Queens Museum QI4 Closing Celebration & NYC Bike Month Kick Off - 4/26

                                                                                                               

Last Chance to Catch QMA’s Survey of Artists Living or Working in Queens:

Headlined by Future Shock, an Indo-Caribbean crew with thumping sound system bikes, QMA and Transportation Alternatives invite bike gangs, art bikes, bike advocacy groups, modders, bike clubs and bike crews (including Lightwheels, Mexican Pride, Transalt, Bike NY, C.L.I.M.B., City Reliquary Bike Club and others) for an outdoor celebration to close out Queens International 4 (QI4) with a bang! There will be bike riding lessons and free helmet giveaways in the afternoon and BMX bike demos taking place inside the museum utilizing QI4 artist Ryan Humphrey's 100-ft series of ramps. Then, hop on the trolley at the Queens Museum of Art and follow the Anti-Fascist Culture Club to Meadow Lake for a tour of the Undiscovered Atoll of Flushtiopia and watch Tim Thyzel attempt to navigate the atoll in his boat made entirely out of packing tape. Also see the Human Sculpture performance by Chin Chih Yang, hear SP Weather Station talks in the Panorama, take part in Derick Melander’s interactive clothing sculpture Into the Fold and ride art bikes created by artists Colin McMullan, Mary Mattingly and Jonathan Brand. Listen to live music by bands Elextra, Karahatu, Shining Mantis, Tough Slutting, and Unstoppable Death Machines next to the Unisphere. And if you want company riding to QMA, you can do the museum to museum ride with the City Reliquary Bike Club, departing CR (370 Metropolitan Ave, Williamsburg) at 2pm.

Schedule of events:
12-4pm: NYC DOT Helmet giveaway
1-3pm: Learn to Ride – Kids 5+ class with Bike NY
1-3pm: Take part in Derick Melander's Into the Fold project in QMA galleries
2-3pm: SP Weather Station talk in Panorama
2-3pm: Whitney ISP alum Ryan Humphrey talk in Large. Theater
2:30-3:30: Future Shock leads a bike rally around the park
3-6: Tim Thyzel boat launch and discovery of The Undiscovered Atoll of Flushtopia 
3-6pm: happy hour in QMA cafe (while supplies last)
3-5pm: BMX pros ride Ryan Humphrey's installation Fast Forward
3-6pm: Tabling in Tents Outside Museum: Lightwheels, Transalt, Bike NY, C.L.I.M.B.(Concerned Long Island Mountain Bicyclists), Green Map System, Mexican Pride, The Undiscovered Atoll of Flushtopia Tourist Bureau, Okamoto Studio ice carving, and Ixrael's mobile printmaking workshop
4:30-6: Bands Play: Shining Mantis, Tough Slutting, Unstoppable Death Machines, Elextra, Karahatu
Ongoing: Chin Chih Yang Trash Sculpture3


The “Queens International 4” was a museum opening party the likes of which has never been seen before. There were BMX bikers flying past people checking out homegrown Queens art, and the single best live act I have seen in five years: The Unstoppable Death Machines. People were giddily waiting outside in the freezing cold for some of the best street-cart falafel and gyros, and going back inside to dance, feeling like those kids that had taken over their school. What a night. Thank you, TONY! 

--Nevar Pollack, published in “Letter of the week: Queens for a day.” Time Out, February 5, 2009

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