This item looks as though it was unearthed by archeologists at the digging site of some rough Paleolithic biker bar. It was possibly ridden by a rebel caveman who hunted woolly mammoth with a lead pipe and had a profound disdain for the caveman establishment.
The “MortalCycle” is actually a sculpture by Jud Turner. It isn’t made from real bones, but from welded steel and other found objects. The sculpture was then given a coat of rust to conceal the original parts and to blend the organic and mechanical parts together. You can see rusty gears within the ribcage and a bicycle chain connecting the chassis to the back wheel.
Would Fred Flintstone have stuck with his own cumbersome stone and wood car powered by his own feet if he could have gotten his caveman hands on this beast? Perhaps it was the common ride for all the Water Buffalo Lodge members. You can just imagine cruising through Bedrock at pre-historic speeds with Wilma holding on tight. I’d like to think the bike was not fashioned from the remains of Fred’s beloved pet, Dino, but there is no way to know for sure.
Unfortunately, the “MortalCycle” doesn’t actually ride and is only 44 inches long. It is part of a series of sculptures that illustrate the “delusional methods of transportation” with a focus on fossil fuels. Both current motorcycles and this imaginary “MortalCycle” utilize fossils in different ways, the former as energy and the latter by design.
According to modern artist Jud Turner, the MortalCycle sculpture “exhibits the tension between humans and nature.” It combines ancient fossils with modern technology to make us think about the clash between biology and technology that we face today.
The materials chosen also contribute to this message. The skeleton appears realistic and solidly built, but was actually made using delicate thin wire. Here are some other creative bicycle concepts. You might also enjoy this other design by Jud Turner.
