In the city, you walk past countless locked-up bikes on any given day, and they usually fade into the urban scenery. However, every now and then, you come across one that catches your attention. It makes you stop and look a little closer. Sometimes it’s the bike’s color, its missing parts, or the way it looks like it has been there for decades, unnoticed, unclaimed, and seemingly unwanted.

Something similar happened to me, though for a completely different reason. Early one morning, at the start of an impromptu photo walk, I was passing a long, unremarkable fence when a bike leapt out at me. This bike, in particular, was anchored to the fence, suspended entirely off the ground. It looked less like it was parked to prevent theft and more like it was being presented. Almost as if it were a deliberate piece of public art. In the simple act of securing their bike, someone had created this little temporary sculpture. It instantly reminded me of my time in Urbana, IL in the Public Arts Department. It was a unique and intriguing interruption to the monotony of the fence, especially compared to the other bikes nearby. Whether it was intentional or not, I found it intriguing enough to capture the moment.

Moments like these act as a reminder that art can be found anywhere, even in the simple way someone decides to lock up their bike.