For the Glory

< On Mayday, while the Kentucky Derby took the national racing spotlight, Baltimore's Kinetic Sculpture Race offered not just the Derby's measly two minutes of colorful spectacle, outlandish chapeaux, athleticism and mud, but an entire day's worth! What's more, the Sculpture Race (sponsored by the American Visionary Art Museum) boasted not just racing excitement but an entire program of challenges, including an obstacle course, a fishing tournament, a race route that spanned both land and sea, not to mention feats of engineering and imagination. Most of all, it offered ART, and aesthetes everywhere know which of these two events deserves to be called "America's Race."

#16, my favorite entry, "Los Baltimuertos" was an exquisitely crafted horse-drawn carriage whose Day of the Dead styling paid tribute to the city's disappearing arabbers. (Double-clicking the images will enlarge them, making it possible to see in the first picture, the ingeniously improvised fringe on the female pilot's sombrero--yes, they are tampons--and in the second, the hitchhiking seagull peering beneath the canopy as Los Baltimuertos navigates the harbor).

Most spectacularly, many of the sculptures' pilots completed these challenges in costume, and the scupltures are invariably bike-powered (no motors allowed). That's on the city streets, in mud, sand, uphill, and in the waters of Baltimore's harbor (paddles are permitted in the water). The kinetinaut at right, one of the pilots of AVAM's own entry, "Fifi Joins the Circus" (#21) can be seen in our video coverage actually sprinting in these awesome boots (and a cool-looking wig). Many thanks to Paul Bradshaw (Happy Anniversary, Hon: 5/5/10=14 years!) for all race photography and video.



In other highlights, Platypus (#24, Personal Long-range All-Terrain Yacht Proven Un-Safe) was awarded best pit crew for freeing the maiden from her chains in the Patterson Park Fountain. Those are rubber duckies at the edge of the fountain (part of the fishing contest).
Platypus, whose special features include drums and a barbecue grill, is seen in the second image passing the Patterson Park Pagoda.

Honors for Sock Creature of the Universe (sock puppets are required equipment for all entrants) were taken by Chessie (#6).



More about Baltimore's Kinetic Sculpture race, including wonderful photographs, helpful advice for building your own entry, official race rules, and a complete tally of winners (past and present) can be found at Tom Jones' excellent website KineticBaltimore.com. Plenty of inspiration for those who wish to go for the glory. Next year's race is slated for May 7.