~ Max Ouweleen
Over the past decade, the humble skateboard has exploded in popularity into a coveted piece of art. Today’s skateboard decks (the flat board surface) have transformed from tools of the sport into canvases for artists’ creativity. Some of these designs, one-of-a-kind originals and limited-edition prints, have inspired a new genre of collectibles.
Some skateboard fans, like myself, collect and display decks from branded companies with unique graphics designed by artists and produced in limited batches (via heat transfer prints). Others collect artist originals, a good example being the recent SKATE gallery show in May celebrating San Francisco’s skate history. https://111minnagallery.com/product-category/exhibit/skate/
Here's several examples of my board collection and how they're displayed.
Today’s popularity is a huge pivot when we look at the history of skateboarding. In the very early days of the sport, circa the 1970s, graphics were limited to brand names and simple logos of board manufacturers. Some skaters would personalize their boards, but not with any thought of them being displayed in a museum or even on their own walls.
These earlier graphics were never meant to be admired or collected. In fact, just the opposite. They were meant to be destroyed. Once the board was off the wall and in the hands of a young skater, they would mount their trucks on it and immediately start to scrape and slide the graphic away. In fact, the more destroyed the bottom of your board, the more proficiency you were presumed to have as a skater. Once the board had been skated beyond its useful life, it was discarded, and the process began again.
As the sport grew and evolved in the 1980s, board manufacturers saw the potential of specialized art and commissioned artists to create more complex designs, helping companies market and stand out from their competitors. With a customer base of mostly young kids and teenagers, skateboard companies would print vibrant, unpretentious (and sometimes hilariously crass graphics), on their boards to catch a skater’s eye along a display wall of decks in a skateshop.
Going forward, individual artists too were intrigued by boards as a canvas, seeing the already established audience and the creative challenge of working within a board’s unique dimensions. Besides today’s young skaters, there’s now a whole generation of ‘past’ skaters that still hold an affinity for the sport and may now have more disposable income.
Here's 'Kaleidoscope', a painted original from Jon Ching. Jon's fine art is in high demand by collectors. He creates surreal images with delicate detail, often inspired by the beauty of the natural world. Find more of his art at www.jonching.art
This original painting by Gabriella Padilla titled 'Breakfast' features her love of pop surrealism and whimsy. Find more of her art at www.gabriellanicolepadilla.com
So why do I collect these boards? Yes, the feel of the deck in my hands and seeing the graphics I used to pick out from CCS catalogues provide a direct line back to my adolescent memories. It's also an opportunity to appreciate this incredibly underestimated art scene. For decades, these vibrant designs have been printed, shredded, and forgotten. There is admiration in letting go of one's artistic creations so freely and nice as well to occasionally pause and acknowledge the talent behind them.
It's still strange to see the tools of this rebellious sport being treated with such gravity but overall, I'm happy to see the awareness of skateboarding and its legacy of art continue to expand.
Max Ouweleen
