Originally Posted by AZORCH

To further support your point: In most cultures (i.e., non-Western cultures) there is no word for "art." The aesthetic experience we enjoy and refer to as "art" when we enjoy viewing 19th century African masks - just to cite one of many exemplars - has no meaningful interpretation to the culture and time from which they hail.

That said, what I hoped to get out of initiating this discussion in the first place are examples that C&V enthusiasts might want to see displayed and collected into a single venue, and that the general public might also find interesting as well. At this point in time I have purposely chosen not to clearly define what "the art of the bicycle" means, partly to motivate the sort of philosophical dialogue that has already begun here, and partly to collectively brainstorm the possibilities. It would be so easy to simply narrow the focus down to photographs of Italian racing bikes or a display of modern frame designs or balloon tire wonders ... or something else equally esoteric. But it seems to me that many of us - certainly everyone in this forum, I would imagine - feel some sort of affinity for the bicycle. For some, it's tied in with the nostalgia of childhood; for others it is about the exercise; still others love the classical allure of vintage steel and lugs and chrome. The list of connections goes on and on. (To me, there is the intrigue of form and function striking a perfect balance: a beautifully designed machine that performs in time with the rider.)

I hope the dialogue continues and I plan to steal the best of your ideas mercilessly as we consider what a show like this might actually entail.