5.20.2010

Guest Blogger: Stan Engelbrecht of Bicycle Portraits

Morné Hendricks by Stan Engelbrecht

And in the spirit of bicycle portraits, Nic and Stan from South Africa contacted me a few weeks ago, and I became eager to share their project with our VV readers. Here's the first in a series of guest blog posts from the creators of Bicycle Portraits.

The first time I saw Morné Hendricks he was buzzing past me on his Western Flyer Jean Machine down Church street, the main road of a small South African Karoo town to called Prince Albert. He had a small paper bag in his hand and a big grin on his face. I had to spin around and give chase. Turns out the small brown bag contained a tub of Aqueous Cream ('for my body') he just got at the pharmacy.

Morné loves his mom, chess and the freedom his Western Flyer gives him, and he wants to become a mechanical engineer when he finishes school. His only worry is that he might not be able to take his bike with when he leaves for university because he has to take the train.

People like Morné are the future of South African commuter culture. They love their bicycles and what it means to them. They understand, perhaps subconsciously, how empowering owning and riding a bicycle can be. People like Morné is exactly what the Bicycle Portraits project is all about.

Bicycle Portraits will be a photographic book exploring contemporary South African bicycle commuter culture. Please visit http://kck.st/c09uOF and support us by pledging for a reward on our Kickstarter fundraising initiative page. For a pledge of $50 you are essentially pre-ordering a copy of the book. Please have a look! It's easy!

2 comments:

She Rides a Bike said...

He likes the freedom his Flyer give him. Kind of says it all.

stan said...

He's got it all figured out! And so do the rest of these people - www.bicycleportraits.co.za