The Life and Death of Film and Cyclists

For the month of October, local artists Ryan Chernikoff and Adán Hernandez are exhibiting photography and paintings at Uptown Artists, the cooperatively-run gallery downtown. Hernandez and Chernikoff will be donating all proceeds from the sales to Off the Chain—a bicycle collective in Midtown whose volunteers help individuals repair and maintain their bicycles. This art-benefit-for-bicycles is part of a surge in public support for safe bicycling infrastructure and is a creative tactic that complements traditional bicycle advocacy. I asked Chernikoff and Hernandez what sparked their interest in using art to advocate for bike safety and about their history with photography:

What sparked your interest in photography, and what are your preferred methods of production?

Chernikoff: I have been into photography for many years but only became serious about it after finding a used Canon AE-1 35mm camera in a donation bin some time ago. Since then I have been an analog photography enthusiast. I work every day to do my part in keeping film photography alive.

Hernandez: I’ve always been a bit of a shutterbug. I bought a Sony cybercam 2.0 mp back in 2002 and I've seldom been without a camera ever since. Riding bicycles and taking photos are my two favorite activities, I think I'm kind of annoying to ride with because I tend to sprint as fast as I can and then stop to take pics anytime I see a nice pile of trash or lost shoe.

Why are you interested in bike safety and recent bike fatalities?

Chernikoff: As a commuter who chooses to ride his bike as much as possible, safety is my first priority. I have witnessed a cyclist being struck by cars because the motorist was looking for other cars, but not pedestrians during a turn. I have come close to being hit by vehicles during my commute. There have been times that, while driving my vehicle I have had other drivers honk and yell at me for giving pedestrians the right of way in a crosswalk. There have been too many deaths in Anchorage due to carelessness. Even one is too many. As more community members are choosing non-motorized modes of transportation. we need to find ways as a city to adapt to that. There has been some progress in making that happen, but we need to continue promoting awareness and education to keep the momentum going.

Hernandez: I think general road safety is very important. Cyclists, pedestrians, and drivers can all benefit from more bike lanes and sidewalks, keeping clear existing sidewalks in the winter, being aware, good lighting, and being predictable (hand signals/ blinkers). I love biking around town—it's a great town for it—and I feel like things are changing for the better but I think we can still do better.

Why are you donating your sales from this exhibit to Off The Chain?

Chernikoff: I really love what they do for the Anchorage community. I first walked in there a couple years ago when I was looking to purchase a used bicycle. Jamie was there and he helped me pick out a bike. There were a couple modifications I wanted to make to it, and asked him if he would be willing to make them for me. I remember him looking at me and telling me that I was going to make the modifications myself. I honestly had very little knowledge about how to work on a bike, but he walked me through it. I was there for around four hours that night, we talked and got to know each other while he patiently guided me through the process of changing my handlebars, installing a basket on my new bike, and a few other minor adjustments that needed to be made. From that day on I have found great joy in working on my own bike, and love going over to Off The Chain and saying hello to all of their wonderful volunteers from time to time. I am so grateful for the education and sense of community they have given me, and everyone else that has walked through their doors. I can only imagine how many lives they have impacted in a positive way through education and safety awareness. I would like to see Off The Chain around for a very long time. I am hoping that whatever monetary donation we are able to provide them from this event will help them through the coming winter months.

Hernandez: Even though fat bikes have really blown up in popularity, and winter riding is up, a lot of people tend to forget about bike and cyclists over the winter. This seemed like a good chance to contribute funds and awareness before the start of another long Alaskan winter.

What are some things about your photography that make you unique?

Cheyrnikoff: I shoot exclusively 35mm film. I take photos of what I see—things that a lot of people might not notice or find interesting. I try to bring the interesting out. I really like highlighting the way humans interact with their surroundings. Photography has always been a meditative process for me, a practice in mindfulness. When I am walking around shooting photos I am forced to be in the moment and hyper-aware of my surroundings: shapes, textures, light, movement. The ability to be in the moment that photography has provided me has helped my mental state immensely. It helps me deal with the endless chatter going through my mind in a positive manner.

Chernikoff is among the best photographers in Alaska. His compositions have the elegance of Edward Weston, while his human subjects are as sanguine and expressive as Paul Strand’s. Chernikoff’s silver light evokes the era in which photography emerged as a recognized form of high art, and therefore conveys an aching sense of timelessness. His subject matter has the localized verisimilitude of Faulkner or Roth’s respective milieus, but in our northern context. Most extraordinarily, Chernikoff melds our region’s boundless and sentient landscapes with the minute details of human habitation, creating a fjord-deep landscape that begs for exploration. His exhibit at Uptown Artists offers an opportunity to explore our Alaska, from the quotidian to the eternal.