is there to commemorate a human life. In an effort to remind us that these installations are to signify a spirit that is no longer with us, I have taken photographs of (living) people in my studio and transformed them into “ghosts” to serve as a symbol of the person who may have lost their life at the ghost bike location; to further emphasize that these people will not be forgotten, and that their lost lives will inspire others to be more cautious when riding a bicycle or driving around bicyclists. It could have been you or someone you love.
http://www.geneabarnes.com/
http://ghostbikes.org/
http://www.gallery-28.com/
Bicycle Coalition
