Designer Reagan Appleton gives a whole new meaning to mounting a bike. The Scotland native's Bicycle Taxidermy business commemorates speedy metal steeds (bicycles) by mounting their parts on wooden plaques, bearing a striking resemblance to the trophy heads that hunters display on their walls. The sculptural pieces present a clever visual play, drawing a similarity between the arching handle bars of a bike and the protruding horns of a hunted beast.
There's a certain lightheartedness about the series that is also a rather brilliant idea. Many people have a strong connection to their pedaled mode of transportation, much like Appleton's own father who inspired the work. Sometimes bikes give out, but their owners find difficulty in scrapping their unused frames. Rather than leaving them lying around, taking up space, Bicycle Taxidermy offers a artistic alternative. Appleton says, “A somewhat sentimental take on a mass produced object becoming defunct, the handlebars are given the care and craft of a preserved family pet(!) The bikes have now been re-appropriated as a family heirloom.”
