SKATE IT OR HANG IT: THE EVOLUTION OF SKATEBOARD ART
June 16 — October 28, 2012
In 2012, MODA presented Skate It or Hang It?! The Evolution of Skateboard Art.
The exhibition included over 200 skateboards that spanned from the early 1970s, when decorations were simple and added just a little flair, to the present day, where detailed graphics could suddenly transform a standard skateboard into a gallery-ready work of art.
As skaters moved off sidewalks and began strengthening their skills in empty pools, they realized that the bottoms of their boards were visible to onlookers while they did tricks. This discovery led to the personalization of skateboards with hand-drawn decorations; however, skateboard manufacturers quickly took advantage of a new opportunity and began hiring graphic designers to create skater-specific imagery that was silk-screened onto new boards.
Personalized boards provide skaters with a unique means of self-expression and help to separate them from their competition. Additionally, the scale of the sport has continued to grow; steps are higher, gaps are bigger, and rails are longer. Because of this, boards risk quick destruction and are purchased with much greater frequency. As a result, manufacturers have continued to capitalize on the power of graphic design to sell new boards.
Skate It or Hang It?! offered visitors a thorough exploration of skateboard art and introduced viewers young and old to the subculture of skating and the designs by which it has been defined.
Curated by W. Todd Vaught
