Chairlift Art for a Cause

The Canyons ski resort in Utah recently dismantled its historic 42-year-old Golden Eagle chairlift and donated the seats to a charitable event dubbed “Chairity Lift.” It is being run by the Kimball Art Center in Park City, and the project united 20 artists and 20 corporations (benefitting 20 charities) to design unique use-at-home chairlift benches and other amalgams (see the chairlift bike below!) to be auctioned off on eBay as well as at the live “Chairity Lift” event this week, on December 17, 2010, in Park City.

Backcountry.com is one of the companies involved, and it dubbed its chair offering “The Back Seat,” which is pictured above. Other ski/outdoor companies involved in the event include Ski Utah, The Canyons, Rossignol and SkullCandy. The bulk of the proceeds from all chairlift purchases will go to Kimball Art Center to continue providing its free exhibitions and education programs. As noted, several other charities will benefit, including Backcountry.com’s charity of choice, the National Ability Center.

The funky “SkiCycle” (above), “How to Catch a Snow Shark” (below), Budweiser’s “Ultimate Party Chair” (below), and several other neat designs are available for the Chairity Lift drive on eBay — http://ebay.com/kimballartcenter — until Wednesday, December 15.

—Stephen Krcmar is an admirer of the arts and also rides chairlifts regularly. He lives and works in Mammoth Lakes, Calif.