a brief glance issue_23 by a brief glance skateboardmag

issue _23

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CHRIS COLE \ F/S FLIP \ CHINA \ BLABAC PHOTO

DCSHOES.COM

Introducing

COLE LITE 2

C ONF ID E N T D UR A BIL I T Y & L IGH T W E IGH T P E RF O RM A N C E . T W O F E AT URE S N O T U S U A L LY F O UND IN T HE S A ME S HOE – U N T IL N O W

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photo_fabio montagner_

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EDITORIAL_23

â&#x20AC;&#x153;I feel fortunate to have grown up skating when I did. I feel like I got to see some of the best eras of skateboarding, when it was still undergroundâ&#x20AC;?_mark baines

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DAEWON 13 VPR BROWN SUEDE F E AT U R I N G

LIGHTWEIGHT CUSHIONING SYSTEM

DAEWON SONG

Y O U J O I N E D T H E D V S F A M I LY T H E D A Y Y O U S TA R T E D S K AT E B O A R D I N G PA R T I C I PAT E @ D V S S K AT E B O A R D I N G O R D V S S H O E S . C O M / / F # @ K W H AT YO U H E A R D

photo davide biondani_

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ISSUE _23

CONTENTS

FRAGMENTS_

Baines_Smithy_Jerome_the perfect blend_ Jacob Messex_Photographer_

Places_Marocco_ A true warrior_Igor Fradin_ ART NOW!_ codeczombie_ Dusted Off_ Carl Shipman_

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FALLENFOOTWEAR.COM FACEBOOK.COM/F ALLE INST AGRAM: @F ALLEN TWITTER: @F ALLENFO

JOSEPH BIAIS - BACKSIDE LIPSLIDE - PHOTO: GUILLAME PERIMONY

M ENFOOTWEA R NFOOTWEAR OOTWEAR

EDITOR and CONCEPT Davide Biondani.

(davide@abriefglance.com) ASSOCIATE EDITOR Guido Bendotti.

ASSISTANT EDITOR Andrew Zolin. PHOTOGRAPHERS

Leo Sharp, Kévin Mètallier, Nils Svensson,

DVL, Friedjof Fèye, Garric Ray, Bear Bridges,

Graham Tait, Fabio Montagner, Eric Antoine, AlanMaag, Reece Leung , Kazuhiro Terauchi,

Davide Biondani, James Ross, Bertrand Trichet. CONTRIBUTORS

Jonathan Levin, Jeroen Smeets, Francesco Paolo Chielli, Mauro Caruso, Jerome Campbell, Samu Karvonen,

Neil Smith, Mark Baines, Ale Martoriati, Holger von Krosigk, Simone Bertozzi, Niall Neeson. DESIGN

Fake Donkey Lab. www.abriefglance.com

GET ALL THE INFOS at: info@abriefglance.com

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photo davide biondani_

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COVER: Igor Fradin_wallride to fs 5-0 grind_ Photo_Alan Maag_

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photo davide biondani_

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feeding plants_ by codeczombie_

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FRAGMENTS

Luca Bortolato, Ollie to fakie. Photo_Fabio Montagner. Treviso.

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FRAGMENTS

Ross mcGouran, Ollie in. Photo_DVL. Greece. a brief glance

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FRAGMENTS Ale Cesario, Bs ollie over. Photo_Davide Biondani. Italy.

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FRAGMENTS

Nicky Tyler, Fakie cab flip. Photo_Davide Biondani. Verona.

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Baines _ Smithy _ Jerome_ the perfect blend_

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Photography_Davide Biondani_

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_Mark Baines_ INSPIRATIONAL SOUL ... He’s always been there doing his thing, keeping everything moving. He does and says things some people find it hard to. More recently, he’s been working on a lot of dope projects like Camp WESC and Story Clothing, as well as skating and producing more than the masses. He is and always will be really inspirational not just to me but to a ton of skaters that are still to come. WFTW is no joke and neither is every part he’s put out since. ( Jerome Campbell).

After all these years you are still skating, pushing and getting involved with skateboarding. Did you ever think: “I’m over it, I need something else, something new or safer for my future”? What are your feelings about that? Yeah, I have been involved in skating for a long time now. I have often thought to myself that I need to get out and do something else. At times you become depressed at some of the politics and the industry side of skateboarding. We all start skating because it’s an enjoyable thing to do, so to see the other side to it can cloud your vision of skateboarding. Ultimately though, I love skating and I have always found a little corner where I can feel comfortable within skateboarding, so I am happy to be involved and hope to be involved for many more years to come.

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Do you like the state of skateboarding today? The act of skating is always the same. The industry is a mix of bullshit and people trying to do good things but struggling. There’s so much of it I do dislike but I don’t really focus on it too much anymore. I focus on what I am trying to do and ignore what everyone else is doing unless I’m into it. Things have obviously changed a lot with the internet, in a way it has taken a lot of the romance out of skateboarding, but I feel fortunate to have grown up skating when I did. I feel like I got to see some of the best eras of skateboarding, when it was still underground.

Interview_Davide Biondani_

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switch fs noseslide_

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What aspect of today’s skateboarding would you have liked to have had back when you were 16, and what do you think the new generations are missing from the back in the days? The only thing I would take is some of the Plazas kids have nowadays. I liked it when as a skateboarder you weren’t accepted by people at school and girls thought you were weird. You knew you were part of something that was Underground and far from the norm. Over here in the UK if you skated in the 90’s then you got a lot of stick. In the States it’s normal. Every kid in California has a board like we had a football. I think kids nowadays miss out on a lot, even though they have more, if that makes sense. Things such as videos were valued more back then. Now it’s just all throwaway. Skaters are starting to look like everyone else now, which is a shame I think. Before, the popular brands for skaters were proper skate brands. No matter what, you can not tell me Nike, or Adidas, or Levis are skate brands. I’m not against these brands as such… by the way, it’s just a big part of the shift that has taken place within skateboarding, and I am not 100% convinced it’s all a good thing, but time will tell. Back in the days, if you saw someone in another city walk past you wearing some Vision boots, you would know they were a skater. That was a rad thing. Some big skateboard brands cut their national teams and team managers to invest their budgets on a few big names in the States… something so distant from what skateboarding is and what skateboarders want… what do you think? It feels a bit like it’s going back to the time when America didn’t give a shit about Europe and the rest of the world maybe? Europe was the place to be seen for a while but now it’s drying up or something? Which isn’t the case obviously, Europe is amazing, the skaters, the spots, the cities, all amazing. I’ve been on the receiving end of these cuts, as well as many others, and it’s harsh. It’s your livelihood and you get no warning, you get no redundancy pay. It’s been a case of one month you have an income, then suddenly you don’t any longer. No more trips, no more travel budgets even if you’ve been working hard and doing everything you’re meant to be doing. So many of my friends have had the same treatment as well and it’s always the same thing, “There’s no money… we need to make cuts.” But they expect you to carry on doing the same thing with no pay all of a sudden. It’s crazy really. It’s like telling someone who’s building your new house that you have no money to pay him anymore but if he could just finish the building work off then that would be great. Thanks.

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Skateboarding in the States is taken (by the people in the industry and the skaters too) more seriously compared to Europe. Why, in your opinion? Money. Most probably the fact it’s big money over there. You have sports companies offering up big wages so dudes are driven now. It’s probably seen as a career choice now. You have to take it somewhat more seriously if you are being paid, but it’s probably gone up a level or 2 for a select few so there’s more at stake maybe. If you can win 250k then that’s life-changing money. I guess the bottom line is the money side, there’s a lot to gain and lose. I do remember the Panic/Blueprint days around the mid 90’s. Panic was the main brand and Blueprint was its little sister… You were on from the beginning… and you were one of the first to leave the company before everything changed. After all those years spent on Blueprint, what was it like to leave? Leaving sucked. I hated it but I hated what Blueprint had become pretty much. From the start of the new ownership the only people who were allowed to know who the new owner was were Magee and Shier. I wasn’t into that from the beginning, it just felt weird to be excluded from pretty important information like that. We found out eventually and it was no big deal to me, I just wanted to know. Then it just got worse and worse, distributors stopped buying as much because of the way things were set up and how they were being dealt with. That frustrated me a lot. We worked with the distributors in Europe to build up good friendships, both personal and business, then suddenly because Blueprint was based in the States, the new owner didn’t seem to care about what had gone on before. Logistically it was always going to be a lot tougher because the bulk of the business was done in the UK and the rest of Europe, not in the States, so it just made no sense being based there, shipping goods from there, etc. The cost for shipping 100 decks, say from the States to Italy would be way more than from the UK, plus the time it takes, etc. I was sad about it all to be honest, because I felt decisions weren’t being made in the best interests of the majority involved with Blueprint. But having said all that, to have been part of it for so many years was amazing, we did a lot together to help put the UK and Europe on the map as far as legit skate brands go. I didn’t want to leave the team really. They were all like family and we had all been through and done a lot together, but it had to happen and soon afterwards, more people left and rightly so. Now when I think of Blueprint I am stoked on a lot of things we did.

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switch crooks_

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â&#x20AC;&#x153;It brings a smile to your face when you see 30 kids just loving life and riding their skateboard with everyone else.â&#x20AC;?

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Blueprint has been important for the growth of the UK scene, at least in pushing people to start board companies. In the last 3 or 4 years many brands have popped up all over the country… How many local skateboard brands are there in the UK? What do you think about the proliferation of all these companies? There’s so many board companies here now. Fifty, or maybe more. It’s crazy really because we are a small country so I can’t see how all these companies can grow. I guess the good ones will survive and some of the lesser ones may struggle. There are probably just 6 or 7 that are seen as being legit, but there are a lot more out there. I guess people are giving it a go, so fair play to them… but it is a struggle. What about Fabric? What is the company about and how much are you involved in the project? How do you feel about being the experienced guy on the team? Do you force the younger guys to bring you coffees while on tour? ahhaha Fabric is cool. It’s going well. We just need to put a video out so people know what we are about. We’re working on that now, so hopefully this year we will have something out whether it’s a promo or full video, I am not sure yet but definitely something is coming. It’s ok being one of the older guys. I have always been the youngest one so it’s cool I suppose. Stepping up to the responsible table. I’ve not done any bullying yet but maybe on tour this year I’ll be getting a coffee slave. You organize the WESC skate-camp every year. What’s the best part of organizing and working with the kids at the skateboard school? How many talents have you discovered over the years? The best part is the actual weeks of camp. It’s a lot of fun. A lot of responsibility as well, but mostly fun. The kids all love it and that can’t help but make you smile. We’ve seen a lot of progress in the 3 years we’ve done them. They come back a year later and they’ve improved a lot. Thats rad to see. Some of them were 11 years old when they first came, so now they’re a bit older and their board control and their styles are developing so it’s really rad to witness. It’s one of the most rewarding things I have ever done, especially in skating. I have people who have come along to help and they love it too, they love helping out and just being around the kids skating. It brings a smile to your face when you see 30 kids

just loving life and riding their skateboard with everyone else. Are you still into cycling a lot? What bike do you have and what is “the bike of your dreams”? Yeah, I love it. I go a few times a week. I try and go in the early morning so I have the rest of the day to work and go skate. I have 2 bikes right now, a steel one that is an Edison which is my grandfather’s and uncle’s bike company. My uncle still builds frames, so he built this one for me, it has Campagnolo on there, so a little Italian flavour as well. I also just bought a Carbon LOOK frame which I have only ridden once because the weather is so bad. It’s pretty nice though, that’s got Campagnolo on there as well of course. The bike of my dreams? I dunno really, steel bikes look better I think. More classic looking. How is Sheff Wednesday doing? Wednesdays are doing ok. Not brilliant but better than 2 months ago. We got a new manager so hopefully we won’t get relegated now, haha. We have been on tour with Jerome and Smithy, it’s always a pleasure to go around with you guys. What do you think about going on tour with them and what they are doing inside and outside of skateboarding nowadays? I enjoy it. Those 2 have a funny competitive friendship and I’m like the bystander watching it all go down. I don’t get to see them much so it’s nice to go on trips and hang out. Italy trips are always fun with them because we’ve been there so many times now it’s like a little home away from home. Smithy is working a bit now which is cool, but hopefully we can get on another trip this year. Jerome is away a lot with his sponsors, doing his photography and a bunch of other stuff. Regarding Smithy, I can not see him for a year, and then I see him and it feels like I saw him just last week haha. When are we leaving for the next trip? We should start planning one. Either after or before summer I reckon. Let’s get on it.

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nollie lip to switch crooks_ a brief glance

_Jerome Campbell_ A BUSY MAN ... Jerome Campbell is a busy man, always leaving for a new trip, or on the streets filming a clip or shooting photos with his Leica. A few years back I was asked who Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d like to call for a skateboard trip and Jerome was at the top of the list. Heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a funny and trustworthy person, always smiling, and of course also a great skateboarder. (db).

Interview_Neil Smith_

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tre flip in_

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You moved to London awhile back, but you couldn’t even manage living there for a year, why did you decide to move back to Sheffield, or could you just not handle the fast pace of a London life-style? It was your breath, I just couldn’t handle waking up and smelling such a revolting smell. London’s just a bit crazy, don’t get me wrong it’s a brilliant city but I just had to think about my actual life and decide where I’d be happiest - I’ve made the right choice. Why do you always try and fight your own mates once you’ve had a beer? Hum, not too sure why that is haha, I haven’t drank since New Year’s and don’t think I will for some time. It’s actually nice to not wake up with a hangover and some cash in your pocket. You just started organizing your very own skate school, how’s that going? It’s going good, slow getting everything together but it’s really coming together. Don’t you think it’s a bit out of order on Mark as he already has a skate school and you’re just trying to take his business, kinda lame no? Mark is doing a really good thing with the camp no doubt about that, I’m not taking anything from anyone, if anything I’m giving. I remember when you were a kid and you were never really that good at skating. At what point did that all change

for YOU to become the stylish amazing superb skater we see today? It’s ok to toot your own horn. Haha thanks Neil I appreciate it. I don’t know buddy it must have been when I first met you. I’ve learnt everything I know from the best skateboarder to have ever come out of Essex, yes Neil I mean you. When the Blueprint ship got a crack in it, you decided to jump ship pretty early on, way before it finally sunk, without looking back and leaving your friends to drown. It was of course the right choice but was it a tough choice to leave Blueprint at that time? Only an idiot would’ve stayed (cough). I looked out for you bud but sometimes in life you have to make some pretty heavy decisions. You now skate for Polar of course, and you seem to fit in quite well… It must be nice to finally skate for a company where people actually like you and want you there? It’s dope, good vibes all round, everyone has their own thing going on. And you? You’ve been pro for Polar for a while now, has your life changed much from being an AM to a top European pro? Haha it’s amazing. How does having more hair on your eye brows than on your head feel? It’s strange and warm. Neil I have never had to correct the spelling on the questions and the answers in an interview before.

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crooks_

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fs ollie switch 5-0_

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_Neil Smith_ HAVE A LAUGH WITH ...

Well, what can I say about Neil Smith? He is like that one guy that everyone knows in the crew that is way off the charts. He can be in complete control until a number of things come together and tip him over the edge. I once witnessed him steal a road bike and proceed to try drunken no-handed 360’s off a sand dune to flat, and of course this was the day before he entered a competition (and I might add that he threw up during his run). He’s just that guy that you want to be around when it’s party time, and come to think of it, when it’s skate time as well. You rarely see him in a bad mood and I have yet to hear him moan once. He is without a doubt one of the best geezas out there. (Jerome Campbell) _

Interview_Mark Baines_

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bluntslide pop out_

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Growing up as a young skateboarder, who was your favourite skater? Ha ha, apart from Chad Muska and Jamie Thomas it was of course yourself Mark Baines! I loved your part in Waiting For The World, it stoked me out. I had several of your Blueprint pro boards way before I was on! You was pretty good once upon a time, ha.

You’ve been working a bit as well. How’s that been, working for your Dad and learning new skills outside of skateboarding? Yeah well I can’t be a pro skateboarder forever, so I decided to go to college and start plumbing, get a trade under my belt. It’s good and it’s a nice change to have some decent money, ha.

You came on a trip with Blueprint and were really quiet. Were you just shy or were you thinking ‘man these guys are dicks’ and how quickly did you feel a part of Blueprint back then? I was just shy, no way did I think you guys were dicks! I was hyped, I couldn’t believe I was in a van on tour with Paul Shier, Colin Kennedy, Nick Jensen and yourself. After my first tour I think I came out of my shell a bit and started to fit in and feel part of the team. Dan Magee told me I was so shy and awkward at the start that they nearly kicked me off. I’m very glad that never happened though.

Your girlfriend is from Sheffield where I live. Would you consider moving up here if it came up? Or are you firmly rooted in the South. Ah man don’t you start, ha. Yeah my girl is always saying she wants to move back, but I don’t think I can handle it! It’s far too grim in the north of England!

You’ve always skated everything which I have always liked about you. What is your favourite stuff to skate, ledges or rails… etc? Well, when I was a kid it was just drops, not stairs, just drops. Then I moved up to handrails and now I’m a lot older and I try and keep my feet on the ground and skate ledges and stuff. I mostly skate parks now, it’s easy that way. Now you’re with The National, how’s that going? I was

worried for you for a while because it seemed you were getting a bit of a harsh deal in the Blueprint fallout which wasn’t fair, but it seems you have found a solid home with those guys. The National is going great! Good bunch of guys, good graphics and round dope company. I guess it hasn’t made its way out to Italy yet but I’m sure it will soon. As for the Blueprint fallout I think everyone knew their place and their plan once we all left. It was just a bit strange how some people went about it.

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How do you see things now in skateboarding compared with say, 5 or 10 years ago? Skateboarding has changed drastically, it’s gone so far in the last 10 years. The standards for kids are so high but then they have all the big concrete skateparks that we never had growing up. Even the way we watch skateboarding is different. It has all changed, for the better, I don’t know. What football team do you support? Do you ever get to go see them? I support Liverpool, and being from London I never get to see them apart from when they go play at West Ham. But I’m not a glory hunter, haha. Tell us your ideal session, who with, where etc. It would have to be with all the old Blueprint guys at Palma square in Majorca like in the old days, those were good times. What’s on the cards for you in 2014? I have no idea, just take one day at a time and try and do my best at whatever I’m doing.

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nollie heel flip in_

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Jacob Messex_ photographer_

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Jacob Messex is a young photographer from L.A. who started out like most curious kids as a skateboarder that started shooting tricks of his friends during their daily sessions. At just 18 years old, Jacob is part of The Skateboard Mag staff. Los Angeles is the heart of the skateboarding industry, so it is interesting to hear a privileged point of view about the cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s scene through the images and words of one of its youngest and most active photographers.

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JACOB / portrait_LA / David Lopez photo_

Photography_Jacob Messex_ Interview_Davide Biondani_

LUCAS VERCETTI / supreme_LA

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Hi Jacob, the first time we got in touch was when you shot some photos with Brian Lotti for his interview on a brief glance, how was shooting photos with Brian? He has always been one of my all-time favorite skaters… Brian has always been fun to skate with. One of the first times I met him was at my local skatepark in Frog Town, skating with Sue Trinh. He was always nice to me and I think he got my number from someone and then we used to go film lines and fun curb action at the Little Caesars Pizza in Echo Park. Always mellow and one of the best backside 360’s I’ve ever filmed, though my friend Sean Pablo has a mean one for his age. Brian is a pretty rad artist too. I once lent my VX1000 to him for like a couple weeks so he could do drawings of it and stuff. I still have this huge charcoal drawing of it that I got framed. Oh, and yeah he’s one of my favorite skaters too! When and how did you start getting involved with photography and especially skateboarding photography? Me getting into photography went hand in hand with skateboarding. I never really started shooting photos of flowers and shit, or like buildings. It was always based around skateboarding. I bought my first camera from eBay when I was like 15 or 16. It was a Canon AE-1, which is a pretty simple-to-use 35mm format SLR that I always would shoot things with. It was super fun to shoot a roll at a time and take it to CostCo to get those shitty scans. I was always stoked because by the time I would get the photos back I had forgotten what was even on the roll. I hardly even shot portraits of my friends, it was always me just trying to shoot a rad skate photo.

CRIS MILIC/ bs 50 50 grind_LA

Did you start experimenting or did you have someone helping you out? It was all experimentation. I hadn’t really stepped out of my friend-level into the world yet. I started hanging out with Atiba way later on, but yeah he was always showing me things. For example, one time I was shooting a photo at the Supreme L.A. bowl and he was hanging around with us, giving me pointers on how to light the bowl better and stuff like that. I’d have to give almost everything photography-wise to Matt Price who I had met many years before I even started shooting stuff that was CostCo scanned. I was probably 15 and I would go to Woodward West with all my friends to skate for a couple weeks at the summer camp. Price was there with the visiting pros (IPATH). I had known who he was and started talking to him about mutual friends that we had. Then I’m pretty sure I followed him around camp for a couple days like any weird little kid would. I made him follow me on Instagram and got his number. I don’t think I have gone a weekend without texting him since then, maybe like 3 years of everyday back and forth, skate-nerd chatting.

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You are studying photography at college, what’s the best thing of attending a photography school in your opinion? How does it “influence” the way you shoot skateboarding? Well, at first I really didn’t want to go to school. I was already getting photos run and had come out with 2 Jim Greco Supra Footwear Ads. During my Senior year of high school, The Skateboard Mag flew me out to Tampa Pro which was like my first real deal gig. But I am happy that I am in school and my schedule isn’t that bad right now, so I’m still shooting the same amount of stuff. I just have to plan things a little better and hit people up like days in advance. My first term class I had a “concepts” class with this dude Ken, he really opened up my eyes about stuff. I never even thought about things like that before, like light, color, and separation. I seriously never even thought about that stuff and then it hit me. I sometimes hate that class cause for a while when I’d go skating I’d get all anxious about shadows, and around 3 o’clock I’d be like, “Fuck! The sun is going down, try and land it right here!” Even though it was just me being anal about how everything looked. It’s also a plus to be able to shoot rolls of film, process it all, and scan or print it with the best equipment money can buy. Barcelona is good for skating (and partying), China is perfect for tours, L.A. is (and has always been) “the place to be” if you want to work in skateboarding. The skateboard industry is based there, and most of the pros live there. Being born and raised in L.A., do you have the feeling you are in the right place to work as a skateboard photographer? Yeah, totally! It’s nuts how things worked out to put me dead in the center of the skate industry. I really didn’t even take skating too seriously till my mom moved a little closer into Los Feliz where I met the core skate group I grew up with. We started going to the Berrics A LOT when we were like 12, all mongo as fuck, just the worst little kids. Berra would always text us to come by the park and we would all force one of our parents to drive us to the Berrics in Downtown L.A. I’ve found old footage of us in like Skate or Dice or some First Try Fridays where we are in the background hucking down the 7 or just chilling. I had my birthday there too, and one night we all slept over there with Berra and his staff editing away upstairs. It was so much fun and now that I think about it, it’s pretty crazy that all those dudes were down for it.

JON SCIANO / fs tailblock_LA

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One of the main things skateboarding photographers around the world have to deal with is the “non-professionalism” of skateboarders. Does this happen in Cali too? Or does having the chance to shoot with more pros and more skaters make you one of the luckiest skateboarding photographers? Ah ha… Yeah, sometimes spots just suck or we will get the boot for example, but I’ve been pretty lucky with all the dudes I grew up with, and now some of the Pros I get to shoot. Lately though, I’ll sometimes feel disconnected cause I’ll be skating with the homies one day, then have to wake up at 5am to meet up with Greco at some secret location that we can’t tell anyone about, where I then get to shoot some trick of him jumping into a freeway entrance or along the lines of that. Its pretty fucking sick that I was able to do that and I love that Jim is like that. He’s one of my favorite guys to skate with! You represent the new generation, what is the skateboard scene in L.A. like from your point of view? What’s goin’ on? What’s the vibe like? What still unknown skateboarders will come out soon in your opinion? Well, I wouldn’t say that I’m the new generation, haha. I really like the scene in L.A., it’s pretty rad in my eyes. I always hear people say L.A. has the worst vibe or that people want to live the L.A. life kinda deal. I don’t have a problem with the traffic. I honestly don’t even think about it, it’s just like a “stupid tax.” Well, there are a couple scenes that I’m always floating around in. All my friends I grew up with all skate for Supreme or like Fucking Awesome which is super rad and I’m always down for what they are doing. Then there are people who skate big rails, or skate rad spots, or just smoke stooges, but no matter what, I love changing it up. It’s like every scene I’m hanging out in I get to shoot a different way. Like yeah, I love shooting a fucking huge rail who wouldn’t? But I also like skating a cutty spot that’s never been hit before, or when it comes down to it, just shooting mellow portraits of my friends hanging out.

STUART KIRST / bs lip_Highland Park_CA

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CRAIG QUESTIONS / portrait_LA

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SEBO WALKER / switch nosegrind_Malibu_CA

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Who do you shoot with usually and who do you like to shoot with the most? I don’t have a personal favorite because it’s somewhat all the same. I’ve been skating with Tom Karangelov and Matt Bublitz a lot. They are really good guys and fun to hang out with. They also both shred!! Also been going out with the Flip dudes who are super rad to skate with. Arto has also been super helpful and he lets me borrow all his shit when I need to. Nowadays it’s easier to see 4 filmers at one spot, but it is rare to see a young photographer. The new generations (and the industry) seem to be more interested in videos… why did you choose photography instead of filming? Well, I started off as a filmer. I filmed VX1000 for about 2 years and then switched to HD after that. I tended to do both for a while, but I was always itching to just shoot photos. I interned at Woodward West in their Media camp and helped kids film and photograph skating, which was rad because it also helped me figure out both a little better. The summer after that (last year), Stereo, who I had been helping film for their Stereophonic web videos, took me along to help film their “Woodward Shoot out” contest video, which we ended up winning. It was pretty nuts going up against Real and Birdhouse and beating them. I really just liked shooting the photo side, I felt like there is more room for creativity and to make a cool image that you can print and show people. But I’m still super into filming, I just don’t do it as much, but man do I love filing iPhone videos, hahaha. Any funny story you wish to share that happened while shooting that made you think: “Oh my God what am I doing here!?!” There are a couple funny stories. Once I brought some people to this rail in Commerce that was a pretty recent big spot after Ave got the contents page of TWS bs 5-0ing it

shot by Sam Muller. My friend Tyler Golden and I Google earthed the name of the business and found it haha. Anyways, I went there another day with some dudes but some dick had parked his car in front of the spot. So we got out of the car and were just looking through the gate at the spot. Then the mechanical gate opened so we were like, “Fuck, I guess we can go take a look at it.” We didn’t even have our boards with us. So we are walking inside and then a Sheriff pulls up full speed behind us, jumps out with his gun drawn at me and says, “On the hood!” hahaha. Then a guy from inside the business comes out and was talking on a first name basis with the cop, and was telling him how we broke in and were damaging shit and breaking stuff, just a total load of crap, it was insane! The cop put everyone in the back but left me on the hood and man was that hood hot. They gave us the whole run around but man did it suck and made me hate cops even more. You shoot on film as well, what do you think in general about shooting on film in the digital era? I never really even thought about the capabilities of analog film until starting school here, but I really just liked to be doing something that I thought was the correct way to shoot it. I was and still am amazed when I shoot with a Hasselblad. I just LOVE the camera and the way things look when shot on film. Especially shooting a Hasselblad with a fisheye is the best thing ever to me, oh man how I love it! Lately I’ve been shooting a lot of 4x5’s which is super hard to deal with... the negatives are huge! Nothing compares to a 4x5, besides an 8x10 negative. People don’t understand that a print from a 35mm camera is better than a print from a digital camera, and that formats larger than 35mm, like 120 has much more resolution compared to a digital camera that most people shoot on nowadays. I mainly try and shoot digital long lens and still shoot a digital still, but if the spot looks better in a square format like a fisheye, it will be much more distorted, but I’ll shoot it.

TYLER GOLDEN/ tree wallie_Malibu_CA a brief glance

You recently released your own personal project called “FilmUsZine,” tell us what it’s about? FilmUsZine was a project that I started almost 6 months ago. It was just a zine of all the film photos I’d been shooting. It turned into something way bigger than I thought after I got hit up by DJ Chaves and Patrick Melcher to have the release of the zine the same day as their new skate shop opening in my neighborhood. I got some of my homies whose work I really liked and turned it into a cola kinda project. Working on another one soon, hopefully… Printed mags are suffering in terms of selling, and digital publications seem to be the future (or already the present)… What’s your opinion about that? Do the friends you skate with buy printed skateboard magazines? I have always liked the way The Skateboard Mag looked and I’ve always been super down for prints. I just really like the idea of being able to hold it in my hands rather than it just being digitalized. Maybe that’s why I like shooting film so much, because when it comes out it’s like something you can hold in your hands. The guys I skate with are backing print 100%. I feel like it’s all these new non-skaters who aren’t backing it. You’re on the staff of The Skateboard Mag, how did that come about? Well, I started working for the Mag a while back just helping out with stuff. Online photos, sequences, you know, all the jazz that an intern would be doing. I didn’t really make it down to the office too much though. They kept hitting me up for web content and then Tampa Pro came around, and they had Ed Dominick and I film the contest and make a video feature from it. I guess that was like the test for me. They were stoked on everything, so they put me on a retainer and I’ve been doing a bunch of video stuff for them as well as shooting interviews for print. Basically, anything I can get my hands on, I go for with them. I feel I have a lot of responsibility, but also the ability to do some sick shit.

LOUIE LOPEZ / bs nosegrind_Downtown_LA

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How is working for Grant Brittain and Dave Swift like? They wrote many many pages of skateboarding history and skateboarding’s photography history. Working for them is so awesome! They are some of the best OG photographers and I’m so stoked to be working along with them. I love driving down there and hearing them ramble on about old trips, stories, or random stuff. Swift always has a Heath Kirchart print laying around for me to take and stare at when I get home. Whenever I shoot a skate photo I’ll Cc everyone at the Mag and it’s crazy to get responses back from Swift saying, “beautiful,” or something like, “great lighting.” It makes me feel like I’m doing something right for once... haha. What are you working on at the moment and what are your plans for 2014? Well, my big plan was the FilmUsZine. I’m stoked that it finally went down and 500+ people showed up. It totally blew my mind. I guess for the time being I’m just trying to skate and shoot as much crazy stuff as I can with new cameras and techniques. I have a couple more New Jacks that should be dropping soon and some video parts I’m editing. I really want to get another Zine going and have more shows in the future. Thanks again for the interview!

SEAN PABLO MURPHY / fs board_Downtown_LA

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PLACES_Marocco_

Photos_James Ross_

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a true warrior_ Igor Fradin_

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I’m not quite sure what it is exactly that makes Igor special, but if I had to use one word, I’d go with “driven”... No doubt he is a nice guy. Humble. Extraordinarily polite. Sometimes even shy. But there’s this enormous urge he brings to anything he wants to do. His interest to learn and experience is extreme. I think he simply wants things more than other people... And this intense interest leads to a lot of knowledge, and that again to considerations few guys his age make. Igor was one of the guys who kept me motivated to continue shooting skateboarding some years back when I was sick of the industry and the skaters’ routine bondage. Not because he is a most versatile and great skater, but because he has personality, and a general interest in things beyond skateboarding. The question whether or not to put Bouillon into pasta water, why the German word “dumm” has such a great connotation or why sleeping under a smelly bridge in a tent can feel like a bed in a five star hotel. He made me realise that skateboarding is not about the tricks, but about the walks and talks in between spots. He taught me that experiences can expand by trying to understand their nature and value. And for that I am deeply grateful. (Alan Maag)_

“Skateboarding is not about the tricks, but about the walks and talks in between spots.”

Photography_Alan Maag_

Interview_Guido Bendotti_

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Hey Igor, what’s up? Everything’s good, what about you? I’m always late dude! Let’s get going with this interview. What have you been up to lately? I know you were going to university in Berlin, but are now going to the Polytechnic in Milan. What are you studying? I’m studying History at the State University in Milan, and it’s my second year. Before that I spent some time at a language school in Berlin in order to learn German, which always comes in handy living in Switzerland, and basically to take a break as well. But you’re not living in Milan… why? I decided not to attend university there because I prefer preparing for exams on my own so as to have time off to go skate whenever I want, even though this way I actually have to work more than I had anticipated. So next year I’m moving to Milan to feel less stress and also be able to skate with new people in new spots, which is one of the reasons that convinced me to move to Berlin for a while. Not too bad, at least we’ll be able to skate together a little more often, and you’ll be leaving that island of happiness called Switzerland… As much as I love my friends and the city I grew up in, I feel that in order to better myself both as a person and as a skateboarder, I am in constant need of new stimuli that only new people and new places can give you. So within the limits of what’s possible, I try to constantly skate with new people in new places. You’ve been around quite some time now, but you are only 24 years old. How’s that possible? Do Swiss become men before the average Joe does? You all look older than you really are. Ahahaha the fact of me being around for such a long time is thanks to the Warriors that have had the patience to bring me around with them, and to the fortune of having a group of friends that have always put in the effort to skate new places. As to the fact that we look older I really don’t know what to say, it might be thanks to the air we breathe or the cheese we eat. Why don’t you come visit me so you can find out for yourself?

Yeah, I’ll come visit you, but I’m old already! Explain what it means to be Swiss Ticino to those who know nothing about this strange in-between land. Ticino really is an in-between land, it’s strange, because our culture is a mix between the Italian and Swiss cultures. Our cuisine is basically Italian, and we speak Italian, so as a result we feel closer to Italy than the German or French parts of the country. We also share the same language, an aspect that is not to be underestimated, because if you think about it, it’s the only means we have to describe the reality around us. We also watch Italian TV, etc… and this makes us pretty informed about what goes on in your country. But then again, for certain aspects we are completely different, even because Switzerland is a different country that is organized differently, and that has its own problems as well, so there are certain things that I just cannot understand ehehe. Yeah, but when you are travelling abroad and misbehave, you always say you are Italian when you get scolded, you bastards!!! Ha ha ha ha ha... How is it possible that such small places like the Canton of Ticino and Lugano, have skate, snowboard, and music scenes that are so far ahead compared to Italy, which is just a few kilometers away? Regarding the snowboard scene I wouldn’t know, I’ve gone snowboarding twice in my life he he. Regarding music and skateboarding, I think the strength of a place like Lugano lies in the fact that it is such a small city. To give you an example: Lugano has only one skatepark and practically only one bar to hang out and drink beer at, so this means that if you go for a skate session, and then go get a beer, it also means you’ll be hanging out with the same people for at least an afternoon and an evening, and such close contact, as trivial as it may seem, makes the “scene” united since we are very few and always together. This pushes everyone in the same direction, and also brings all our effort to be more visible in a sense. For example if we organize a concert you can be sure that the whole scene will show up, same thing for a contest, etc.

OLLIE_

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BS SMITH GRIND_

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BIGSPIN WALLRIDE TO FAKIE_

You started skating in your hometown, and then you became a local at the Lugano park. You are a pretty reserved person, what impact did such a tight-knit and destructive group such as the Warriors have on you? Hehehe, I don’t know what to say, it wasn’t really an impact, but more like something that evolved over time. For sure it has really helped me to become who I am, and certainly helped me become a little more outgoing as well. The Warriors, or the Lugano scene in general, are the people I grew up with and that I shared experiences that form you as a person, so it is hard for me to say in what way I was influenced by them. For sure a brief glance

they have given me lots of fun times and laughter, great parties, sessions, and so many good memories. Over the years we have seen you skate trannies more and more, but few people actually know that you are a beast street-skater, technical and all. You once did a perfect nollie bigspin heel over a gap in my hometown and it seemed like no big deal to you. Why are you concentrating on skating trannies so much? To be honest I’m not concentrating more on trannies than street-skating.

When I’m at home in Lugano I skate lots of street, and I also skate lots of street when I’m travelling as well. I try to skate any spot I encounter, be it a rail, curb, or vert ramp, I really don’t mind. I like trying to skate everything, but the fact that it seems that I skate bowls more probably depends on the fact that among my friends there are guys like Martino that prefer skating trannies, so I often find myself skating the bowl with him. The people I skate with influence my skateboarding a lot, and this may be why I have much more bowl-footy than street-footy. I must admit that lately I feel like going out to skate on the streets more. The reason being that growing up,

my vision of street-skating has matured. I used to go out with a precise idea about tricks to do, you know kinda like a mission. You wanna go to that spot to do that particular trick and that’s it, while lately I’ve rediscovered the enjoyment of just going out on the streets with my friends without any real expectation or project in mind, like I did back when I was a kid. You know, choosing an area or neighbourhood and exploring everything the city has to offer, and at the same time trying to find a way to skate every damn corner.

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WALLRIDE TO CROOKS_

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This way, I started seeing Lugano with “new eyes,” and discovered a ton of spots that I previously wouldn’t have even considered as such. This has given me a new desire to skate the streets, and just have a session with friends, even without really doing any tricks, simply pushing around the city ollieing and powersliding. An experience I highly recommend if you haven’t done it lately he he.. Which is basically the essence of the fun in skateboarding... the randomness of the spots. Over the years you’ve practically travelled to skate all over Europe, so you have a pretty clear idea about the different scenes. Which place made you think: “I’d live here” and why? There are a lot of places that made me want to live there for a while, but I think that during skate trips one has a distorted view of the places he visits. Everything seems so cool because you’re going around doing what you love, without any worries on your mind, so you tend to see the good side of things. Having said this, I must say I am attracted by the big cities. A place where I would gladly live in is Berlin. I know it may sound obvious, but Berlin for me is a good place to live in because it has the advantages and motivations of the larger cities, but at the same time it has open spaces that do not make you feel squashed by the people, the shops, and the traffic, as does happen in other cities, even though I have no idea how long this situation will actually last. It’s strange that you love cities, considering the fact that your parents are notorious for being hippies, and you were brought up in nature… tell us about your parents in switzerland! Yeah, my parents are hippies, but over time they have integrated themselves more and more within society, so I could say that they used to be hippies. But I did have the chance to grow up in a different environment from the “normal” one. Instead of going to kindergarten I stayed at home, and when I was 5 or 6 years old I spent some months in India twice. I am not baptized and was never taught religion in my life, I never had toy weapons, camouflage clothes were not welcome, and drinking Coca-Cola was highly discouraged hehehe. Regarding everything else my parents have always supported me in my decisions and they still continue doing so. I really can’t complain.

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â&#x20AC;&#x153;..as individuals, what will remain after all those years riding a board are the endless memories of sessions with your friends.â&#x20AC;?

WALLIE_

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Practically when you met the Warriors you were ready for anything since you guys have skated literally everywhere and in the most absurd conditions. Let’s just say that the philosophy of the Warriors while on tour can be summed up in two words: No Plans.The last tour we went on, we were supposed to go to Belgium but ended up in Versilia (Italy) he he. If you wanna go on tour with us be sure to bring a sleeping bag, don’t expect to have a roof over your head, or a mattress to sleep on. Be prepared to withstand a great deal of annoying drunkenness on the part of my team mates, prepare your stomach for a good dose of junk-food, and you’re one of ours hehehe. In return, you’ll get great sessions from morning till evening and lots of laughter will be awaiting you. I’d definitely feel at home. The only thing is you guys are really good-mannered to be italians, and apart from the fact that you guys are kinda disgusting at first sight, down under you’re all good lads. Is it in the punk-ethic of the Canton of Ticino to be so good-mannered? Ha ha Ha I think so, but on the other hand we’re already living in a world full of sharks, and if you’re not nice to other people where will we end up, he he? Moustache, tattoos, etc… then one guy studies engineering, another guy is a psychologist etc… you are all super professional. This probably depends on the fact that we live in Switzerland. Life is expensive here and there’s no way to get around it. If you wanna live decently it’s hard to find a way out so you’re forced to find a “serious” job if you wanna make it he he. You possess a level and control of your board that are rare in skateboarding. Have you ever thought about making a profession out of it? Why didn’t you abandon your studies to try and live from skateboarding? Thanks for the compliment. I have thought about it for sure, but don’t think I could live up to the standards, but if a window of opportunity were to pop up in this field, I’d definitely like to take a peak and see what’s on the other side as well, because honestly skateboarding is the thing I most love to do, and for a guy like me with a beard and tattoos, I tend to worry too much about my future hehehe. I think that if I was living from skateboarding at the moment, I’d be

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worrying too much about what would be awaiting me once my skateboarding career was over. So all in all I prefer to finish my studies so as to have a “plan B.” We’ll see. What are your goals now? What are your ambitions, both within as well as outside of skateboarding? Regarding skateboarding, my goal is to just skate as much as possible, taking advantage of every occasion skateboarding offers me (travelling, filming, shooting photos). I’m super motivated for any session or project. Outside of skateboarding my main objective is to graduate from university, learn to play the accordion better, and find more time to see my girlfriend who lives in Norway. I’d say you are pretty well-focused on what you want. It’s always a pleasure Igor, how do you want to end this? I could probably end it with a suggestion: I believe that in life in general, we already have to confront ourselves with many things we don’t like, so at least in skateboarding, try to focus on the positive aspect of things. If you’re looking for things you dislike, they won’t be too hard to find (especially if you look at the business that’s been constructed around skateboarding), but in the end, is it really worth it? I think the best thing one can do is simply go out and skate, following your own path and doing what you feel like doing because business has its highs and lows, and trends come and go, but as individuals, what will remain after all those years riding a board are the endless memories of sessions with your friends. So to cut it short, my advice is this: try to spend the time on your board as best you can, and try not to take things too seriously. You’re such a hippy!!! Ha ha ha ha ha!

FS SMITH GRIND_

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FS BLUNT_

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ART NOW! _ CODECZOMBIE_

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I saw some photos of you working next to this strange object you’re creating... what exactly are you working on? I’ve been setting up a mini-lab. I need a space to fool around with various resins, and my wife Yukiko kindly granted me 2.5 square meters of space and a shelf in her mosaic lab. Since I have to optimize this space as best I can, I’m doing these pieces on my own. It all has to be removable so that it occupies as little space as possible when I’m not using it. Among your first works, I’ve seen many Japanese-style illustrations... Where does this passion for everything that is made in Japan come from? I started doing comics in a South American style, just black and white, you know… synthesizing. Then I bought a computer in 1995 because I wanted to create the lettering for my comics, then print and glue them to boards. I did it like twice and then gave up, it took me longer than drawing them by hand. From there, I started getting into graphics a lot more. I found some books with some collections, and among them there was one with works by Japanese graphic artists and illustrators. When I started browsing through the book I started hearing these voices in my head saying, “Oh shit, that’s exactly how I would’ve done it!” I noticed a lot of synthesizing in the illustrations and graphics, you know the essential stuff just where it’s needed. All you have to do is take a look at their national flag to understand what I’m saying. So this is what has always fascinated me about Japan, this synthetic approach to things. I’ve probably been influenced more or less unconsciously, and you’re not the first person to have told me this, although I never really tried to have a Japanese style.What fascinates me about Japan is their culture and its image. I lived in Tokyo with Yukiko for two years, and attended a Japanese language school. It totally shocked me! At the end of the year there was this huge party involving all of the classes, and we were given these assignments that we divided up by subject matter, ranging from cooking to acting. My assignment had to do with graphics, which basically meant making the “class-poster.” I drew some Tokusatsu-style characters (Ultraman, Megaloman, and Power Ranger-style TV series) where this huge monster made up of NIHONGO kanji characters (belonging to the Japanese language) destroyed buildings in the Shibuya neighborhood, where my school was. At the bottom I drew my classmates in plastic poses and written phrases such as, “The A1 class vs. the Japanese language,” and the head-teacher, Toda-sensei and his “air-

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punch” directed at you every time you made a mistake.To make things short, I ended up winning the poster-contest, and when I walked up on stage for the award ceremony, the school’s headmaster started listing all these reasons why they had chosen my work. I was flabbergasted. Apart from understanding the phrases I had written, he listed all the characteristics of the composition, the pyramidal structure, super-technical stuff that I would never have imagined would have been mentioned by the headmaster of a Japanese language school. This by itself made me happier than having won a basket of sweets. Being among people that have a very important culture of the image, graphic neatness, and above all, the ability to synthesize, was a great satisfaction. You’ve been to Japan often, have you ever thought of moving there to live? Yes I have, since my wife is Japanese, we go there every year to see friends and family. We did move over there in 2010 for two years, but then because of family problems, I was forced to move back to Italy unfortunately. But my idea is to eventually move back to Japan as soon as I get some things sorted out over here. Among your works there are computer graphics, illustrations, video productions, various inventions... and now this sculpture... which of these “things” do you like working with and feel represents you the most and why? My problem is being constant, I get bored easily. I’ll see something I like that inspires me, and will try to understand whether I’m able to do it, and more importantly, whether I can learn something new by doing it. Then once I’m finished doing it, I usually don’t like what I’ve done, it doesn’t excite me any longer, and try to treasure what I’ve learned from the experience as well as from my mistakes and I move on. Then maybe that experience will come in handy for some other work or commission job later on. In a way it’s similar to learning new tricks, and this is how I’ve always experienced things. I think highly of people who are able to work on their projects with constancy and coherence, like doing six works that are similar to each other. It makes me think like,”fuck, I wouldn’t have gotten to the third work in a row.” I see myself drawing random sketches and doing sculptures more than anything else. I do not consider myself a good illustrator. I manage better as a sculptor, in respect to my non-ability in drawing, of course. These being the things I do best, they are also the things that represent me the most.

interview_Davide Biondani.

feeeding plants_

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kissing stones_

Ypsilon_

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Tell me about this new passion of yours for sculpture... how did you get interested in it and how does it differ conceptually and creatively from other things you do? To be honest, sculpture is an old passion of mine. I kept it kind of low-key because I didn’t know how to take advantage of it, and since I had no intention of working as an employee for someone else, at a certain point I decided to develop those interests of mine that would’ve allowed me to obtain a certain economic independence enabling me to work freelance, so sculpture kind of remained by the side. At first I’d create these clay characters to use as a reference point to better understand the volume and shadows of the comics I wanted to draw.As hard as you may try to give a drawing volume, it is nonetheless limited by its two dimensions. With modelling and sculpture I have the feeling I can completely assimilate a shape while reproducing it and create something more “concrete” that I can rotate and observe from all angles. Lately, with the evolution of software for 3D modelling that displays an approach that is similar to working with clay (see Zbrush), rather than software with a drawing-table approach (Maya, 3DStudioMax etc.), I’ve been studying to see whether I’d be able to create something with it, and most importantly, whether It would be really like using modelling clay.In the end, with all its pros and cons, I understood that yes, it definitely was a “trick worth trying and landing.” Furthermore, 3D printing has evolved greatly, so I had some works printed and I must say that I wasn’t dissatisfied by the results which, although still far from the ideal I had in mind, were still useful to me in understanding that I could’ve undertaken yet another approach, such as that I am working on in those 2,5 square meters.

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Nowadays it seems like there are so many photographers, fashion designers, and artists… does the word “artist” still have any meaning in 2014 in your opinion? I think the word “artist” has been abused a lot lately, and it seems to me like most people improvise a lot, lacking in humbleness and self-criticism, probably because, as improvisers they have no models or reference points to follow. All it takes is a quick chat with these people to understand that they haven’t studied at all (and I don’t necessarily mean having attended a school), they somehow ended up with a camera or a set of markers in their hands and voila’, a watermarked photo of their friend lying on the beach like a dying whale and they automatically become a photographeThe same thing applies for fashion designers as well. You asked me a trick question, you know my mind is old school, and the truth is that I see a lot of poor quality and culture, and lots of people opening their mouths without really having anything to say, but are opinionated, and the level keeps going down (in Italy). I don’t want to fall into the usual cliches or rhetoric, but for me a “real artist” is somebody that is good at what he does, and conveys a lot with very little. Being synthetic is like when you see a trick done perfectly and it makes you think, “he does it so well it seems easy.” Fortunately though, there are also many people that kick ass but that also get penalised by all this “background noise,” especially at the professional level. If you had a large budget what would your dream project be? I’m not joking and I’m not saying this just because this is a skateboard mag, but my dream project would be an indoor skatepark with office area and studios. You know, you get on work-break and go skate a little, exchange views with others, then go back to work, then skate again, and so on. Skateboarding teaches you to be more independent, self-taught, and do what you need with what you have (or find in a construction site overnight).

ZATTONI’S BOARDS_ a brief glance

TOURISTS_

RANDO EVOLVE_

HANABI PORTRAITS_

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Ten or so years ago you drew some graphics for Giorgio Zattoni’s pro models for Platinum Skateboards. Creatively speaking, how was that experience, and what are, in your opinion the most interesting examples of skate-art? That was a fantastic period, we’d hook up with Zat to skate at the Marianna Skatepark, and we’d chat about less serious things, and more serious issues as well, such as the intention to stop talking about bullshit, and it popped up that we had to prepare the new graphics for his new board. I asked him if he had anything in mind, and every now and again he would come up with these crazy ideas. On other occasions, he would come up with even crazier ideas, so we would end up brainstorming. I would come up with a sketch I thought was ok, and of course he wouldn’t like it, telling me with his renowned kindness, “what the hell is this shit? No way, start over!” So I would start from scratch again, and then eventually we found some common ground and ideas would pop up, also depending on what was on our minds right at that moment, ranging from porn to BigBabol chewing gum. What year did you start skating? I started skating around 1985 with a crappy FreeFormer. Fortunately shortly thereafter one of my trucks broke so my uncle bought me “a professional skateboard from the United States.” Among all the boards I chose a Santa Cruz Jeff Kendall “pumpkin” graphic with Indy 169’s, and Variflex Street Rage 2 wheels (I bought the exact same set up a few years ago). From then on I’ve been tied to Santa Cruz, especially to the Jim Phillips graphics, that motivated me to start drawing in the first place. If you had to name three artists that inspire you or that you really like, who would that be and why? Alberto Breccia (South American illustrator), I had the chance to see some of his illustrations and they were impressive. I admire him for his eclectic style. He was going from a realist style rendered with super synthetic but at the same time thick strokes, all the way to minimal graphic styles that were collage-like, with incredible compositions in every cartoon. A real genius, and it is not by chance that he is referred to as “the master.” Koji Morimoto ( Japanese anime director), for his apparently imprecise graphic style that in reality is super coherent. In his illustrations he creates dreamlike worlds that are suspended in time by just four elements for example, but that are correctly placed. Great director and animator. Joe Sorren, U.S. painter with an unmistakable style for his use of colour and his absurd characters, deformed but beautiful at the same time. An artist who evolves repeatedly.

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GOSH_

www.codeczombie.com

BUDELLINO_

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Dusted_Off

Carl Shipman_2000_

Photos and words_Davide Biondani_

Carl Shipman is a skateboarder from the UK. In the mid 90’s he was pro for DC and Stereo Skateboards. He was in all the top mags in the States and had ads, interviews and video parts in the videos. He was one of the top boys and was one of the skaters I really liked at the time. Then he kind of slowly disappeared from the media limelight and frankly I was sorry. A few years later I was shooting at this contest in Jesolo, Italy, and the second day Carl Shipman showed up at the event together with Jason Dill, Colin Kennedy, and a few others. My first thought was: “What the hell are Carl Shipman and Jason Dill doing here?” Skating, obviously, ha ha ha! It was a great and totally unexpected surprise to have some of the skaters I liked the most, skating at this contest. I do remember him wearing these trainers and a straw hat, and I still can’t remove from my mind how he popped those tre flips to fakie on the steep bank. Fourteen years later this is still one of the best tre flips I have ever witnessed and shot photos of. A question is still lingering in my mind though: “How did they end up at this comp?!?!” Ha ha ha, who cares, what a great surprise it was, and what a great day!

*shot on Fuju Velvia_

a brief glance

tre flip_

a brief glance

issue _23