ABSTRACT SHREDDISM |
In this ongoing series, Abstract Shreddism, I photograph the bottoms of my marked up skateboard decks, edit the images to enhance the marks, and print them on canvas to make them appear like Abstract Expressionist paintings. I see myself as a painter who uses the medium of photography. I blur the lines between the two mediums. I digitally enhance the painterly characteristics of the skateboards’ surfaces, creating the impression that the marks are brush strokes. I adjust the colors to simulate raw paint wearing away. I want these works to be viewed not only as images but as objects that take on the form of paintings.
Like painting and photography, skateboarding is an art form. It is an art of moving through space and reimagining the function of public spaces for individuals who exist outside societal norms. In skateboarding, there are no true rules other than to attempt to express oneself using a piece of wood attached to wheels. Any rules created by the community are meant to be challenged and broken. In this way, skateboarding has always functioned like the evolution of modern art. When I skateboard, I adopt the mindset of an abstract painter. I see the skateboard as a paintbrush and its bottom as a canvas for creating marks. My feet follow mental and physical impulses, guiding the board onto rails and ledges, leaving marks that reflect my subconscious state. Each mark represents moments of joy, fear, excitement, or pain—capturing experiences of adversity and triumph. By digitally enhancing these marks and turning them into canvases, I seek to depict the ineffable, bringing this range of emotions into view. |