SKATEBOARD: EVOLUTION OF A CALIFORNIA CULTURE

@ California Heritage Museum

Santa Monica, CA

November 12, 2009- May 30, 2010

Photos by DAN LEVY

SKATEBOARD: EVOLUTION OF A CALIFORNIA CULTURE - Exhibit runs from November 14, 2009 - May 30, 2010. Curated by museum staff curator Michael Trotter and a committee including skateboard historian Dale Smith, 1960's world champion Cris Dawson, Zephyr founders Skip Engblom and Jeff Ho as well as legendary Z-Boys Tony Alva, Stacy Peralta and Nathan Pratt, 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, through the era of clay to modern polyurethane and kicktails, the boards and riders scaled greater heights of daring and style and took ';sidewalk surfing' from a homegrown activity to a worldwide cultural phenomenon. More than 250 rare boards show the timeline of skate history; and photographs by C.R. Stecyk, Glen E. Friedman and Wynn Miller (among others) document the movement and its personalities. The California Heritage Museum is located in the vortex at Main Street and Ocean Park Blvd. 'Skateboard: Evolution of a California Culture' will focus on the various regions of California that were the epicenters of skate design, production and culture: San Francisco/Santa Cruz, Santa Barbara, Malibu/Santa Monica/Venice, Huntington Beach/Orange County, and Oceanside/San Diego. Each has taken at least one turn in the spotlight over the last fifty years and the exhibit will provide an in-depth look at the birth and development of skate in California. California Heritage Museum is located at 2612 Main Street, Santa Monica, CA. http://web.mac.com/calmuseum/iWeb/Site/Home.html