Velo City: Bicycle Culture and City Life

A Spoon Customs bike with Escher-inspired paint

A Spoon Customs bike with M. C. Escher-inspired paint

Art and mathematics make for difficult bedfellows, as they’re two seemingly disparate concepts. Maurits Cornelis Escher’s incredibly talented mind was able to combine them, and his work is now celebrated by Spoon Customs‘ latest creation.

A Spoon Customs bike with M. C. Escher-inspired paint

M. C. Escher was not really recognized by his artistic contemporaries because his work was considered more intellectual than lyrical, but that hasn’t prevented it from being admired in its own right.

A Spoon Customs bike with M. C. Escher-inspired paint

With good reason — it proves an enlightened perception comes from the marriage of opposites. Spoon Custom’s Andy Carr drew correlations between Escher’s work and the modern steel bicycle: light and strong, stiff yet forgiving.

A Spoon Customs bike with M. C. Escher-inspired paint

Andy has been a fan of Escher since his college days and contacted the M.C. Escher Foundation about a collaboration — a concept they heartily endorsed. Two frames will be created: this is the first and will be exhibited at the Bespoked show in April.

A Spoon Customs bike with M. C. Escher-inspired paint

Andy conscripted Pete Dunn, a 3D surface designer who has worked with Liberty and Alexander McQueen, to help apply Escher’s designs to the frame and forks, which was then painted by Ian and Dan at Cole Coatings Workshop.

A Spoon Customs bike with M. C. Escher-inspired paint

The second, even more spectacular, will be painted in white with UV-reactive paint so the invisible pattern reveals itself under a moving light source, and will be part of the Foundation’s global exhibition programme.

A Spoon Customs bike with M. C. Escher-inspired paint

This has been a major undertaking by all parties and will assist in inaugurating Orange Row Speed Shop, Andy’s new shopfront in Brighton, showcasing Spoon Customs’ work and products, including their previous models, which are equally as spectacular.

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A Spoon Customs bike with M. C. Escher-inspired paint