Statement

About

I began hoarding used skateboard decks, because of the

accumulation of meaning I found contained in them. Through a process

of collection and observation, I interpret remnants of commercial insignia

and personalized inscriptions found on skateboards as narratives written 

in the material.

 

Their surface patina tell as much about the behavior patterns of the user

as their form does about aesthetic and functional decisions of the

manufacturer. High impact areas indicated through tail and nose slides

describe a repetition of movement. These localized markings conjure up

the ritual marks of objects used in some halucinatory trance for divination

or worship.

 

The process of peeling away the grip tape from each board, through

applying heat and force reveals a protected inner layer, it's colour

unfaded by the inclemencies of the sun and rain. It is a time consuming

and labour intensive process that might be compared with skinning an

animal. One feels like a taxidermist at this stage, inspecting for

flaws, cracks, or features that could suggest areas to avoid or use;

the form lines in a graphic suggest a cut line to make, or the removal of

part of a sticker that started to peel off.