Sturgis Buffalo Chip®’s 2018 Motorcycles as Art® Exhibit Michael Lichter Curates “Passion Built – Garage to Gallery”

For the 10^th year, Custom bikes built from the pure passion and love of the machine will be exhibited at the Buffalo Chip free to the public this August.

 Buffalo Chip, SD (Feb 13, 2018) The pure love of art and motorcycles will bring together a stunning collection of masterpieces for the Sturgis Buffalo Chip’s 2018 Motorcycle As Art exhibit, titled “Passion Built – Garage to Gallery.”  The exhibit, curated by Michael Lichter, will feature the work of over 40 builders and artists who demonstrate incredible passion and have built motorcycles especially for this show. All support themselves by other means, yet they all are building professional-quality custom motorcycles outside of a professional workplace. Each bike will be lit with theater lights and displayed atop an elevated pedestal to better give guests an open view from every angle. The Sturgis Buffalo Chip will host the exhibit in a 7,000 sq. ft. dedicated gallery in its Event Center. The exhibit is free to the public 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 4 through Friday, Aug. 10.

“Michael has once again brought together a group of incredible artists and builders who all have a real passion for motorcycles,” said Rod Woodruff, Sturgis Buffalo Chip President. “The fact that these people are creating these bikes, mostly in the evenings or weekends, after a full work-week, is amazing. We will clearly see their love for the work on display this year. Everyone attending the 2018 Rally really should see this free exhibit.”

 

 

It Isn’t Just a Small Handful

Industry professionals frequent these one-time collections to examine the new ideas and trends put on display by builders from all walks of life and geographic locations.

“We are looking for the best custom bikes these builders can produce, hopefully the best they have ever built, to show off how diverse the world of custom bike building is,” said exhibit curator Michael Lichter. “It isn’t just a small handful of professionals who are driving this world and deciding where it is headed, nor has it ever been. Now, through new means of communication, these non-pros have a bigger voice than ever before.”

 

Energy Drives the Passion for Diverse Group of Builders

As a follow up to the 2017 “Old Iron – Young Blood” exhibit, which focused on the work of builders under age 35, this exhibit broadens the diversity of the artists to include those passionate about custom building motorcycles even through retirement.

Most of those chosen for the 2018 exhibit must find the energy and passion to work on their projects after returning home from a full-time day job. Some, such as Harley-Davidson Motor Company Vice President of Styling & Design Brad Richards, work in the industry but must still find personal time to fuel their passion for building. Musicians Xavier Muriel of Buckcherry and Gilby Clarke formerly of Guns and Roses will both be displaying their new creations. From attorney Dave Polgreen to lighting expert Randy Noldge, the list of exhibitors for the 2018 Motorcycles As Art show brings together a varied group of motorcycle builders with a deep-seated desire to create.

“The diverse list of builders and two-dimensional artists coming together to display this year are all doing this for the sheer joy of building a custom bike from scratch,” said Lichter. “It may not be about anything more than bragging rights. These people are really creating a type of folk art without thought of reward. The enormous amount of time and energy results in custom bikes on par with any made by professional builders. And, the display of energy and enthusiasm demonstrated make this show a great follow-up to last year’s exhibit by millennials.”

The Builders

The growing list of custom motorcycle builders and two-dimensional artists scheduled to present their masterpieces at the 2018 “Motorcycles As Art” exhibit include:

Ben Jordan – Waxhaw, NC

Brad Gregory – Glenwood, IA

Brad Richards & Ry Seidler – Milwaukee, WI

Chris Callen – Tarentum, PA

Chris Graves – Milwaukee, WI

Clinton Wallace – Cleveland, TX

Dan Rogensvoog – Franksville, WI

Dave Polgreen – Santa Ana, CA

Eric Stein – Monroe, NC

Gilby Clarke – CA

Jack Deagazio – NY

Jeff Holt – CA

Johnny Humphrey – Terre Hill, PA

John Barwood – Payson, AZ

Justin McNeely – Jackson, MO

Mark Shell – Idaho Falls, ID

Marty Davis – Pensacola, FL

Nick Pensabene – Edgewater, FL

Randy Noldge – Saint Louis, MO

Rick Pew – Fort Lupton, CO

Skeeter Todd – Maryland, NY

Stacy McCleary – Manteca, CA

Steven Bates – Saginaw, TX

Tim Dixon – Ten Mile, TN

Wayne Burgess – Fenwick, Ontario, CANADA

Will Thomas – Los Feliz, CA

Xavier Muriel – TX

In addition to the custom bikes and work of individual artists on the walls, the show will also include a display of ten hand-painted helmets, each from a different artist, provided by Biltwell Helmets, an exhibition sponsor.

For more information about the Buffalo Chip’s free-access Motorcycles As Art Exhibition visit BuffaloChip.com/EVENTS/Motorcycles-As-Art

About Michael Lichter

Michael Lichter began photographing custom bikes and the biker-lifestyle in the 1970s. Working with Easyriders Magazine since 1979, he has produced over 800 stories for them. Michael is also a regular contributor to 16 other publications around the world, has 11 coffee table books to his credit and exhibits his photographic art in galleries and museums in the USA and abroad. As a curator, Michael first started creating themed exhibitions with custom motorcycles and art in 2001 at the Journey Museum in Rapid City. In 2009, the annual exhibition was moved to the purpose-built 7,000 square foot gallery at the Sturgis Buffalo Chip where it was given the name “Motorcycles as Art” and continues to this day. Michael has operated out of the same commercial photography studio in beautiful Boulder, Colorado for more than 35-years. Visit www.facebook.com/lichterphoto, Instagram (whistlingmike) or the all new www.lichterphoto.com to see his images. Contact Michael at mike@lichterphoto.com.

 

About Motorcycles as Art

Every year the Sturgis Buffalo Chip’s indoor Motorcycles as Art exhibition presents a changing conceptual theme that brings together the most innovative collection of groundbreaking custom bikes from today’s premier builders with artwork from the most famed moto-artists. The Sturgis Buffalo Chip and curator, famed photographer Michael Lichter, present an environment that must be seen to appreciate. Free to the public and open for just seven days each year, all are invited to take their time and walk through history in the making that is the Motorcycles as Art exhibit.

 

About the Sturgis Buffalo Chip

The Sturgis Buffalo Chip® is the Largest Music Festival in Motorcycling®. It is the world’s first and leading entertainment destination for the motorcycle enthusiast and South Dakota Excellence in Tourism Innovation award winner. Since 1981, the venue’s high-profile, nine-day festival, known as The Best Party Anywhere®, remains one of the world’s most televised and longest running independent music festivals. Located three miles east of Sturgis, SD on 600 creek-fed acres, it offers eight stages of entertainment, a swimming hole, bars, mouth-watering food, showers, cabins, RVs, camping and more to visitors traveling from all corners of the world. The Chip’s concerts and races are free with camping. The 2018 Motorcycles as Art exhibit curated by Michael Lichter, numerous bike and stunt shows and all shopping, live music and events at the CrossRoads are free and open to the public. More details are available at www.BuffaloChip.com.