Mia Reimagines Works of Art as Bicycles

Above: Artist Frank Stella’s approach: “What you see is what you get.” 

The Minneapolis Institute of Art, now rebranded Mia, is full of surprises for its centennial year. This one is a fresh take on a traditional birthday gift: Mia partnered with Minneapolis–based Handsome Cycle to re-create in bike form three works of art in its permanent collection.

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In collaboration with two creative agencies, Knock, Inc. and Treat and Company, the bike maker brought to life fully functional and stunningly beautiful bike translations of Hans Ledwinka’s 1948 Tatra T-87 Four-Door Sedan, Monet’s 1841 Grainstack, Sun in the Mist, and Frank Stella’s 1969 Tahkt-i-Sulayman, Variation II.

The Tatra bicycle captures the curvature and finishes of the sedan by adding a polished full rear fender and skirt, sweeping drop bars, and honey-colored leather seat and grips. For the Monet, Handsome’s painter, Dirt Designs Graphics, used multiple layers and a deft touch to echo the complexity of the painting. And the Stella? It’s all about playing with color, lines, and circles. The art bikes will be on display at Mia’s Gift Shop until Christmas. Buy a limited edition commemorative bike (in black or white) for $1,099.95 at the gift shop or at HandsomeCycles.com.

For more information, visit handsomecycles.com and artsmia.org.

See how the bikes were created:

By Katie Dohman
Photo courtesy of Mia

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