Hire Bike Spin Class Flashmob goes Global?

Ross is a Melbourne Bike Share (MBS) enthusiast with a record number of journeys made on the bikes which are the same (Bixi) model as London's 'Boris Bikes'. After seeing knuk's flash-mob video he contacted us asking about the possibility of setting up something similar in Melbourne. The operators of MBS have given their blessing and are even sourcing their own rollers for an event in September 2011.

Ross is our guest blogger today and he writes:


'Some people might think of me as a Bike Share nuts, and they wouldn't be far wrong. These days they're often on my mind. I live around the corner from one and use it daily. I installed the 'spotcycle' app to my phone, where I could look at other Bixi networks across the world and freaked out at the size of London's system. (BTW - How are the bikes holding up in light of the riots?)

 
I've lived in London, opposite Hyde Park for some time and then in Golders Green. The bikes weren't around then, now I see there is a docking point near Queensway station. A friend who was travelling with me at the time has recently finished a book: 'I am Max Lamm' by Raphael Brous. It's about social unrest in London, making it all the more topical right now.
 
The MBS (Melbourne Bike Share) crew have always been supportive, and I felt the knuk flash-mob was a cool idea that would get good publicity for MBS so I had no quarms in approaching the them. MBS are familiar with me, and they were relaxed towards the idea - even though some might see the knuk flash-mob as a good example of deliberate (mis) use of the public bikes.
 
Melbourne's scheme would seem to have taken a little longer to win over the hearts and minds of the people. A year since its introduction, people haven't (yet) taken to the public bikes en masse. Together with Melbourne cyclist Cadel Evans' Tour de France win, and current works by the City of Melbourne to make the Central Business District ever more cycle friendly now is the time to unleash a quality stunt to make people turn around and notice.

 One of the largest stations in Melbourne is at Fed Square. Holding it there on Saturday afternoon would be ideal, the dates are yet to be finalised. Fed Square has a bay of 27 bikes, it could be tricky co-ordinating 27 people but it could work well. We'd probably need two instructors/trainers to run the session. What do you think?
 
Ross Cottee'
 

knuk online fashion store opens on zazzle

Boris Bike Spin Class Flashmob

Previously only known as Project BBSCF, the flashmob happened on April 3rd.

Project BBSCF Teaser 2

Cover Me - An Outerwear Project

 Bulbous shapes and padding distort the usual form.  High collars, re-worked quilting create exaggerated  panels to protect against the elements.

Overstuffed black performance fabric, which consists mainly of lightweight nylon with transfer coated breathable matt film, create wearable shapes which are a contrast from the traditional puffa jacket.

Project BBSCF Teaser 1

Black & White

Venus of the Velodrome

Concept idea for a short film, part I.

Vintage Vacuum

Three concept images to illustrate an experimental short film project involving vintage fashion and vintage vacuum cleaners in destitute surroundings.

Vintage Vacuum - Series of short films.

A perfectly made up woman in 1930s to 50s vintage fashion & styling uses a vacuum cleaner from the same period in derelict or unusual surroundings. The main theme is the startling contrast between the perfection of the vintage model and the run-down, chaotic surroundings. The use of the vacuum cleaner seems like a desperate attempt to create order in this chaos. The question if everything was simpler and better in the ‘Old Days’ springs to mind. This clean-up operation of the derelict surroundings can be seen as a symbolic act - but is it not ultimately futile? Why try and keep up appearances when the world around us is in turmoil and falling down? Stereotypes and established social roles are questioned: Whereas 1930s society saw a woman’s place mainly in the home and cleaning how out-of-place does this seem today? Yet aren’t women still the ones forced to clean up the mess men leave behind: Wars, the banking crisis, environmental disasters? 

A wide shot establishes the setting, the vacuum cleaning woman enters the scene from one side with the typical, slow, backwards-forwards motion of hoovering. It is an almost religious, meditative, ritualistic repetitive movement. The woman slowly hoovers through the shot and exits on the other side, the camera lingers on the empty scene. 

This routine is repeated a various different locations: On a run-down council estate, inside a derelict building, amongst the chaos of a busy train station, in a disused quarry, on a rubbish dump, on an oil-contaminated beach, on a scrapyard with burnt-out cars, etc.

(c) knuk 2011

Roadkill

Concept for a repeat fabric print

A recent study showed that insects, too, are prone to a very high risk of roadkill incidence. Research showed interesting patterns in insect/butterfly road kills in relation to the vehicle density. Although the insect community is equally at risk, much of the attention goes to bigger, more charismatic animals.

Concept for Art Car paint scheme

Virtual installations using QR codes

Concept for virtual artworks in areas where a real installation might be deemed too intrusive, this could be a nature reserve or any other sensitive area.

The virtual installation can be used as a means to visualise the project in its proposed location to gain backing for its future realisation.

Concept for large scale origami in Richmond Park

If you don't follow you will get left behind.

Follow us on twitter to be told about upcoming knuk flashmob events where we need your help!

Fanpage on Facebook & Crowd Funding

Navigate to the facebook fan page using the link on the right, click to 'like' our page and spread the word amongst your friends.

Knuk will soon be using social networking sites for crowd funding projects where users become micro-shareholders of art projects/events and will be able to vote online on design decisions as well as gain exclusive previews and receive VIP invites to openings.

Breakfast on the Beach

E-Card invitation for a business-breakfast event at real estate fair MIPIM 2011 in Cannes. The watersport activities seen from the beach all have the company's red double-triangle logo as a base.

knuk business cards

Short film explaining how to use the new knuk business cards with a QR Code matrix that can be scanned by a mobile phone with a camera.

The code contains contact information in a format that can be uploaded straight into the phone's address book (download a free QR Code scanner for Android).

Activity Centre

(c) knuk 2011

Concept for a large scale installation based on a learning toy for infants.

Alireza

 

Video Installation

(c) knuk 2011

Beyond The Valley

Leaving behind traditional and commercial shapes in favour of long sweeps, overlays with tailored panels.  Cocoon shapes are constructed of silk crepes, woven knits and appliquéd chiffon which tie across the body.  Tones of fresh whites and dusty greys add a delicate lightness to a winter collection.

Burns Night

Concept for promotional material (video trailer, flyer, invitations) for a charity evening celebrating the Scottish poet Robert Burns.

(c) knuk 2011

Gutted Building #01

Large scale installation on a working building site, January 2011.
Location: Neue Balan, Balanstrasse 73, D-81541 Munich, Germany.

(c) knuk 2011

Eerie

work in progress for a capsule collection and associated short film. 

(c) knuk 2011