Learning through objects from the Islington Education Library Service’s handling collection

Cyclist, Reused Materials, Zimbabwe

This is a fascinating little piece of art made from reused wire and fabric. We know instantly that it is a cyclist but there is no bicycle. So how does it work? How does the maker achieve this trick?

It is a representational piece. Our eyes see the position of the hands on what are obviously the handlebars and make an instant deduction. We then have to unpick what we see and notice what is actually there and what is indicated by the design and the action. We can follow the legs to the pedals, and then we notice that there are no actual pedals and no actual feet. Finally we notice that there are no wheels, no bicycle frame. 

Turning the handle on the side shows the pedaling motion of the cyclist, both forwards and backwards, but the rest is in the mind. 

Blue Cyclist
Height:21cm
Blue Cyclist
Height:21cm
Blue Cyclist

This is a fascinating little piece of art made from reused wire and fabric. We know instantly that it is a cyclist but there is no bicycle. So how does it work? How does the maker achieve this trick?

It is a representational piece. Our eyes see the position of the hands on what are obviously the handlebars and make an instant deduction. We then have to unpick what we see and notice what is actually there and what is indicated by the design and the action. We can follow the legs to the pedals, and then we notice that there are no actual pedals and no actual feet. Finally we notice that there are no wheels, no bicycle frame. 

Turning the handle on the side shows the pedaling motion of the cyclist, both forwards and backwards, but the rest is in the mind.