Artist Richard Saxon has been working with City workers in York Alabama to come up with creative, inexpensive ways to get around doing some of the city work.
He asked me to pass on the press release (included below my sig) and to also mention that he plans to be at the Soap Factory **all day** on Monday, and would love to speak with interested folks about his HPV watering vehicle, as well as about other utility HPVs.
Richard responded the request of york's mayor to develop inexpensive solutions for Public Works Department needs. Richard now works with Public works Department employees and in York, alabama to create sustainable, inexpensive equipment to help with various tasks.
Please check out the press release below, and please do catch the exhibit! I know that Richard would be encouraged if you could stop by to see him on Monday.
-- still pedaling for peace and eco-justice in Minneapolis -- Gary Hoover
***PRESS RELEASE***
open forum, open house
with artist, Richard Saxton and curator, Todd Bockley
MONDAY July 21, 2003 2pm-5pm
At the Soap Factory
on 2nd Street SE between 5th & 6th Avenue SE in Minneapolis
In association with the exhibition, open forum, currently on view at the Soap Factory.
Artist Richard Saxton, along with curator, Todd Bockley, will be available on Monday, July 21st from 2 - 5 PM at the Soap Factory to discuss the municipalWORKSHOP UTILITY NOW! water tricycle and the current exhibition, open forum at the Soap Factory in Minneapolis. The municipalWORKSHOP developed after York, Alabama’s mayor, Carolyn Mitchell-Gosa requested ideas on a creative way to solve a current civic issue. The city of York’s Public Works Department required additional equipment and transportation for the city crew to complete their duties; however sufficient funding wasn’t available to provide a conventional solution. Artist, Richard Saxton, responded and commenced to work with the City of York’s Public Works Department to develop pedal-powered street-sweepers and utility tricycles and bicycles to meet this need. By combining high-tech bike mechanics with salvaged water drums, gardening equipment and various salvaged building materials, Mr. Saxton not only created utilitarian vehicles which will aid in the in the day-to-day activities of the city workers, but the concept, creative design and use of the vehicle art objects will continue to inspire the community of York, Alabama, with mobile public art. The most recent mobile art utility tricycle is currently on display at the Soap Factory as part of the Untitled Water Work collaboration for the open forum exhibition. After the exhibition, the trike and trailer will be used by York, Alabama's Parks and Recreation Department as a watering vehicle. The excitement generated with the UTILITY NOW! project inspired the permanent creation the municipalWORKSHOP. This program situates the artist’s studio in a portion of York, Alabama’s municipal building to continue to allow Mr. Saxton to create public artwork, demonstrations, and lectures while working side by side with the city employees and their duties.
