SkateArt: From the Object to the Artwork

The 2000s proved a turning point for the skateboard and its relationship to art. Previously restricted to practical use, the skate deck left the pavement to appear on the walls of galleries and auction houses. Such was the advent of an entirely new contemporary art movement, laconically baptised Skate Art. From silk-screening to Posca markers, from repurposing and twisted shapes to upcycling broken boards, this volume provides an overview of the most significant techniques and decks of the last two decades. Artists from the realm of Street Art have long had a close relationship with Skate culture, and figures like Shepard Fairey, D*Face and ROA are among the first to have applied their art to this support. At the other end of the spectrum, Mark Gonzales, Thomas Campbell and Ed Templeton are pure products of the skater world, and it was through their collaborations with brands to produce boards that they acceded to the title of artist. In its 250 pages, this anthology presents a specialised and eclectic selection of decks made by artists from all over the world. AUTHOR: A die-hard skater since his teenage years, Romain Hurdequint was fascinated by the tremendous creativity exhibited by skateboards in terms of graphic and design. He first created a blog then, in 2006, launched thedailyboard.co, conceived as a veritable online gallery dedicated to his favourite art decks. From the close to 3,000 unique designs he catalogued over the course of six years, he has chosen over 100 that embody the essence of the medium’s graphic trends in the past decade. This work, which serves both as an informative resource and a playful homage, constitutes a veritable anthology of Skate Art. SELLING POINT: Just as Street Art became popular, moving from the sidewalk to auction houses, and even into museums, to ultimately become a recognised art movement, Skate Art has followed a similar path. SkateArt provides an overview of the most significant decks from the last twenty years Artists include Jean-Michel Basquiat, Shepard Fairey, Ai Weiwei, ROA, Diana Xavier, and dozens more Over 100 selections from the author’s archive of 3000 designs 300 colour illustrations