project overview
Head Cart | Discover BinghamptoN
The Discover Binghampton Project was created in partnership with the Binghampton Development Cooperation in the hopes of adding to the local identity of the neighborhood. Each of the four stations artistically reflects a different story of the Binghampton Community.
In this third installation, artist Pete Beeman chose the narrative From Boxcars to Bicycles – The Role of Transportation.
“Binghampton is a neighborhood, and it is people in conversation that make a neighborhood.”
Much of Binghampton’s manufacturing and industrial past was about building rail cars and carts. The artist chose to build a new cart and a “rail” track to accompany it. The cart doubles as a bench. The wood seating nods to the wooden boxcars once manufactured in Binghampton. People can able to push the cart around the track or sit on the cart as bench and watch the cyclists ride by, the growing mode of transportation in the area.
The backs of the seating are provided by abstract, almost
cartoonish heads in conversation. The artist reflects, "Binghampton is a
neighborhood, and it is people in conversation that make
a neighborhood". Each head contains a simple outline of a thought or word bubble like one would find in a comic strip. Two have single bubbles, one has multiple bubbles, and one has just a thought bubble. The heads are different enough be inclusive of both genders and different races.
See the cart in action below!
about the artist
Pete Beeman
Pete Beeman is an artist working mostly in large scale sculpture. Much of his work moves and is interactive. His business and studio are based in Portland, OR, though he spends much time in New York City. Beeman is married to Page Fortna, and they have two excellent daughters, Rosie and Linden.
