a bike inside a tunnel: artist fernando abellanas pedals through a sewer with ‘enlace’

from a studio to a bicycle

a few years ago, the self-taught industrial designer and artist fernando abellanas built a studio beneath the overpass of a traffic bridge in spain, epitomizing the art of micro-dwelling. now, he is back with another project displayed at SET espai d’art until the 26th of march, commissioned by álvaro de los ángeles. titled ‘enlace’, the artist created a bike that cycles through a tunnel, a question to the limited spaces of the cities that coexist with the traffic, the noise, and the calm.

through his machine, the artist explores the hidden spaces of the city by placing himself in these spots. he forms a relationship with them through his gesture and the reaction that rises out of his endeavor. first off, abellanas finds these places, sneaks into them, drafts a plan on how he can resurrect them by curating a piece that can function as one with the abandoned or neglected area, and hopes to come out of them unnoticed. ‘enlace’ presents itself as an example to abellanas’ pursuits.

images courtesy of fernando abellanas

the foundations of architecture

‘enlace’ underlines how architecture may never sustain itself without its foundations. inside a drained sewage tunnel, abellanas devised a vehicle resembling a bike that can maneuver inside the narrow locale. drawn from precise measurements, the wheels smoothly glide along the cement of the tunnel and allow the artist to pedal without exerting force. they were designed at an angle to grant abellanas free space to hop on and off the vehicle and bike his way through the entrance and exit.

the video of the project documents the stages abellanas went through to finish the bike. the first part shows the artist dragging a cart that includes a dismantled metal structure, which he then takes to the entrance of the tunnel. the second half shows how he assembles the vehicle in the void-like interior and prepares for his trip. the last stage provides the meaning behind the project: to travel with ease on a vehicle fitted to the internal walls of the concrete cylinder.

abellanas biking his way through the tunnel

living inside a space

according to the text that accompanies the exhibition, ‘the way the exhibition has been organized narrate the experiences of the objects that have lived in a space, something that can become a shared experience with those who see them on display. the videos generate a present that turns inaction into a full-out operation as these clips become a tutorial to show the viewers the steps taken to obtain the desired goals for an object. they also serve as proof that fernando abellanas was there to build and use this machine. as he cycled through a hidden space that has now become visible, it ushers in a new beginning.’

an overview from the artist’s perspective