Art That Moves You.

May 5 here in Baltimore saw the seventh annual Kinetic Sculpture Race, a kind of loony-art triathlon in which human-powered sculptures traverse a 15-mile course through city streets, a water loop in the downtown harbor, a sand pit, and a mud pit. Only human-generated power is allowed: no engines, no motors. There are prizes for first place and next-to-last place (making for a killer sprint between the last two finishers), a "mediocrity award" for finishing in the middle, awards for creativity and engineering, and general awe for finishing at all. The entire thing is sponsored by the American Visionary Art Museum, a bastion of brilliantly bizarre everyman art that is a must-visit if you ever come through this town. Anyway, the race is seriously crazy. Teams of artists and Gyro Gearloose types work all year on their entries. One perennial favorite, PLATYPUS (Personal Long-range All Terrain Yacht Proven Un-Safe), uses eight cyclists whose pedaling powers a retro-fitted transmission from a 1985 Suzuki Samurai. (I know this because I'm a Gyro type, too, and I talked with one of the Platypusists.) I attended this year's race (what political blogger wouldn't?) and I took a few photos.

"Fifi" cruises toward the finish line

"Bumpo" goes for a swim

The frog hits the mud

"Wilma the Blue Wombat" on a roll

"Attack of the Sculpturian," which led throughout and eventually won

PLATYPUS pulls out of the water

"The Rat"

"Dumbbell" goes down! (but no casualties)

"Tail of a Whale" does the water course (note the harpoons)

"Acme," with crew of Wile E. Coyotes and an Acme torpedo

"The Patapsco Queen," whose crew dressed in drag

A penguin on an igloo? Wait a minute...

"Attack of the Sculpturian" after its first-place finish

(Posted 5/7/07 by Bruce A. Jacobs)