We hope you have had a great week of skateboarding. Maybe you found a new deserted spot to shred in solitude, maybe you received a nice message from a friend who misses skating with you. As an introvert, I am spending as much time alone as I always have. Thoughts go out to the extroverts, hang in there, you’re going to get through this. But for now, let us distract you with this week’s not-to-be-missed clips and skateboarding news.
Words by Maria Lima
Some skate shops are slowly opening their doors again, so be sure to support your local supplier, if you have the means to do so. I am sure they’ve missed you! Whatever you do, just don’t buy stuff from Amazon okay? There are lots of cool ways to show your support, like Vans Footwear’s ‘Foot the Bill’ or Deluxe Distribution’s ‘A Sketchy Skate Shop’s Appreciation Program’. You could of course always invest in an art piece or demo tape made by your best friend. It’s all about building systems of exchange.
A big thank you goes out to the folks on Skate Like a Girl’s Youth Advisory Board for working towards an inclusive skateboarding environment and reclaiming skate lingo! As they rightfully point out, small actions like using the term ‘Body Varial’ instead of ‘Sex Change’ and saying ‘Transition’ not ‘Tranny’ when you’re shredding that gnarly bowl ensure a fun and safer session for everyone. People might not be aware of the history of these terms outside of skateparks, but they carry a long history of being used in transphobic contexts. I never did understand why a trick would be named something as unrelated as “sex change”. Let’s all just try to unlearn that.
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Now to the feel-good videos of this week. You might want to watch Krooked’s ‘Pure Evil‘ video to witness Gonz do what he does best; skate around NYC on some weird setup, while talking to strangers captivated by his style. Mark makes me happy. Who looks better skating with a Fedora hat than him? It simply can’t be done. Gonz brings the cool dad vibe to skateboarding reminding us all: it’s not about the tricks you do, it’s about how you do them. “Pure Evil” is pure divinity and Gonz is skateboarding’s saint.
Speaking of legends in skateboarding, I strongly recommend the wholesome experience of taking a painting lesson with gallerist, curator, art historian and lecturer emeritus Frank Gerwer. Don’t we all need a bit more still life in our hectic and busy lives? Frank leads the way in ‘The Art of Painting’. Will there be noses involved? You’ll have to see for yourself.
In other news you should probably check out ‘YASIS‘, a skateboarding edit released by WAFFLESNCREAM. The video was filmed and edited by the talented Mosako Lowsso Chalashika who just so happens to have shot the cover for our Issue 5 ‘Elsewhere’. ‘YASIS’ is a perfect example of a good skateboarding video; instead of being a fluctuating and disconnected image deprived of spatiality and local history, it gives the viewer a look into the culture and community that exist behind every trick. Great work!
Another interesting take on skateboarding videos is the freshly dropped “Inshallah”, a project by Quade Howes and Sadiq Du Toit. Filmed in South Africa, Inshallah combines 8mm and HD for your viewing pleasure. Unless you are made of cold hard rock, you’ve probably wondered whether things happen for a reason or just plain coincidence. Maybe while you were staring at the starry sky above or while sitting on the subway after having eye contact with a mysterious, half creepy, half endearing stranger. Well, this video seems like it was meant to be. If you wanna know more about the making of “Inshallah” check out the short interview and watch the video here.
If you’re into knowing more about local communities and the people who create meaningful differences, you should read this interview with Norma Ibarra and Olga Aguilar who talked to us about the womxn’s skate scene in Mexico. Norma and Olga have both documented the scene widely and are experts in its long history and the organizations fighting to make skateboarding more diverse and inclusive.
Lastly, go watch Fucking Awesome’s latest instagram dump ‘All The Shit Off The Internet #2‘. Did you already see Louie Lopez’s backyard quarantine setup? 9:52 what is going on? Jaw just dropped. Pretty awesome stuff.
