Skateboards
Skateboarding began as mainstay of California culture and has since evolved into a globally popular phenomenon. While various examples of riding a “board with wheels” existed from as early as the 1940s, the sport itself originated among the surfing communities of the Southern California coast as a means for surfers to “ride” the beachside sidewalks during the off-season. As the style and mechanism of skateboarding evolved, so did the art and culture surrounding it, which included many musicians and filmmakers—the 1986 cult classic Thrashin’ is credited with a major rise in skate popularity. Many artists have also become associated with, …
Skateboarding began as mainstay of California culture and has since evolved into a globally popular phenomenon. While various examples of riding a “board with wheels” existed from as early as the 1940s, the sport itself originated among the surfing communities of the Southern California coast as a means for surfers to “ride” the beachside sidewalks during the off-season. As the style and mechanism of skateboarding evolved, so did the art and culture surrounding it, which included many musicians and filmmakers—the 1986 cult classic Thrashin’ is credited with a major rise in skate popularity. Many artists have also become associated with, or contributed to visual element of skateboarding through the design of “decks,” or the decorated, underside of a board. Artists Paul McCarthy, David Shrigley, Robert Longo, Damien Hirst, George Condo, among others, have deigned skate decks for companies such as Supreme or the Skateroom.
