This artist embroidered ‘instant portraits’ with a sewing machine powered by a bicycle

Harriet Riddell is an English artist who creates instant portraits with a sewing machine powered by solar panels or energy generated by its (particular) bicycle.

The bike he uses comes from Electric Pedals, an English reality specialized in innovative systems for the production of sustainable energy in the context of concerts, cinemas and various events. The bicycle is fixed and connected to a generator that feeds the sewing machine: with a ride of thirty minutes Harriet is able to produce an instant portrait.

Over time, Harriet has traveled from the Himalaya to the slums of Nairobi, immortalized the surrounding environment and the people encountered along the way with need and thread. But his art is also interactive: he invites the public to pedal on his bike to generate electricity, thus creating a stronger link between her and her subjects.

His itinerant embroidery project, born in 2012 at the University of Hertfordshire, is called “Institchyou” and then expanded, leading her to perform in markets, festivals and performances.

During the pandemic, Harriet reinvented his art by cooking portraits live on Zoom, traveling virtually and listening to stories from all over the world. The idea has had such a success that the commissions of embroidered portraits through the famous platform still arrive today.

After the birth of his son, Harriet stopped for a while in England, but who knows … soon we could see her again in action even elsewhere!

Wherever he goes, his project in any case has an extra gear because it combines art, sustainability and interaction with the public in a truly original way.

SOURCE: Institchyou