THE CITY RELIQUARY PRESENTS:
THE DICK POWER STORY
A Dark Day in Sunnyside
a bike obsessed life of damage and redemption
Exhibit at the City Reliquary through August
Brooklyn, June 11, 2014: The fixie riding hipster is just as common today in the urban landscape of New York as an awkwardly helmeted tourist browsing the rows of CitiBikes. But long before every hip Brooklyn neighborhood had at leastone or two bike boutiques, Dick Power was crafting fine artisan bicycle frames in Sunnyside, Queens. A Dark Day in Sunnyside is the newest exhibit by The City Reliquary Museum, and it examines the life and times of this man, whose obsession with racing bicycles led to consequences inspiring, but also dark.
Unlike the worthy but workmanlike frame building of the 20s, Power used expensive silver to braze the tubes of the frames to lugs, knowing that the lower melting point of the precious metal would leave the tubing unbowed and the bike straighter. This sort of care became the hallmark of the American frame builder, different from the “good enough” work of old-world craftsmen.
Power was also a patriot, intent on being an All-American even though he had to navigate a world that ultimately crushed his family and took away a son, leaving him, and ultimately us, only the bicycles that he built as a lasting monument. A DarkDay in Sunnyside, is a tribute to this pivotal bicycle artisan, and displays many of those bicycles which stand as a monument to Power's life, story, and place in the annals of bicycle history.
Catch a glimpse,reflected in the silver braze, of a most remarkable life. The bikes on display come from the collection of Edward H Albert, a former road racer, avid vintage bicycle collector, and dedicated chronicler of bicycle history. The City Reliquary Museum is thrilled to present these priceless examples of early American bicycle artistry to the public in this brand new Exhibit.
Located at 370 Metropolitan Avenue in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY
The City Reliquary’s hours are: Thursday through Sunday: 12pm – 6pm.
Admission to the museum is $5-10 suggested donation. For general information, please visit the Museum’s website
Contact:
The City Reliquary
370 Metropolitan Ave
Brooklyn, NY, 11211
Phone: (718)-RU-CIVIC
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