Ax Centre, Ellen's Tour: Passagge

Three unique Collagraphs sized to scale with broken bike tires, unframed.
Akua soy-based ink infused with rubber powder up-cycled from shredded bike tires.
109.22cm x 109.cm Each – Unframed.

Preserving the memory and passion of Ellen Watters through an epic cycling event, art gathering, and legacy memorial fund for young athletes in New Brunswick.

Passed in New Brunswick of 2017, Ellen’s Law fines culprit drivers a small fine and three demerit points against their driving privileges. The bill operates under differing names province to province but remains essentially identical in allotting a minimum of 1-meter distancing when passing cyclists. It’s a good measure to impart safety to both those behind the wheel and upon the road, but still leaves gaps for cyclists to ensure their own wellbeing; hand signals and appropriate road gear provide safety to the rider, but a bicycle is still a delicate mechanism especially when traversing the narrowness of roadways instead of shoulder based and/or separate bike lanes as implemented in more structured cities and nations. And while many municipalities throughout Canada have implemented the 1-meter minimum, it’s still only the bare minimum. 

Passage specifies a haunting inspection upon Ellen’s Law. This inquiry regards intentions and impacts upon travellers by speaking through aftermaths, imagery of bike tires broken, bent, or beyond repair. Using printmaking forms, a series of 3 distinct to-scale tires have been fashioned through intaglio collagraph prints upon 1-meter square paper using a rubber infused ink made from shredded tires.