Go Go Gadget Wheelchair
Felicity Shillingford and Paul Mcgarry with Garry Robson
The Go Go Gadget Wheelchair is a wonderful silver creation which speaks to the desires of many wheelchair users. It is imposing and cannot be ignored - its user will always be visible, however hard passers-by try to ignore them.
The frame of the chair is made of two mountain bike wheels and a shopping trolley. The shopping trolley wheels form the front stabiliser wheels of the chair, while the mountain bike wheels are at the back.
Behind the chair, push handles are made from bicycle handles, complete with brakes. There is also a platform for a personal assistant or friend to stand on, presumably when the speed of the chair becomes too great for them to keep up with. Hazard lights flash on and off.
The seat is similar to a typing chair, and is upholstered in silver. Two pieces of silver metal protude from the front and act as leg supports, the ends forming right angles where black rubber footplates are inserted.
On the left side of the seat, a piece of silver hose of the kind found on a vacuum cleaner ends in a shoe which is attached to a bicycle pedal, helping to provide pedal power. Meanwhile rocket power is provided by two silver cylinders either side of the arms of the chair which resemble aircraft engines.
On the silver arm rest on the right side of the chair there is a hand control of the kind found on computer games, suggesting that the wheelchair user can fire at will at disabilist onlookers. This impression is reinforced by a black and white rocket which is suspended above it, while a boxing glove is attached on a spring below.
At either side of the chair, a piece of silver pole extends upwards to form a frame. At the top of this is a black and silver propeller, suggesting that the user can levitate the chair like a helicopter to get round obstructions such as steps and high kerbs. Underneath the propeller is a silver helmet which resembles a hairdryer, and which suggests that the chair's user can control the chair directly with their brainwaves.
Below the propeller, a car radio is suspended on the right side and a bottle of whisky on the left, providing entertainment and sustenance for the user when they are unable to access a building. Below the bottle of whisky is a camera, attached to flexible black tubing to make it easy to use without having to hold it.
Finally, trailing out from the chair is a silver grappling hook at the end of a chain. This can be used to grab out-of-reach objects, as well as to anchor the chair and so slow it down when it is travelling at high speed.
Within the exhibition, visitors can activate the radio and a bright white light by standing on a mat on the floor in front of the chair. The propeller also works, but has been deactivated for health and safety reasons.
© The City Gallery, Leicester and the artists: 2001
This site was built by Ju Gosling aka ju90 during an artist's residency at Oriel 31 in November 2001