Buried Bicycle – Contemporary art
The Buried Bicycle – Bicyclette Ensevelie is a contemporary sculpture located in the Parc de la Villette, the largest and most famous public park in Paris.
This vast green space is indeed a true cultural hub, home to science and music museums, numerous venues dedicated to art and music, as well as playgrounds and recreational activities for children, not to mention food stalls and restaurants.
The Buried Bicycle stands out as a unique art installation. Only a pedal, part of the saddle, a fragment of the slightly bent front wheel, and half of the handlebars with its bell emerge from the park’s lawn. Made of steel, aluminium, and fibre-reinforced plastic, the Buried Bicycle is coated with blue polyurethane enamel.
It has been an integral part of the park since its installation in 1990, intriguing or disconcerting visitors with its somewhat unconventional style.
Why a bicycle?
The choice of a bicycle as the subject of the sculpture undoubtedly reflects the considerable cultural and historical importance of cycling in France.
Invented in the 18th century by a Frenchman, the bicycle has since held a prominent place in French culture, a place enshrined by the Tour de France, an iconic sporting event and one of the most popular in the country.
The artists Claes Oldenburg and Claes Oldenburg, the creators of this artwork, likely decided that the size and presentation of their bicycle would determine the artwork’s appeal. Indeed, a large-scale sculpture representing an entire bicycle could have diminished its impact due to its imposing dimensions.
They therefore decided to represent only certain parts of the bicycle, leaving passersby to imagine the rest. However, the bicycle parts emerging from the ground were not chosen at random.
Their arrangement, and in particular the slightly bent front wheel, evokes a bicycle fall, an experience most of us remember. Indeed, who hasn’t ever fallen off a bike?
You either love it or hate it, but the Buried Bicycle won’t leave you indifferent…
Directions: 19th District
Metro: Porte de Pantin, Corentin Cariou, Porte de la Villette on Line 5, 7
Coordinates: Lat 48.893849 – Long 2.390260
