F O A M by Alexander O'Connor

s u r f . s k a t e . a r t

i s s u e

F O A M

Cover Photography by Benjamin JeanJean

a s p d

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r u h e

t r o s

i s t f e r t o g r a p h e r i g n e r

F O A M s u r f . s k a t e . a r t

By the mid-1950s skateboarding was beginning to take hold

i s s u e

Editor ALEXANDER Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;CONNOR

i n t h e We s t C o a s t . S t a r t e d b y enterprising surfers who wanted to p r ac tice whe n go i ng to the sea was not an option because of t h e we a t h e r, i t qu i c k ly ga i n e d popularity also in the cities and areas far from the sea. A whole new board sport had been created t h a t w a s t r u ly av a i l ab l e t o t h e masses, which would later also include windsurfing and all the other variations.

Fo a m i s a m a ga z i n e t h a t b e l i eve s in the

authenticity and the

craftmanship of the medium and t h a t i t, i s p a r t o f o u r s e lve s. I tâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a pubblication ab out surf, skate, artistry and the lifestyle that surrounds it, differentiating from usual sports magazine by exp lori ng the c re ative world

and

people that are part of it.

F O A M

C O N T E N T S

JUAN RAYOS - KOLKATTA

e x p e r i e n c e s o f a t r ip to I n d i a t h ro u gh t h e eye s o f Ju a n R ayo s, s p a n i s h f i l m a ke r, p h o to g r ap h e r a n d l o n gb o a r d e r

1 0

SEW ‘N SING

growing up with fabrics and sewing machine, the guys from Sew ‘n Sing comb i ned the i r c re ativ ity w ith the i r p assion for su r f i ng - I nter v iew

1 6

ATYPICAL

th re e yo u ng g uys l iv i ng i n Mo n z a, s h are the s ame p as s io n and are b r i n g i n g “s u r f ” to t h e c i ty o f M i l a n - I nt e r v i ew

2 6

THE PORTAL OF POSSIBILITIES

+ LAND

t h e Au s t r a l i a n b r a n d j o i n s E u r o p e’s f i r s t m o t o r c yc l e d i s t r i c t w i t h i t ’s concep t s tore, and surf b o ards.

3 4

MALARKY

the skateboarder and street-painter is bringing colour to the grey London, b u t e n j o y s B a r c e l l o n a’s s u n ny w e a t h e r a s w e l l w h i l e p a i n t i n g t r u c k s .

3 6

WALTER MARETTI

taught windsurf to Alessandra Sensini, established the first windsurf club in the “ m a r e m m a” a n d h i s s o n i s t h e I t a l i a n N a t i o n a l t e a m c o a c h o f t h e s a m e s p o r t : the Mare tti family - Interview

4 6 RRD

peek behind one of the leading companies of boards produc tion is located in the samll windy G rosse to.

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kolkatta

JUAN RAYOS 6

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Photography & text by JUAN RAYOS

f i l m a k e r . p h o t o g r a p h e r . l o n g b o a r d e r

ately Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m reviewing, compiling, ordering new material from a year

old memory, plastic and shaped collage travelogue. Remembering many of these things is almost a journey in itself.

Kolkata is, without doubt, one of the cities that have impressed me the most in my life. I remember the first time I got there, an afixiante summer a few years ago, with the romantic image in memory of the place described by Lapierre in the City of Joy. It was a disaster! The hardness of the city, heat, pollution, poverty, left me stunned and could hardly hold four or five days there. It is also true that the dream came from Varanasi, the holy city on the edge of the Ganges and the rude awakening to the reality of India in Kolkata crudest, was even worse than imagined. But, for one reason or another, I returned twice to the city in later trips. And with a more proactive and less heat, the strange charm of the city ended mesmerizing me.

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THE MALECĂ&#x201C;N OF H AVA NA I S A P L A C E One of the places I returned to again and again was the areaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s famous flower market. It was almost magical to see the bright color, completely oblivious to the gray city, covered a thousand layers of dust, and years of decline. But not only was the market, but the confluence of many other elements, such as the amazing Howrah Bridge, black tunnel under the road, half hidden temple, ghats and landfills alongside ... and people, the bustle tirelessly all day, people buying flowers, bathing in the river, unloading goods, across the bridge, praying to the gods.

O F A L M O S T M AGICA L P OW E R : T H O SE S I T E S T H AT W I L L REMAIN ETCHED IN T H E M E M O RY A N D, I N S O M E WAY, B E C O M E A SYMBOL OF THE EXPERIENCE OF A T R I P O R A C I T Y.

F O A M

JUAN RAYOS

I often ran much of its 8 miles on the bike I borrowed Chinese origin, filling with the smell of sea, watching the fishermen attentive to their canes, swimmers jumping between rocks, stalking prostitutes, musicians, drunkards, the lost and the unemployed ... had to take care, a sudden and strong sea snort used to precede a wave especially furious that salt spray was jumping over our heads, leaving you drenched in seconds. Across the road, the city was curving along the coastline. A city on the brink of collapse, buildings corroded by salt and time, sometimes supported by makeshift wooden scaffolding, sometimes supported by ... miracle. The entire old town seems about to fall apart when you walk through its streets and you look out their yards. The decrepit beauty of the Cuban capital is staggering.

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All places have their particular smell more or less defined, more or less characteristic. But India is something special. Just put one foot here, for the third time in recent years, I realized it and the smell struck me with great force. But it was to be expected, much more surprising is when you surprise a smell typical elsewhere here, as once, walking in Valencia, when I smelled an Indian meal that someone was cooking, it was like being snatched away from where I was and transportasen me up here in a second, no planes no passports, I was stunned for a while.

The cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s overall smell is somewhat indefinable mixture of many things, some pleasant and some not so. But walking by Kolkata can become an entire olfactory experience, in which odors will fluctuate depending on where you move. The oil and fumes from vehicles, the pervasive smell of food and spices, curry, cardamom, coriander, peanut oil heated in huge pans, cinnamon, pepper, nutmeg, pepper ... Incense burning in the hundreds of small shrines that you find on the street, body odor of millions of Indians under a blazing sun, standing water, sewage, the smell of blood when you enter a market animals exposed flesh in counters, feathers, offal, excrement, all types of waste, offal and garbage ... The fragrance of azhar, lilies and fresh leaves of Flower Market, fruit markets full of bananas, mangoes, papayas, guavas, pineapples, ...

And leave me many scents, a few know its origin, others fled in terror, and many of them will accompany me forever, and inseparable to this country. F

F O A M

7 T K A C

R E A S O N H A T M A K O L K A T A P O C A L Y P I T Y

S E A N T I C

JUAN RAYOS

Hundreds of crows flying over the buildings, honking incessantly, perched here and there with open beak, still as statues.

Thousands of cars, trucks, buses, taxis, autorickshaws, beeping all at the same time with furious joy possessed circulating as authentic ignoring any traffic rule.

Millions of Indians in the streets, walking, eating, bathing, cooking, resting, working, talking, getting a haircut, praying, sleeping ...

Stunning colonial buildings in various states of disrepair, some covered with vegetation and even trees growing on your walls or on balconies sinking their roots between the bricks. They remember old Aztec temples half-buried in the jungle.

The patina that covers everything. A patina of time, dust and pollution are fought only cars, carefully tended, and two or three freshly painted buildings.

The trams. Heavy metal mastodons, scarred as if trying to old rhinos that have spent a lifetime pushing past.

The kaos. An absolute kaos. Billboards advertise overlap each other, the power lines are the most comfortable way no matter where, the facades of the buildings are a Christ, no two balconies alike, the streets are flooded with shops, stalls, feeders, carts, bundles of goods ... They look enough policemen, military and other uniformed not really know they are, but nobody and nothing seems to follow any rules ... and despite all the city works ... more or less ...

A p p e n d i x s u r e t h a t R i d l e y S c o t t w a s h e r e b e f o r e f i l m i n g B l a d e R u n n e r . F O A M

Sew ‘n Sing Tired of searching for covers to fit their retro board shapes the friends decided to simply make their own. So they began sewing together different patterns of fabrics mixing stripes, floral, all-over or color-block. Their hand-made board and wetsuit bags embody personality, something that is not self- evident in a world where all things are mass-produced

F O A M

Interview by ALEXANDER O’CONNOR Photography Collection by SEW ‘N SING

F O A M

First of all, where are you from and what does your name mean?

Sew ´n sing was born in Zarautz. Basque Country, in 2010.

In Spain there is a saying “coser y cantar” that means that something is plain sailing when it is very easy. Enjoy doing what you love makes everything easier!

Photos by CRISTA LEONARD

How did everything start? How did your passion for fabrics meet surfboards?

Always been super passionate about surf and fashion and it was three years ago when Erika’s boyfriend, Jokin, proposed her to make him stylish boardbags for all of his different shaped boards. We made some bags for ourselves and people liked them so much that we kept making more. We started with the board bags, then wetsuit bags and now, I´m by my own (Eli) working on new products and designs.

How did it develop from protecting the surfboard to glass in fabric?

We met Fab, from Blend Glassing, we started collaborating, glassing very well known shaper’s boards, with our fabrics inside. We enjoy collaborating and doing different things with people who we really appreciate their work. We share really good moments!! We became RVCA EUROPE advocates, and so far, we’ve collaborated with shapers Josh Hall, Robin Kegel (Gato Heroi), Ryan Lovelace, Chris Christenson, Natural Mind Surfboards...

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SEW ‘N SING

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How did things develop and how is it to collaborate with artists like Benjamin JeanJean?

Working with Benj is always a pleasure. He is a great artist and a great guy! Both are part of the RVCA ANP and that’s how we met, in one of the photoshoots for the brand. Then he helped design the new logo and between beer and beer, the idea of this collaboration comes. It´s all about mixing art and surfboards with patchworks of fabrics. SEW ‘N SING

Where does the inspiration of aesthetics come from?

Some of the designs are inspired by classic stuff, others by friends, but mostly it comes naturally. The ocean and classic surf are main inspiration, but every day can be inspiring, especially when I travel and when I meet people who surf, play music, sing, paint, have cool blogs, take pictures, or express themselves in unique and creative ways.

In the design, I combine fabrics and tissues that I like and inspire me. I like finding patterns and even recycle old curtains or tapestry to create unique designs always in everything I do.

How important is it for you the handmade quality?

Sew ´n sing likes giving authenticity and uniqueness to people with handmade products. I enjoy custom stuff for myself and it’s what I want to give to others. Different, fresh and fun designs joining surfing and art, providing the fashion sense to offer exclusive handmade designs. I also love recycle!!

You have your products all over the globe, have you ever been to Japan and other countries?

Sorry but never been to Japan! But would love to go! I have friends that I love to visit!

Any plans for the future?

Keep working!! And enjoying what I do! F F O A M

ATYPICAL Handmade cruisers reminiscent of the beginnings Photography & Interview by ALEXANDER O’CONNOR

Atypical team consists of Nicolò Formenti, Alessandro Mitola and Andrea Pinca, three guys united by the same adolescence, growing through different paths, bonded by the same passions and the aim to get back the tradition of craftsmanship in its simplicity and authenticity. When you think of Milan, surfing is probably the last thing that comes to mind, but these young guys are trying to change all that. They (Andrea & Nicolò) invited me up to the latter’s house, showed me the new collection in preview and while having a chat, the two working areas: Nicolo’s family woodshop where they make the boards and his catchall where they put the finishing touches.

F O A M

THE PROJECT ATYPICAL was basically born in late

summer from an idea of a friend of ours that got us involved in this project, which was driven by our experience, from our childhood and a series of interests that has always linked us. The stimulus, the new idea was to start doing something putting our contribution in the first person and from this was born the idea of Atypical. Atypical, the name, just serves to strengthen also the gap that exists between our decks and a regular deck because our pre-positioning in the market was to follow in the world and the reality of surfing, particularly of the ‘60s 70, as a symbol of a certain approach to life, a freedom, a strong energy of a desire to innovate and that’s what we tried a little to do with our project. Also because most of the skateboards are of seven sheets assembled one above the other of industrial production, Atypical also serves to emphasize and underline this aspect of manufacture, and the “handmade” the quality of the original things, even a little ‘ rougher’, but which has a particular charm. The 70s are married both in terms of image and at the level of its “concept” of the brand and especially also reinforce what is our idea of a return to the roots, so returning to a single piece of solid wood, worked, and updated in a modern context, hence fact the image that we propose on the web, on our website when we make materials on our own and also in the graphics of the boards themselves. In fact, the geometry, the use of colors in a certain way, derive their inspiration from day to day: even our interests, our passions and our other activities, as I said, we don’t just work on this thing but we also follow other personal projects , everything that can serve can be useful in terms of both graphics, and aesthetics, and practical level of communication we try to exploit as much as possible in our branding Atypical.

F O A M

Except on special occasions like with the white and black

is absolutely central because it is our product, the only product that

boards, the colors on them were handmade, we bought the truck but

we have on the shop, behind there is a strong job of communication,

we did made them that colour, so even there, there was an additional

however, the brand was launched following a certain type of

intervention of ours.

ATYPICAL

In addition to the black labor, raw production of the decks that

orientation by a certain selection going to bet those who are a bit the cornerstones of the various disciplines that may have to do with

us, by that I mean “street-wear” to the design itself. The success of

change is the length, the size of the board, because the new ones we

this project was precisely the involvement of more subjects, more

decided to make them smaller, because we saw that the previous

subjects at the same time and so spread our people because our

one were not big, but became a bit heavy, the way we see the concept

audience is not just the guy who wants to go skateboarding, but

of skate, we wanted a little change from the normal skate with which

also those who want to approach for the first time this reality. In

you do your tricks and all the different stories that are around it, it

fact our board is almost seen as a continuation of his legs, and from

was more about having a comfortable means of transport agile and

here another link with the surf, the idea is just to bring a part of that

fast enough with which to move as an alternative to what is out there

world of surfing in the 70s that was the time of explosion of that

now such as bikes rather than public transport or anything. So we

reality, in an urban context.

made some twenty centimeters or less shorter, they are less thick, in

Between the two collections, the first thing that is going to

fact being smallerwe could reduce the thickness of the table so that

The boards are made of ash because it is the wood that was

recommended to us by an old man who sold us the wood the first

it doesn’t break in the middle. Less thick and have the form a little more characteristic of surfing lets say, with the dovetail at the end.

time, who told us: use the ash because it is the one with whom we did the

As for the colours, in the first edition we decided to do

skies when we were children, which is the wood with the best compro-

everything, mixing studied colours which would be beautiful

mise between hardness, elasticity and resistance. So it’s the one that

paired, with a white line that in part emphasized the colour, a

flexes better, which retains its natural shape and tends to last longer.

little playing also as graphics, whereas in the latter we decided to

Usually the one used is the maple, which is the hardest wood,

abandon the white line not to have them the same, for better or

however, less resistant, making the “sandwich” instead manages to

worse you can invent whatever you want, but it would have been

recover strength and elasticity without however losing the hardness

far too connection, we did not want to abandon what we had done,

of the wood, finding a good compromise. In fact it is something that

because a lot of people gave us compliments on th exposed wood,

we are planning to see if we can do something like this maybe with

because is something that you do not see in skate, if you notice, the

the ash, to be able to have more flexibility by maybe mixing with

skate board is always covered or otherwise above has the black

other woods and see what we can pull out of it. We were saying, are

layer of grip. Then the maple wood is bad, such as those we have

made in ash, the colors are made of acrylic, so we use normal colored

seen that the grain is so beautiful, the maple has the grain that can

acrylic tempera, we do everything ourselves, masking with tape, the

be like that of fir furniture in the mountains say, are a bit more of an

final parts are made with the resin torch: two hands on each side of

industrial wood. We wanted to keep also this time the wood enough

the deck and the grip made by hand using quartz sand, it seems like

in prominence, we decided to always study very well colour pairings

a big name but it is the sand that you use in aquariums. All the rest

that they were good together: together on the board and that are

we buy it, as you saw today that we have collected the parcels, which

consistent, however, all within the collection.

concerns wheels, bearings and trucks, all bought, very expensive too (laughs), it is the most expensive part.

F O A M

The inspiration we find it, for the new ones you’ve seen, like the orange and blue, the inspiration was watching the Ford GT 40, which is a very old car that ran at the Le Mans in the days of those very 60s 70, we decided to take that pair of colors because I think it’s very cool! (Laughs)

This is proof that there isn’t a field or a

single thing where we draw inspiration from, but it can be anything that has a consistency of aesthetics or taste.

F O A M

Let’s say we seek more

You have not done the business

consistency in clean graphics,

plan! For 600 euro I’m not going

there by making all geometric,

to make a business plan, that

because even the logo makes

money I would have maybe

you understand, is not the clas-

spent on vacation, instead I

sic skate with monsters like the

spent them to spend more time

graphics of the 80s that Santa

with friends, try to do some-

Cruz or those brands of that

thing, so if I were to lose the

type, they smash!, they are super cool, such as the famous Powell

money, to me they could have been lost. There would be no problem.

Peralta hands, with the mouth ... they are much cleaner and there-

But everyone: but fuck the business plan .... but how did you start ....

fore we have focused on simplicity and geometries precisely because

(laughs). 200 euro, was also willing to throw them away so we started

it goes very well with what we wanted to do. It may also be that we

so not surprisingly but very launched, not caring of what was around,

enter a place and there is a floor with a lovely pattern that I also like

because if you make an account now with the crisis, Italy which is

or only the fact of its geometry or color combinations, it may be that

a state that is all assistant... these things here ... the conditions for

I see a dress .... the images that we had with the brainstorming we

starting don’t exist in Italy now. It was a big risk but we decided to

did to get to the colors had book covers to random patterns or a boy

run with it and hopefully improve the situation (laughs).

dressed in a combination of colors, cars, say anything ... A. But the nice thing was seeing that there was a reply from the start. A.

May be somewhat striking or hits you, somehow we try to make

it our own and then turn it into the final product.

This was encouraging. Even the possibility of relating with people, like you, e-commerce is a window to the world so it does not reduce your viewers to users of the area around you but you have a huge stage.

We have the colours as an idea then when we realize them the

blonde lady you met helps us, she has a degree in sculpture and

painting, and she can do very well with the colours and gives us a

from all over the world. In Italy we have sold more than anything to

hand as she is able to replicate colours, that is, it’s almost her job,

friends or the guy who knows you: Look I know him, he knows me ...

and gives us a hand in putting them down, make all the tryouts, we

so it was a thing that we have done more by word of mouth here in Italy.

say that we were given a nice hand, having my mom with all them

We sold less than ten out of 30 that we have sold. The rest are around

that also stand alone works on wood, her for colours, then all the

the world. They went to South Africa, he waited a month poor guy, not

tools that you have seen, all these things are not ours, however, only

having received the board, he was worried (laughs), he bought it for his

having a circular saw or a hacksaw, all these gadgets are gadgets

wife and arrived on the day of her birthday, he ordered it towards the

that unless you have at home you have to go and buy, but you spend,

beginning of December, the board arrived on December 21. Two have

to take 3-4, a thousand euro. It’s an investment, something that

gone to America. Barcelona. France a lot. 3-4 in England.

has benefited us is that we started this thing with an investment of nearly zero, in total it seems to me that in three we have spent 600 euros, a minimal thing. One thing that has happened to us often, is when talking with friends, all who have done economy, have this impression of classical Italian school, that tell us have you done your business plan? We we told him: no. And everyone: fuck!

F O A M

It ‘s the thing that almost tricks us because we have customers

ATYPICAL

THEY ARE A SKATEBOARD, NOT A FERRARI WHERE YOU CAN SAY: OK THERE ALL THE COMPONENTS BEHIND... IT’S A SKATEBOARD, A WOODEN PLANK ON TWO TRUCKS, BUT WHAT’S BEHIND IT IS SOMETHING THAT WE PERSONALLY LIKE, THAT WOULD BUY ON THE FLY. THEN IT GOES A BIT FROM PERSON TO PERSON.

F O A M

And the great thing is that however having behind a handi-

craft production, also with clients there is always a direct relationship. For example in your case. The same thing we keep the level of relationship with the people who buy our products. So there is a continuous update on the boards, that are hand made and instead treating it as an industry, however, the difference is in the class features, not in the image, necessarily leads you to have this kind of relationship because there are still three young guys behind this who always try to do their best.

At first this was almost a limit, we did things a bit as we

thought they were made, none of us has opened a brand before, has been working at the level of say, okay, here Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m the boss, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m in charge here, I say I what you do. And we have done things a little bit like we were taught in school and university we attended, what we believe could be right. And people related to us as if we were something bigger. People called us to ask: but do you do it all? People do not believe that we do everything, starting from the wood. They think that maybe I know where to buy the wood, then I go to the carpenter and I get 60 shapes made with automatic machines that you put on ... In fact, there is a carpenter to who we go to that every time he asks us, but wy donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t you make them with the machine? Because it saves you a lot time, in two minutes you can make a deck ready to be painted.

F O A M

But we try to make this our strong point, because how do you relate with these multi-nationals that will probably be in two making the boards for everyone and pass them on to get its graphics. It would be like say making drinks: You wouldn’t go and challenge Coca – Cola and do the big guy, you’re a little fish, you can not go with them to do the bulk. So we try and make our strong point, if you want the product of mass, do not come to me, I do not have what you are looking for: if you want a small budget and want a product that ... instead if you want a product that is more unique with something behind it ... what’s behind it is not a value you perceive when you go, because it is very similar to other skateboards makes them in wood like Duster. It ‘a similar product, We are not saying: buy mine, it goes faster than the Duster, buy mine it’s a 100 times better, turns better, wheelie .... The products are similar, they are a skateboard, not a Ferrari where you can say: ok there all the components behind, it’s a skateboard, a wooden plank on two trucks, but what’s behind it is something that we personally like, that would buy on the fly, then it goes a bit from person to person. We try to make our strength having a super open relationship with our clients, that until the board does not get to them they’re on to us, then when you ask him to send you a picture with the board in order to make a collage, a community, we got 2-3 replies out of 30 that we have sold. As long as they do not have your product, you gave me 150 euro and it has not yet reached them ... tit’s ok if they’re on to you. But then when you get it, if you do not hear from them it, lost it all worked out (laughs). My father told me: No News, Good News. As long as they do not contact you, it means that at least the deck has arrived and everything went well. Someone’s sister bought this one, to give his brother a gift and she was in college in London, this guy wrote to us saying, my sister bought a board from you guys at Christmas, but has not yet arrived, I am now in New Jersey .... and the deck was running around Europe ... (Laughs) I could not do much about it ... I said: look, this is the shipment, the deck has been sent, if now you’re in New Jersey ... (Laughs). Same from ‘Africa, someone wrote to me saying it has not yet arrived: tomorrow I’m in France, can you not send it to me there? Got it, almost as if they think we’re taking the piss, as if it hasn’t arrived because I’ve not posted it yet ... when instead we deck was shipped in the beginning of December ... then ia little part plays it the Italian Post Office, a little’ you’re from the other side of the world, it took a month and something to arrive. However, there are none lost around the world (laughs) well at least no one has reported any yet, maybe there are two or three that roam between post offices in the world and we do not know (laughs) . F F O A M

F O A M

Photography by ALEXANDER O’CONNOR

Illustrations by CALEB OWEN EVERITT AND RYAN RHODE

F O A M

Via Thaon di Revel in Milan has become

DEUS EX MACHINA

Europe’s first motorcycle distrcict with a variety

roared into Australia’s cultural consciousness in

of workshops such as the Night Riders and

2006, with some neatly customised motorcycles

concept stores such as the KD House. Now with

and a quaint notion that doing something is more

the addition of the Portal of Possibilities of Deus

fun than just owning something. Deus ex Machina

Ex Machina who opened his first “workshop” in

is a step bigger than a brand: it’s a culture. Our

Europe, after those in Australia, America and

openness and enthusiasm strike a chord with

Indonesia, the street with two faces: on one side

people, wherever they are…

(god from the machine)

traces of the old town and on the other side the passion for the two wheels.

Deus (“day-us”) didn’t set out only to sell custom parts and hand-built motorcycles, but to celebrate a culture of creativity. The Deus ex Machina showroom/cafe/headquarters in Sydney immediately became a shrine to ‘run-whatyou-brung’ resourcefulness and street-honest industrial art.

F O A M

THE PORTAL OF POSSIBILITIES

F O A M

C a l eb O we n E ve r i t t a n d Rya n R h o d e s wo rk to ge t h e r a s L A ND. T h ey â&#x20AC;&#x2122; ve d o n e wo rk fo r t h e l i ke s o f D e u s E x Ma c h i n a, T r a ns g r e s s o r, Hu f n a ge l, Pa t a go n i a and

others.

The r eâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a

beauty

Their doubt much

work, that of

for

me,

holds

these

two

keep

the

i l lus trative

line

their work

that

hand they

feels in

do,

the in

loose

and

design. both

iconic.

There

imagery

and

l e t t e r i n g , t h a t f o r m e c o n j u r e s w o r d s l i k e r aw, s e c r e t , s p i r i t u a l a n d h o n e s t . z Q. What one piece of advice have you found most useful in achieving your goals as artists and designers? Jo s h C o l e 32

F O A M

THE PORTAL OF POSSIBILITIES

The Deus philosophy recalls an era before the

That’s what Deus makes. For everything else,

various pursuits of fun – motorcycling, surfing,

there is the Portal of Possibilities. For caffeine and

skateboarding, whatever – were marketed into

gasoline. For burnt rubber and trimming fins. For

fundamentalist factions. All are welcomed under

fiberglass and blues. For tacos and tattoos. The

the Deus roof, where there’s simply respect

Temple is where you end up from never going

for the honesty and enjoyment of the machine.

home. The Temple is the destination where the

Inclusiveness, authenticity, enthusiasm. It’s a

road doesn’t end.

simple and sincere pitch that has winged Deus ex Machina across the world. Deus ex Machina says

There is beer on tap. There is art on walls. There

simply there’s no ‘right way’ to do individualism,

is shaping bays and surfboards stacked like sets

its all the same juice.

out the back. There is photo studios and Thai food fusion. Cocktails built by hand and paint spilled on

Since opening the doors at the Camperdown

the floor. Everything is fast and smooth and toes

Temple of Enthusiasm Deus has spread its own

over the noes. Music in your ears and flashbulbs in

flavour of internally combustible postmodernism

your eyes. Hand-carved skateboards and fixed gear

around the globe. The way forward is one down,

pushies. Surfboards and sushi. Movie nights and

four up.

drag races. It doesn’t stop there.

Deus makes motorcycles. Stripped down and

path of resin-stuck sandals. This is the sacred

everything else. Deus makes four gears and loose

ground on which we dig. Welcome to the Portal

throttles. Wind in your hair and thunder in your

of Possibilities. Yes, we make motorcycles and

guts. Full speed towards the volcano. And that’s

surfboards. But it’s everything in between that

just the beginning. Deus makes surfboards. Deus

makes us.

makes coffee. Deus makes music. Deus makes

things happen.

F O A M

This is the prayer of greasy hands. This is the

rebuilt. Customized for your life and revved up for

F O A M

s t r e e t

p a i n t e r . i l l u s t r a t o r . s k a t e b o a r d e r

Photography by ALEXANDER O’CONNOR

F O A M

MALARKY

Half of the time I can be found putting colour on the streets of grey London, the other half you can find me drinking a beer and painting a truck in the sunshine of Barcelona.

F O A M

A CHAT WITH

WALTER MARETTI Photography & Interview by ALEXANDER O’CONNOR + Private photo collection by WALTER & FILIPPOMARETTI

O W N E R

O F

M O R E N O

W I N D S U R F

F O A M

B E A C H .

T E A C H E R

THERE’S A

F U N N Y S T O R Y A B O U T T H AT S E A G U L L . T H E P H O T O WA S TA K -

E N B A C K I N T H E 7 0 ’ S A N D B A C K T H E N I WA S A L I F E G UA R D W H E N

MY COL-

L E G U E S A N D I S AW S O M E T H I N G I N T H E WAT E R . W E W E R E A F R A I D I T WA S S O M E O N E D R O W N I N G S O W E R A N A N D S WA M T O WA R D S I T A S FA S T A S W E C O U L D . W H E N W E G O T C L O S E R , I R E A L I S E D F O R T U NAT E LY WA S N ’ T A P E R S O N, B U T A S E A G U L L . S O I W E N T T H E R E T O S AV E H I M A N D A S I G R A B B E D HOL D OF H I M, H E B I T M E ON M Y FI NGE R. S T R ONG E NO UGH T O M AKE I T B L E E D.

W I T H M Y T E N S I O N A L R E A D Y H I G H , I S TA R T E D N O T T O L I K E T H AT

S E A G U L L . S O I K E P T H O L D O F H I M A N D A N D S WA M B A C K T O S H O R E . A S I G O T B A C K O N T H E B E A C H E V E R Y O N E WA S S TA N D I N D A R O U N D M E C L A P P I N G A N D C H E E R I N G F O R M Y D E E D ; B U T I N S I D E I S T I L L D I S L I K E D T H AT B I R D .

I started to windsurf in 1981 because I had to change a little my activity and being the village

there was the problem of storms, rough seas,

chief in a residence, a tourist center, there was

cold, so we went to the lagoon at Orbetello where

the need for a windsurfing instructor so I began to approach this discipline and became immediately one. From there the first school of sailing and windsurfing in Grosseto was born . We were just in the years ‘81 - ‘82 and started this activity thanks also to

there’s a beautiful lagoon where we also had fun because there is always a flat water, wind always nice and then there was a nice club that hosted us. So well, they were certainly the first few years, so our equipment was

other friends with whom we shared a passion of windsurfing and did

say a little strange, at the forefront of improvisation. We wore sports

athletic activities.

shoes to avoid slipping on the boards, we had the tracksuits with over

As for workouts, for example in the summer we trained at sea as

a K-way, that fine, fine thing, a wool sweater for the cold, because it was

this is a very windy area with beautiful beaches and everything, which

very cold, and then the boards which were practically real merchant

basically turned out to be excellent even for high levels of performance,

ships as they were so big. Acre sails that looked like bed sheets that had

like Sensini has always trained here to and is where Alessandra’s sports

belly flops and did not have a defined line ... But that was the technique

career was born. So we trained here in Marina during summer, in winter

that we had to try.

F O A M

WALTER MARETTI

The passion was so much that soon led us to make the races at a national level, then we started to travelling a bit around Italy, we were a large enough group, among which were also part of, Alessandra Sensini sisters, Irene and Eleanora , also good on this discipline, and circulated all over Italy to make these sporting events until we landed at the World and European Championships. In the meantime a center was born, a club: the Surf Centre Grosseto, which numbered among its members also athletes of Piombino, Orbetello, let’s say we were cutting-edge at the level of organization. The place was nice, because Marina di Grosseto is always windy, it’s always nice, the municipality helped us by giving us a good enough location which was then confirmed valid after twenty years, actually thirty decades, as a logistics base of the World Championships of 2013. So we were the proponents of this .... I must say, is a sport that on the physical level, it needs sa trong enough performance as we say at the muscular level, there isn’t a muscle that is not affected, the muscles of the face to the muscles of the feet, all at workwhen surfing. There is a tension that is almost natural because with a shaping element like the sea as you can not just take him lightly. The sea is something that must be respected, the sea is something that does not accept improvisations, everything must be programmed before, everything must be planned and prevention is the most important thing regarding any type of output at sea.

F O A M

T H E B E AU T Y O F T H I S I S B E I N G A B L E T O I M P R I S O N I T I N Y O U R H A N D S . Y O U H AV E T H E W I ND I N YO U R H A ND S, BU T A S T H E W I ND H I T S T H E SA I L, I T T R AC E S O N T H E B O O M , T H E B O O M T H AT Y O U S Q U E E Z E I N Y O U R H A N D S , T H AT B Y F O R C E O F A R M S C A N O P E R AT E I N A M A N N E R T O L E A D T H E TA B L E D E P E N D I N G O N T H E Y O U R W I L L .

And we also learned immediately as inexperienced sailors to have

a remarkable dowry so a physical athletic training undoubtedly,

a reverential fear towards the sea and we immediately restored a

because the effort is remarkable and you certainly can not say to the

relationship of synergy between its strength and our experience that

wind: stop for a moment because I’m tired. Absolutely. Maybe you’ll

was growing.

stop, but even if you stop the fatigue stays with you, So you have to be

It’s a beautiful sport, a sport that makes you stand out amidst nature

The beauty of the sport of windsurfing is that you get, when you

the middle of the sea, on your own you have to overcome what may

have learned and you start being boss of yourself and movements, to

be the pitfalls of a sport like that. You have a mechanical equipment

perceive the feelings that otherwise you ignored, like seeing the wind,

so you always have to be subjected to checks, verifications always by

to see the wind means first of all that perception that you have, as if

your side, so never put off anything to others to employ the means, we

you could see this fluid mass of air that is moving and that is to invest

should not trust anyone but ourselves, because the stakes are high.

your glider and then give you the strength to continue the race. The

The experiences have taught us to recognize the speech of the sea. The

beauty of this is being able to imprison it in your hands. You have

clouds, the colour of the sea and the wind blowing on the horizon, are

the wind in your hands, but as the wind hits the sail, it traces on the

all elements that he gives you so that you can then put into practice

boom, the boom that you squeeze in your hands, that by force of arms

any defenses and preparation features that you have. Being in a storm

can operate in a manner to lead the table depending on the your will.

at sea means having to deal with, because when it arrives if you are

Here these are feelings that are difficult to explain to those who do

at sea you can not escape, so you have to deal with it in a painless way

not practice this sport, but if you can try are unforgettable sensations:

as possible. So you have to be aware of this, you have to be able to win

you dream them, live them, you hear them, you hear them, come down

this battle. There is a topic, in the face of all this, a discourse of ground

from the surfboard and you continue for an hour or so to make the

preparation, a psychological preparation that comes from knowing

same wave movements that have on the board. It a bit like when you

that in theory all of those that are the rules and characteristics of

get off the train and you feel a bit vibrating, there, these feelings.

meteorological and tecnoques of equipment. And physically, to have

ready for any eventuality.

in the most complete way. It ‘an individual sport so you’re alone in

F O A M

WALTER MARETTI

F O A M

You learn to love those which are strong winds that before you made

During the period when I had dedicated myself, leaving a little

you nervous because they messed up your hair you, because it lifted up

behind the competitive side, to the technical sector, I worked as a

the sand, at which point this wind becomes a liquid propellant for your

technician in the Federation of Windsurf Boards, so did the courses

surfing so you even go to look through the movement of the surface of

for those who want to become instructors. I had children, boys,

water where you can read where the wind comes from. That burst that

under observation for youth teams, among whom was Filippo. then

lies down on the water that you can see where it comes from and then

logically the years pass, the kids grow up.

go looking for it in that direction to savor this very sudden power that pushes you to speed to the wonderful sensations. Similarities with skiing are the black tracks, icy, when you feel that they bite your leg triceps and you do not want to stop because of the high emotional experience. So this is a bit the feeling of the wind you have on the sail. I wont tell you the feelings of the race because the race is a little end in itself, the feelings of the race are the same that one feels in a bike race, a race of other sports. I have done other individual sports like skiing and other types like judo and matches are all the same: there ‘s the initial apprehension before you leave, there is the adrenaline that invades at the start and then there’s the physical effort also linked to what is the reasoning and the processing technique of the movements to do during demonstrations, and then discharged in the final with the result, whatever, positive or negative it is, does not matter, because at that time you gave it all yourself so you have nothing to reproach yourself, whether you win or you lose. This is a bit like the teaching of all the sports that give you for which the beauty of sport is this: it teaches you to live, teaches you how to live in a world more and more difficult and more and more messed up. There would be many amazing sensations because we in the family are practically, a little also for the name, I think all the names have a logic, we do “Maretti” (mare = sea) as surname, so the sea is something for us in the DNA level. I have tried to teach to Filippo, but reminiscent of a previous experience, that a parent can hardly teach their child because the parent expects immediate results from your son because... I do not know why, and the child does not see the parent as an instructor for which there is the relationship of friendship that does not make the circumstances for the real commitment itself. Yet I managed to make him fall in love with this sport so much so that today he has made this activity a real job.

F O A M

F I L I P P O I S A N A D U L T , I H AV E R E T I R E D T O P R I VAT E L I F E H AV I N G A B E AC H, I L E F T A L I T T L E A L S O T H E T E C H N I C A L S I D E , L E AV I N G I T T O F I L I P P O T H AT H E WA S G O I N G R E A L LY S T R O N G , A N D N O W H E I S T H E C OAC H

THE

NAT I O NA L

TEAM,

C O A C H O F O LY M P I C T E A M S T H AT ARRIVED IN SIGNIFICANT LEVELS.

WALTER MARETTI

A cute anectode

is when we trained to do the

races, Alessandra Sensini began to come, back then she was small, I was on the first few years as an instructor and so I had three or four good competitive guys within my students, and Alessandra happened to come there and train together. And I remember that when we simulated the departures and the race itself, Alessandra had a little something extra. Departed and left everyone behind, boys and girls, everyone, it happened that she practically raced, alone. So then I intervened with a trick: we tied, a rope, with many nodes, ten meters long, in the daggerboard trunk of the board, so that it would slow down her pace a little bit, so that she remained with the group in order to practice technique, priorities techniques, a little bit of â&#x20AC;&#x153;schoolâ&#x20AC;?. But that didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t served either, despite everything she always managed to escape and go away, she just had something innate, it was a marriage between her and the sea, something really ... she was amalgamated with the sea. She could do terrific things, a prelude in what later became.

F O A M

Alessandra is in the sailing history on world-wide level with the

and boats that have a higher ride is nice because in fact they begin to

six Olympics made I think it has beaten every record, with all his

visit a bit of everything. You approach this a bit with the windsurf

world titles, Italian, Europeans, she is a unique champion in the

because, say it was for many the first step to get closer to the sea, as the

history of sailing. This is referred to more than a century. She’s an

sail until the ‘70s was considered a sport of “elite”, one sport for the

outstanding athlete, among other very loyal, we never heard that

privileged few, surfing has instead introduced in this specialty, that is,

Alessandra has behaved in a bad or if you want to use a another term

sailing, people who not only had never gone on a sailing boat, but did

“too competitive.” Her behavior has always been fair to everyone.

not even have a financial capability to afford to go. So they began to see

Nevertheless managed to beat the champions much younger than her,

the sea and to use a sail with the board, with windsurfing. Then many,

much lighter, has an exceptional physical strength, so much so that she

many have improved, many have realized that going to boat sailmakers’

is able to go a faster with the strong wind rather than weak and she is

a wonderful thing, and dedicated to other activities. The move was

an emblem of the sail, a pride for Italians and a pride if you allow me,

natural enough. Windsurfing is derived from the multi hull boat deep

for the Maremma. She wasborn alone, She made herself alone. I think

sea boats and everything else. I must say thanks to surfing that I also

Alessandra has not to say thanks to anyone except his Father who

perfected the sailing, I have participated in international competitions

introduced her to the sport, such as the Sisters of the rest, just to avoid

such as the Giraglia twice, regatta which sees a navigation of three days

distractions: a family where four females were difficult for a parent to

and three nights without stopping so challenging also in the physical

handle, with a father like that, an athlete that way, it was challenging

profile, but wonderful experience, the feeling of sailing at night, to go

to manage four females. According to me he guessed the right way by

from one state to another, because you depart from Italy, you arrive in

giving them interest in the sport. He succeeded with all of them, was

Corsica, then you go to France, so in short, is something really nice. And

able to do, especially Alessandra, a myth that today everyone envies in

I tell you the experience I had with windsurfer, windsurfing, gave me

the world world.

just the courage, the strength to participate in this event with serenity.

As a location, Marina is one of the most suitable places for sailing

archipelago that consists of these islands is a theater so for the boats,

most titles, the one that has won more than anyone, because with

I was calm because I had seen the sea from near:, on the board you’re

because it is always windy, the wind is almost always constant, always

standing on the sea, you are really in contact with the water. On the boat

from the same direction so from west, a thermal wind among other

I felt safer because I was surrounded by much more solid structures for

things, that gives us this climate that is beautiful . Waves, there are a

which I saw the thing a lot easier.

few that lends itself very well to any type of boat. The beauty of the

F O A M

WALTER MARETTI

F O A M

RRD Roberto Ricci Design 48

F O A M

RRD

Photography by OVIDIO FERRARI

The passion for making new designs, developing new prototypes and

N o n

pushing new technological and design limitsitâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s just the basic lifestyle of

d e v e l o p m e n t ,

the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s owner, Roberto Ricci.

b e e n

With over 30 years of experience on the road, travelling all over the

s l o g a n

world and been able to test and experience the water conditions in the

i t s

s t o p

t h e

r e s e a r c h h a s

a n d a l w a y s

c o m p a n y â&#x20AC;&#x2122; s

a n d

e s s e n c e

m a i n o f

p h i l o s o p h y .

most diverse spots of the planet, the desire of making something new to satisfy the needs of all the water riders in different conditions, meets up with a solid artesanal background coming from his family, based in Tuscany, Italy.

A marked taste for the proportional lines, harmonious mix of colours and innovative architecture of the design structure, meets with the world-wide experience. A long period of practice and experience in Composite Materials research that comes from making boards and working with the largest sailmakers of the world, complete the whole package. Today RRD Roberto Ricci Designs, stands as a solid reference in the high-performance water ports world, with consistent innovations and world class results in competitions both in windsurfing and kitesurfing. The custom made factory keeps making new prototypes and the team keeps testing.

F O A M

u s e d

t o

R o b e r t o

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c o m a p n y , c o m e

s o m e t i m e s ,

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F O A M

w i n d s u r f i n g

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F O A M

F O A M s u r f . s k a t e . a r t

F O A M

F O A M s u r f . s k a t e . a r t

F O A M