“Head Out on the Highway: A Love Embrace” 

with the

Athens Cultural Center 

24 Second Street, Athens, NY 12015

July 3rd — Aug. 22nd, 2021

Gallery Hours for Opening Day: July 3rd, 2021; 1PM to 7PM

Classic motorcycles, artwork, film, ephemera, archival materials, and more!

The Athens Cultural Center will be burning rubber through the summer with “Head Out on the Highway: A Love Embrace,” a celebration of motorcycles, bikers, and the art they inspire. Rare and collectible bikes on loan from Newburgh, New York’s Tedd Cycles, Inc., will be displayed alongside motorcycle ephemera, photography, and paintings (some by local artists). Of particular note: The exhibit will feature an extensive women’s section, “Joy. Ride. A Century of Women Bikers,” by special guest curator, author Ann Ferrar, a historian of women in motorcycling.

Gallery exhibit highlights: Various short films, illustrations, b&w historical motorcycle racing photographs, a wall collage of travel images from international adventure motorcyclist Lea Rieck, photographic prints from Danny Lyon’s seminal “The Bikeriders” series (1963-67), Tom of Finland artwork, and vintage Schott NYC Perfecto® leather jackets.

Other featured artists include Hubert Dobler, Anna Meijn, and Ian Hemingway.

But the motorcycle mania doesn’t stop at the gallery doors! The Athens Cultural Center has multiple events planned, and there’s something for everyone:

• On July 3, opening day, parking on Second Street (between NY-385 and Warren St.) will be reserved for “motorcycles only,” encouraging motorcycling visitors to display their own bikes as part of the opening festivities.

• We’ll get into gear with a 1PM robotics team presentation by D.R. Evarts Library before live musical performances begin at 2PM with local band, The Wallpapers—led by Athens village mayor Amy Serrago and husband, Yves Gerard—followed by others.

• Later in the evening, a 7:30PM free public outdoor film screening of Dennis Hopper’s Easy Rider (1969, R-rated) will be on view at the Athens Riverfront Park—bring your outdoor chairs and beverages of choice.

• The children’s book Patrick Wants to Ride by motorcycle historian Cristine Sommer-Simmons will be displayed around the Athens Riverfront Park in partnership with D.R. Evarts Library.

This exhibition was made possible with funding from the Athens Community Foundation and New York State Council on the Arts.

Curators Contact:

Annika Vogt – av@annikavogt.co

Tim Watkins – tim@maywatkinsdesign.com

Poster Artwork Credit:

Michael Cuiccio

Gallery & Media Contact:

Athens Cultural Center

24 Second Street, Athens, NY 12015

info@athensculturalcenter.org