Ethan Z Grothe

It seems to me that there is a lot of following in line. Most immediately visible would be in systems of movement and the laws to reinforce them, less visible line following comes in the forms of monetary systems and societal norms. I’ve found through riding my BMX bicycle a way to break out of some of these lines. Riding in the city with all the vehicles and people following in line, I've noticed the frequency at which they all move.  This allows me to flow in and out and in between. These moments of moving at my own frequency give me a freeing escape from the almost suffocating pressure to follow in line. This freeing moment is ephemeral and delicate being that these forces are so strongly imposing. As I age more pressures begin to close in pushing me to follow in line even more, making these moments fewer and farther between, pressing me to give up something that to some seems childish. I find myself laboriously moving within these systems just to experience the few moments of freeing escape. I want to tap into that freeness in my work and hold onto it just a little bit longer.