If you are here, it’s likely because you watched my video. Maybe you came through an art channel, maybe you just wanted a stationary bike workout. I’m pleased you made it this far either way. I’m an artist and a Certified Schwinn Indoor Cycling Instructor.
I made this work because I’ve always been amazed at the energy output in fitness classes and recreation. I’m also very excited about social justice and building a society that cares for its most vulnerable while giving everyone an opportunity to fulfill their creative potential.
There are some exciting things happening in the world right now, and some very smart people are writing thoughtful and encouraging things about them. I recommend a book by George Monbiot called Out of The Wreckage. Monbiot makes a strong case for creating change by building connections right in our own communities. I wonder about the experiences we share with strangers when we all work out together – could we re-direct some of that vitality towards our politics? What if we saw ourselves as a social group with an in-built shared interest (fitness class)? What if we talked about the needs we see in our own communities, or organized to encourage our politicians to divest from the fossil fuel industry?
I’m particularly interested in the needs of the Precariat. They are likely in the gym with you, or perhaps you are one of them. The Precariat are a major part of today’s labour force. These are workers who may string together several jobs to make a decent living in part time jobs, or as freelance workers and contract employees. The Precariat lacks access to the benefits and social protections of traditional full-time work, and despite constituting almost 50% of the labour force in some counties, they remain largely ignored by government, policy makers, and traditional labour movements. The solution is not to just create more stable full time jobs, but rather to engage our current economic reality while building towards a better one, and extend rights and benefits to precarious workers. Could there be solidarity among all workers? Shouldn’t the needs of the many come first?
Sometimes the beauty and grit of humanity overwhelms me; and chokes me up. It turns me inside out to think about the love that drives people to work on making the world a better, inclusive, socially just, place operating through stewardship of our shared ecology. We must recruit our best tendencies: empathy, altruism, and generosity. We must work to eradicate loneliness and instead build friendships and a feeling of belonging. We must work to ensure health care is a human right, that all workers can earn a living wage, and that our most vulnerable citizens are living their lives in dignity with appropriate social support. We must safeguard leisure time – ie weekends and public holidays – as those are the times in a busy week where we can embrace engaged citizenship, volunteer, connect with community, and explore our creative potential.
I like doing this performance-fitness instruction hybrid, and I really liked making the big painting (7′ x 12′) in the background. Art and connecting people with their own agency and sense of belonging is my life’s work both as an artist and a teacher. If you’d like to buy my painting or hire me to do a performance, please reach out to me at art@gilliandykeman.com.