Basque artist Raisa Álava was chosen to draw the official poster of the Tour de France, leaving Bilbao in the next few days. But Raisa Álava has created another work of art, customizing a special version of the model Aerolight by BH (The latter company is based in the Basque Country). His work was recently exhibited with great success at the Eurobike trade fair in Frankfurt.
The first pink BH
Raisa Álava discovered the world of cycling as a child… pedaling on a small pink BH. A relationship, the one with the bicycle, that has reached a new level, combining her profession as an illustrator and artist with cycling. It's no coincidence that in the poster she created for the start of the Tour, Raisa illustrates everything she loves about the world she grew up in. The sea, the mountains, nature, the rural world, shaping it with hand-made and rich drawings, rich in color. Lines, shapes, and colors that release energy and that will be known throughout the world thanks to the Tour de France.
The bike is fun
The same style, along with the memories of the pink BH with which he started cycling, are also reflected in the design of this spectacular BH AerolightA unique bike that certainly doesn't go unnoticed. Bike customization has become an increasingly popular activity. However, Raisa's work on this project—born from an idea by BH in collaboration with Shimano—takes it to the next level.
"What surprised me most about this bicycle," the artist said, "is its light weight. There are parts of the drawing that refer to this aspect, such as racing bikes or downhill bikes… Overall, I wanted it to be fun. Most bicycles, unless they're for kids, tend not to be very aesthetically appealing. They do, however, have a formal, serious look.
«Instead, I wanted this creation to be a tribute to my first bicycle. It's a bold idea to evoke the bike with a bit of nostalgia, with the fluorescent colors that were so trendy in the nineties. When we were kids we dared to do things that we put aside as adults out of embarrassment, including the funny ones."
