SKATEBOARD

Evolution and Art in California

November 14, 2009 - August 29, 2010 

Guest curated by legendary Z-boy Nathan Pratt in conjunction with museum staff curator Michael Trotter and advisory committee members Jeff Ho, Skip Engblom (Zephyr co-founders), Cris Dawson (1966 Hobie Champ), Z-Boys Tony Alva and Stacy Peralta, and 1980’s world champion Christian Hosoi, the exhibition traces the evolution of boards from pre-1950 to the present showcasing the riders, designers, artists, and manufacturers that created the California phenomenon known as the skateboard. From the first planks of wood with metal roller skate wheels nailed to the bottom to the modern polyurethane wheels and kicktails, the boards have rocketed the skaters to greater heights of performance and style while taking “sidewalk surfing” from a homegrown activity to a worldwide cultural phenomenon.

More than 275 rare boards from the world’s finest collections including Jason Cohn, Dale Smith/Skate Designs Inc., Todd Huber/Skatelab Skatepark, Ray Flores, James Lang/South Bay Skates.

Additional lenders included are Kevin Anderson/Model Worm, Art Brewer, Terry Campion, Cris Dawson, Deluxe Distribution, Earl, Skip Engblom, Craig Fineman, Wayne and Donna Gunter/Surfing Cowboys, Mike Horelick/Tunnel Skateboards,  Chuck Katx, Mike Kolar, Gordon McClelland, Jim McDowell/RIP City Skates, Marc McKee, Aaron  Murray, James O’Mahoney/Santa Barbara Surfing Museum, Nathan Pratt, Mark Richards/Val Surf, Ronnie/Animal House, Steve Salyer/Pastures of Heaven, Gabriel Steptoe, Joel Tudor, Wentzle Ruml IV, Cary B. Weiss, Z-BOY Archive, and Z-CULT Skates. Photographs and art by C.R. Stecyk III, Glen E. Friedman,  Craig Fineman,  Wynn Miller, Kevin Ancell, Wes Humpston and more document the movement and its personalities. 

This is the first exhibition of the California skate movement to be shown in “Dog Town”, the Santa Monica/Ocean Park area where modern skateboarding was born and the skate became an art form. The California Heritage Museum is located in the vortex at Main Street and Ocean Park Boulevard.