The cast of Bicycle, illustrator Ugo Gattoni‘s book commission for the London 2012 Olympic Games, lines up like a two-wheeled version of the Wacky Races – all manner of characters from housewives to hoodies, bankers to hipsters riding a gamut of bikes through the streets of the capital – but not the city as we know it.
There are recognisable landmarks to be seen, but the race comes with a twist; namely the riders are racing along roads at impossible angles, perched atop insurmountable obstacles, all the while caught up in a whirlwind of movement in scenes punctuated by surreal interlopers – a pig’s head, a giant dismembered hand.
The stand-out feature of Gattoni, as well as his vibrant imagination, is the incredible level of detail his scenes enjoy – the fine line ink style seemingly allows the French penman to pack in more action that it seems possible. This detail is also evident in another series, Water For Elephants, featuring exotic animals and plants fused together in his surrealist style.
Work from both collections is on display at The Book Club on London’s Leonard Street from 22nd November (when an exhibition launch, free entry, will run from 6pm – 2am), and there will be various stuff to buy including copies of Bicycle, t-shirts, hoodies and whatnot.
