CHICARA

LIQUID CHROME

November 07, 2008 - January 31, 2009
Reception with the artist: November 7, 6 – 9 pm
Chicara

Ippodo Gallery is pleased to announce an exhibition of four hand-made motorcycles by the prize-winning Japanese artist Chicara Nagata. Marking the first time these functional works of art have been exhibited outside Japan, the exhibition will be presented in two different New York City venues. Three motorcycles will be on view at the gallery’s new Chelsea space, and one will occupy the gallery’s booth (#458) at the 2nd annual Asian Contemporary Art Fair. Each Chicara motorcycle is comprised of almost 500 individual parts and took Chicara approximately 7,500 painstaking hours to create. Expertly pushing the boundaries of art, design, and technology, Chicara balances the raw energy of these machines with the grace and discipline of a classical sculptor.

Chicara Nagata became passionate about motorcycles after surviving a serious motorcycle accident at the age of 16, leading him to pursue graphic and industrial design. In 1993, Chicara began work on his first bike, completing it seven years later. He has since constructed 19 bikes entirely by hand, without the use of any existing parts except the motor. Chicara won the Grand Prize in the 2006 World Championship of Custom Bike Building and took second place in 2007. Chicara Liquid Chrome is the artist’s first exhibition outside Japan.