The idea is to die young as late as possible. — Ashley Montagu — Monday March 17th — —

“What art does — maybe what it does most completely — is tell us, make us feel that what we think we know, we don’t. There are whole worlds around us that we’ve never glimpsed.” Greil Marcus — Monday March 17th — —

I love listening. It is one of the only spaces where you can be still and moved at the same time. — Nayyirah Waheed — Monday March 17th — —

Machine for Riding

This amazing video by Christopher Kippenberger for German bicycle producer VANDEYK catches the sentiment of solitary cycling on a snowy day perfectly. Named after VANDEYK’s top of the line carbon fibre road bike collection; ‘Machine for Riding’ captures the almost spiritual cyclist moments when the sole rider, the wide landscape and trustworthy bicycle hybridize into perfect unity. With a minimalistic ‘code’ at the core of the design concept, this particular bicycle collection of VANDEYK patronizes the optimal alliance of man and high-performance machinery. The Machine for Riding bicycles were engineered by Formula 1 proven engineer Ralf Brand and fully manufactured in Germany by ax-lightness, making it an amazing product of the finest in carbon fibre technology. The clear goal for the Machine for Riding was to create perfect balance between rider and road, which was immaculately intepretated by Kippenberger.

VANDEYK is a creative designhouse for handbuilt bicycles. Based in Stuttgart, Germany, next to companies like Mercedes-Benz and Porsche. VANDEYK approaches each design in similar methodology and treat them as works of art on wheels; a creative process it demonstrated last year with their excellent collaboration with our favorite Rapha which resulted in the Continental Bike. An elaborately curated collaboration of experts in fields as diverse as design, art, handmade bicycle frame building and photography; the company aspires to built perfectly functional art objects on two wheels. The bicycles are immaculately handcrafted in the smallest detail and strictly limited. Working with the approach of a creative platform, future collections will include further inspiring cooperations and influences.

Christopher Kippenberger is an American-German artist, filmmaker and aviator known for his premium signature on aesthetics and filmmaking. Kippenberger started as an industrial design student in San Francisco after which he moved to Los Angeles and began working in the film industry in post production. After his time in Los Angeles Kippenberger returned to Europe where he continued working in the industry with RSA/Black Dog as a music video director as well as working on the set up of VBS with Spike Jonze.

After gathering recognition for his unique, premium take on auto videography Kippenberger founded Studio Kippenberger, approaching the genre in a completely new technological way, maximizing creativity and pushing innovation. In recent years Kippenberger has worked extensively with drones with which he was able to perfect his signature aesthetic. Through his expertise Kippenberger was the first person to film the legendary Nordschleife racetrack with Unmanned Aerial Vehicle technology. And last year, to our utmost enjoyment, he lent his eye to VANDEYK in this perfect depiction of the beautiful sport of cycling.

For more information on the beautiful bicycles of VANDEYK see here. For Christopher Kippenberger see here.