SPIN-ing wheels into waterside art
When a peloton of 144 elite, international cyclists sped into Long Beach, Calif., in February to complete an eight-day race through the state, they were greeted by fans along a 7.75-mile course and some unique artwork. The Long Beach Redevelopment Agency and the Arts Council for Long Beach commissioned 24 bicycle-inspired sculptures from local artists to celebrate the city’s second annual participation in the Amgen Tour of California. This year, Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team’s Levi Leipheimer took the top prize with a total time of 24 hours, 57 minutes and 24 seconds. The SPIN public art project featured artwork created from abandoned bikes collected by the Long Beach Police Department. After their temporary display in a waterside park and throughout the city, the sculptures will be auctioned to raise money for more public art.