Zaq Moul, 14, and his brother Elijah, 9, admire the vintage skateboards at California Heritage Museum's exhibit, “SKATEBOARD: Evolution and Art in California” on Sunday, December 13, 2009.
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.
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 300 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 illustrate the timeline of skate history.
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.
Photographs and art by C.R. Stecyk III, Glen E. Friedman, Warren Bolster, Craig Fineman, Wynn Miller, Kevin Ancell, Mike McKee, Wes Humpston and more document the movement and its personalities.
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.
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/RIPWynn 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.
The show opened to the general public on Saturday, November 14, 2009 and continues through Sunday, May 30, 2010.
The California Heritage Museum is a multi-cultural facility presenting exhibitions, lectures, publications and workshops that promote the history and cultures of the people that comprise our California community.
The Museum is located in the 1894 Historic Landmark Roy Jones house at 2612 Main Street in Santa Monica. Hours are Wednesday through Sunday, 11:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Parking is free and handicapped facilities are available. On Sundays, the museum hosts a Farmer's Market in its parking lot. Visitors to the museum can find parking in adjacent "quarter metered" parking lots.
The Museum is located in the 1894 Historic Landmark Roy Jones house at 2612 Main Street in Santa Monica. Hours are Wednesday through Sunday, 11:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Parking is free and handicapped facilities are available. On Sundays, the museum hosts a Farmer's Market in its parking lot. Visitors to the museum can find parking in adjacent "quarter metered" parking lots.
Santa Monica Close-up on Facebook