Foot traffic

As Atlanta’s public transportation system grows increasingly inaccessible, it should come as no surprise that self-propulsion is the subject of two shows at Eyedrum this month titled Heavy Metal: The Bikes of Matt Colman and I Am My Transportation. From the banal to the bizarre, a handful of local artists have created a series of works dealing with everything from bicycle and shoe fetishes, to birds enhanced by man-made propulsion units.
For the street-level gallery, Colman has assembled a collection of 25 bicycles that illustrate the often under appreciated designs that give each bicycle its own personality. Downstairs, I Am My Transportation features Kris Benotti showcasing her favorite shoes while Mark Giorgione and Wade Thompson have created a series of drawings that examine everything from footwear to methods of propulsion lifted straight from the annals of science fiction.
Giorgione’s drawings portray shoes at various stages of development, including schematics of basic sneakers and one piece that weighs the aerodynamics of a stealth bomber against the sleek designs of hi-end athletic footwear. Thompson’s drawings depict a bird’s ability to fly wherever and whenever it wants. Don’t expect any Audubon rip-offs however; these birds have been retrofitted with rocket boosters, propellers, steering wheels and bucket seats.
From bicycles to birds, these artists offer some inventive notions of traveling at one’s accord.
Heavy Metal: The Bikes of Matt Colman and I Am My Transportation continue through March, 31 at Eyedrum Art & Music Gallery, 253 Trinity Ave. Tues. & Thurs. 2-7 p.m., Wed. noon-5 p.m., Fri. 7-9 p.m., Sat. noon-5 p.m., by appointment and during music/sound performances. 404-522-0655.