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Pursue your thrill. We are for the explorers. For those that embrace the journey. The Clark features our patented ChromaPop™ polarized lens technology which enhances clarity and natural color to let you live every moment in more detail wherever your next adventure takes you.
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Marilyn Minter, Black Orchid, 2012; Courtesy of the artist, Salon 94, New York, and Regen Projects, Los Angeles
randoms • 24 product • 28 thani mara • 30 dorielle caimi • 32 melodie provenzano • 34 super taste • 36 eddie aikau • 38 oscar oiwa • 40 peregrines • 42 yoshimitsu umekawa • 44 woody gooch • 46 boston • 52
marilyn minter • 56 rip curl hawaii grom camp • 62 ben karpinski • 66 frank knab • 72 quiksilver hb opening • 78 pdfw • 80 iron & sand surf series • 82 tampa pro 2016 • 84 if we’re not a community • 86 the frights • 88 reviews • 89 grom • 90
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Editor-in-Chief nick kalionzes nick@blisssmag.com
Editor
joey marshall joey@blisssmag.com
Creative DirectoR mark paul deren : madsteez madsteez@madsteez.com
assistant editor delon isaacs delon@blisssmag.com
EDITOR AT LARGE liz rice mcCray liz@blisssmag.com
SNOW EDITOR jon francis jon@blisssmag.com
MUSIC EDITOR max ritter max@blisssmag.com
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contributing Photographers
Jason Kenworthy, Dominic Petruzzi, Daniel Russo, Toby Ogden, Tom Carey, Brian Beilmann, Jack Coleman, Andrew Mapstone, Adam Moran, Dave Nelson, Pat Eichstaedt, Julien Lecorps, Ryan Boyes, Zach Hooper, Tim Peare, Michael Lallande, Bob Plumb, Peter Morning, Bryce Kanights, Arto Sarri, Anthony Acosta, Cameron Strand, Brian Fick, Deville Nunns, Gage Thompson, Derek Bahn, Tom Cozad, Bruce Beach, Robbie Crawford, Ryan Donahue, Joe Foster, Sean Sullivan, Delon Isaacs
contributors
Willie Marshall, Daniel Russo, Jason Arnold, Greg Escalante, Nathan Spoor, Tom Carey, Travis Millard, David Choe, Kai Garcia, Mickey Neilsen, Peter Townend, Hamilton Endo, Tawnya Schultz, Mike Murciano, Geoff Shively, Casey Holland, Steve Stratton, Robbie Sell, Andrew Miller, Pat Towersey, Raul Montoya, Ian Dodge, Richie Olivares, Eric Meyers, Kelly Shannon, JP Olson, Bruce Beach
APRIL 2016 BL!SSS Magazine 413 31st Street Newport Beach, CA 92663 www.blisssmag.com Disclaimer: Although all best efforts are made to avoid the same, we reserve the right to publish unintentional mistakes and/or factual errors which may occur on a monthly basis. No responsibility is assumed by the publishers for unsolicited materials/articles/letters/ advertising and all submissions will be treated as unconditionally assigned for publication and copyright and/or appropriate licensing purposes subject to Blisss’ right to edit and comment editorially. The views and opinions expressed in this magazine reflect the opinions of their respective authors and are not necessarily those of the publisher or the editorial team. Blisss Magazine reserves the right to accept or reject any advertising matter which may reflect negatively on the integrity of the magazine. No part of this magazine may be reproduced in any form [print or electronic] without prior written consent from the publisher.
Marilyn Minter, Pop Rocks (detail), 2009; Collection of Danielle and David Ganek
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RVCA X BIRDWEL COLLECTION
Made in the USA, baby! An all-new surf apparel collaboration made straight from Birdwell’s factory in Santa Ana, where you can drive down the 55-Freeway past RVCA headquarters to surf Newport Beach. Birdwell Beach Britches are the epitome of an honest, American-made business, and they have been making highquality surf trunks in California since 1961. RVCA is proud to have collaborated with such an authentic neighboring brand. The RVCA X Birdwell collections are timeless pieces constructed by sewing difficult fabrics to produce a durable product, with an artistic and creative VA approach. It sure has been a pleasure to watch RVCA advocates like Ellis, Ford and Al stepping back into the ‘70s shredding in product that looks like it was made specifically for them.
VANS X AVE SIGNATURE FOOTWEAR AND APPAREL COLLECTION
Our reigning “Skater of the Year,” Anthony Van Engelen, has just launched the signature AV Rapidweld Pro sneaker with Vans, along with a few complementing apparel pieces for this spring season. This new shoe model combines timeless design elements with one of our favorite sneakers, the Old Skool, with all new innovative technologies for a higher performance skate silhouette. Features include a stitch-less Rapidweld shell, a Duracap upper reinforcement, and a Luxliner for maximum comfort. Supporting pieces include the AV Holser Windbreaker, a selection of bold bottoms including black and white denim pants, a pair of walk shorts and a variety of tops. The spring Anthony Van Engelen collection is distinguished by the custom AV eagle crest-labeling package across the entire lineup.
GIRL SKATEBOARDS SPIKE JONZE SERIES
Probably one of the most important series of deck graphics of the year, Girl Skateboards has collaborated with co-founder and Oscar wining writer/director Spike Jonze to release a run of some of the world’s most iconic photographs ever found on wood. This series consist of five unique boards graphics featuring portraits of musicians ranging from the Beastie Boys, Nirvana, Karen O, Bjork and Sonic Youth all dating back to the early ‘90s (except Karen O) and all entirely shot by Jonze. The board graphics are so good that it would really be hard to skate one, unless you had doubles of every board, which we advise you to try and hustle. Support your local skateshop and grab a pair of each deck today.
VERTRA X JOHN FLORENCE
Get some water because John John Florence is on fire! Not only did he just win the most coveted big-wave event in the world (Eddie would) and continues to blow our mind at every stop on the WSL, but he now joins the roster alongside Mick Fanning, Dusty Payne, Taylor Knox, and Shane Dorian for Vertra sun care products. If you surf you probably already know Vertra, but in case you don’t it’s some of the best sunscreen out there, made for watermen and by watermen. It’s crazy how dangerous that sun actually is, so next time you hit the beach make sure you Vertra up and keep yourself protected for years to come.
OURCASTE LEWIS DUFFLE
If you’re looking for the perfect duffle bag for any and every occasion, we’ve got ya covered. The boys and girls over at ourCaste just dropped off the new 30L Lewis Duffle from their latest waterproof collection. Rugged enough to be strapped on to your motorcycle, waterproofed for the elements, big enough for your camp gear, yet refined enough for a weekend getaway at the Parker in Palm Springs, this is the only duffle you’ll need for 2016. It’s made from 500D PVC Tarpaulin, seam welded and packaged in that sexy matte black finish you’d expect from ourCaste, so head over to your local shop and pick one up today.
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CONVERSE CONS ONE STAR ’74 SNEAKER COLLECTION
Available now, Converse welcomes the One Star ’74 x fragment design collection, incorporating street culture icon, the Godfother of Harajuku, Hiroshi Fujiwara as the collaboration’s front man. The re-crafted One Star ’74 design features premium hairy suede uppers, an organic cotton star logo and iconic fragment design thunderbolt branding highlighted on the heel in volt green. Skate this sneaker, dance this sneaker or just look really good in this sneaker, as the shoe will retail for $100 and will be available at select retailers across the United States.
ALUMINATI TRICAMO LOVE
Spring 2016 sees Aluminati Skateboards continue to pump out weird and wonderful aluminum cruisers for all. From blow-up dolls and chicken and waffles to choppin’ logs and camouflage, Aluminati cruisers continue to be as wild and varied as the people who make and ride them. Available at finer retailers and online at aluminatiboards.com, get some aluminum under your feet today.
FISHWORKS PROVEN PRODUCTS
There are a lot of new brands popping up claiming to be the original fish/surf crossover brand in Southern California. Let’s not forget who did it first and who continues to do it best, Fishworks Clothing. It doesn’t matter if you surf, fish, sail or dive, it’s that connection with the raw and pure energy of Mother Ocean that keeps us coming back for more. Lawrence “Squig” Quigley and the Fishworks brand captured this feeling way back in 1996, and 20 years later continues to deliver the finest, most durable threads out there. But don’t take our word for it, jump on any of Southern California’s overnight fishing vessels and check out what the captain and crew are wearing – boom! And be sure to check out all their latest gear at fishworksproducts.com today.
TRIBONG MESCY DREAMS
Just in time for spring and the festival season, Billabong gives us the Tribong Lo Tides Mescy Dreams. This boardshort is made for Surf to Sand and beyond with all the style you’ll ever need. The Mescy comes in a shorter, modern fit with a lasso waistband and side pockets. With three different Tribong color combos available, the Mescy Dreams is a solid choice for any outdoor action you’ll be getting into. Get yourself a pair and get after it, yew!
AMERICA’S FIRST WAVEGARDEN
Rick Kane is probably shitting his pants right knowing that America’s first Wavegarden is set to open next month in Austin, Texas. From the Coors family, Doug Coors, an engineer and a surfer, is bringing an ocean to Middle America, with this 15-year NLand Surf Park project. NLand Surf Park will be the only inland surfing destination in North America for surfers and wave sport enthusiasts from novices to world-class competitors. The lagoon will feature perfectly shaped waves up to sixfeet in height, every 60 seconds with a lengthy surfing experience of 35 seconds per wave, all self-sustainable and supplied by rainwater. So if you haven’t been able to squeal your way into Slater’s wave pool, grab your 10-gallon hat and start heading to Austin.
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Tatiana Weston-Webb
#GoTati
left to right • Active, Revolt Denim - $54.99, activerideshop.com • Billabong, Outsider Slim - $69.95, billabong.com • Hurley, ’84 Slim Twill - $70, hurley.com • ourCaste, Paul - $90, ourCaste.com • Quiksilver, Revolver Best Straight Fit - $69.50, quiksilver.com • Roark, Thomas Surplus Denim - $86, roark.com • RVCA, Hitcher Cropped Taper Denim - $65, rvca.com • Lira, Vintage Denim Jogger - $60, liraclothing.com • Volcom, vorta jeans -$55, volcom.com
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@805BEER SEE THE MATT NOBLE STORY AND MORE AT 805BEER.COM
interview • liz rice mccray
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Thani Mara is an illustrator who lives and works in Barcelona. Thank you Thani for taking the time to answer our questions, and thanks to Google for the translation. Make sure to check out more of Thani Mara’s beautiful ‘70s bohemian style illustrations on Instagram @thanimara. The women in your illustrations radiate with bohemian ‘70s style. Will you tell us about the subjects of your paintings? I want my work to reflect a bit of what I am and the way I see life, so my artwork is a lot about my personal tastes. It is a way to express myself on paper freely. I am very influenced by the music and the aesthetics of the ‘70s and that’s what I expose in my artwork. I try not to limit myself. I do what I get at the time and I’m not afraid to change, experiment with
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various techniques and styles that make it more dynamic, but always remain true to myself. Is there an element of self-portraiture in your work? Drawing people who are different gives us the ability to transmit something. For me, the beauty is more than a perfect physical traits attitude, so I paint people as a matter with which I identify. Maybe there’s a bit like a self-portrait involved. Will you please elaborate on your consistent influences? I often spend hours taking pictures. I am continually looking at blogs, searching the net and looking around me. Any kind of thing serves as inspiration, even a color palette can create a drawing. I have no direct influence of someone
in particular, perhaps a mixture of a lot of people I admire – from photographers, painters and even film. Do you have any upcoming projects you can share with us? Right now I have two exhibitions in Spain and a new personal project with a friend that makes me really happy, where fashion and illustration mingle. Where can people check out your art? There are shops in Barcelona and Tenerife where you can directly buy my prints. Soon I will make a virtual store where you can order and buy directly. For now you can email me directly at infothanimara@gmail.com where I ship all over the world. More works can be seen on Instagram @ thanimara or Twitter @Thani_Mara.
eidonsurf.com
Live | Travel | Surf
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“In 1989 the feminist Guerrilla Girls discovered that fewer than 5% of the modern works in the Metropolitan Museum in New York were by women, but 85% of the nudes were female.” During the Q&A part of a lecture I gave at Miami University, I was asked if I would consider painting more men. This isn’t the first time I’ve been asked this. The short answer is, “Not anytime soon.” And here is why: First of all, I am a female who relates to feminine western culture. My psyche innately reflects and reacts to that of typical feminine society (along with the rest of my quirky, divine, and unique sense of self). But as I don’t have the experience of a man (though we all share the same emotions and various
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traits), and as my work is psychological in nature, I cannot as easily access the emotional struggles and psychological well of the masculine as I do the well of the feminine. However, I can certainly empathize for the plight and stigmas that men carry around: the pressure to “man up,” desensitize, never cry, win the bread for the family, scoff at the harmless color we call pink, etcetera. Gender equality is a spectrum that affects both men and women, and as Emma Watson said in her address to the UN, “Men do not have the benefit of equality either.” I am not afraid to delve into and expose the raw strength, the sensitivity and the core of what it means to me to be a woman. I am not afraid to be vulnerable. I am not afraid of criticism. In fact, I welcome it. I welcome it because I know I am
painting from a sincere place in my heart. I do it to elucidate little truths that get me through each day in this life as me, as a female, as a sensitive individual with ADD, as a person. I welcome criticism if it inspires critical thinking. People are doing important work right now to end violence toward women and promote healthy gender equality. I’ve got my hands full with the work I’m doing. My hope is that men (or women) who understand the deep struggles of what it means to function as “male” in this society will have the guts to put it on canvas. Because I gotta tell ya, I’m interested in seeing more of what it means to be truly masculine... yin and yang and all.
interview • liz rice mccray
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Ok let’s start out. What are a few of your favorite things? There are new and practical things, old and sentimental things, as well as things that seem to have a personality and life of their own. For instance, brand new paintbrushes, especially #0 Sablettes, which I buy by the dozen because I wear them out so fast, are great for painting precise details. Besides the fantastic feeling of being able to meticulously control paint, just knowing I have a bunch of new brushes on standby makes me feel good. In the old and sentimental category, I treasure the lamp on my nightstand in the bedroom that my grandfather made by drilling a hole into a glass brandy bottle. My mother told me that he broke a bunch of bottles until he got the hole right. It reminds me to keep trying and connects me to all of my early childhood memories of him. Then, there are the numerous objects that I include as characters in the still life’s that I paint. The real special ones reoccur in my work. For example, there is a tiny ceramic yellow chick that belonged to my childhood friend’s grandmother, Norma. If you look closely at the “Heaven” and “Earth” paintings, as well as many other works which I have done in the past, you’ll see it. I love including Norma’s chick in still life’s because it adds this little viewer into the scene, a viewer who is perhaps curious, innocent and very small compared to the world around them. It’s a little creature I can relate to. Watching your film/painting “Temple Dog” got us thinking about your creative process. Will you share with us your start to finish? Sure, I have fun. Sometimes I have a general idea, so I gather things that I think may be useful. In the case of the
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“Temple Dog” painting, I was inspired by my friend Pat Daugherty’s New York Electric Piano song “Temple Dog,” sung by Deanna Kirk, so I got together lots of glassware to build a temple, a little praying girl figurine, to represent the voice of the song, and a black ceramic poodle to be the majestic object of desire. In general, I play around with objects on a tabletop, rearranging them, adding and subtracting them and studying how they look until I arrive at a composition I like. I adjust the lights and get all of the shadows just right. Then I stretch the canvas to an appropriate size, prime it, and get to work painting the still life from direct observation. Sometimes I paint in the quiet, or while listening to Dharma talks given by Thai forest monks, or standup comedians, or whatever else I might be interested in at any given moment. Every night I take a snapshot of the work so I know how many days it takes to paint it, and I can see the progress made each day. I take snap shots of details while I’m working and post them to Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. Then when I finish, with a feeling of relief, I remove the objects from the still life area and start again. Tell us about the bow paintings. I’ve been painting bows a lot because I like the way they look, but I also like all of the meanings that they suggest to me. For starters, the gift-bow can signify the mystery of life, or enlightenment to the present moment, or the exciting time before you get what you want, or it can be a symbol of desire, or a metaphor for potential, or an object of decorative frivolity void of meaning altogether. Depending on where I place the gift-bow in the context of a still life, it may represent the moon, a star, the sun or a part of the landscape. Meditative states and thoughts
about the unborn, timeless and spaceless awareness are on my mind, and I project these sensations onto the bow as well. Specifically, my “Reign Bow” painting is like the universe of my mind. It was very challenging to paint. You can hold the actual bow in your hand, and I enlarged the scale of it many times over, painting it from life on a 4.5 x 6-foot canvas. I kept getting lost looking at the repetitive structure, the color changes, the shifts in shadow, reflections and transparencies. I had to focus all my energy to see it clearly and paint what I was seeing. For me, “Reign Bow” was the star of “Stealth Peace,” my solo show at Nancy Margolis Gallery in NYC. It was like an anchor that beckoned from the back wall of the gallery, “Hey folks, over here, this is it!” Do you do any commissioned paintings? Yes, besides working on specific painting projects for fashion companies, like Donna Karan, Urban Zen, and Hermes, I also do commissions for collectors and friends. If you look at the commissions page on my website you can see a variety, from still life’s to album covers. I even painted a friend’s cat posed like a human, wearing clothes. After this Hermes job is finished I may be working on a commissioned painting of billiard eight balls and a portrait of my cousin’s dog. Who knows what else… Maybe a museum show will present itself, and I’ll have to focus all of my energy on it – that would be cool! Where can people check out your art? People can check it out on my website, MelodieProvenzano.com, or in person at Nancy Margolis Gallery, 523 W 25th Street in NYC. Thank you so much for the interview, Liz.
photography • dominic petruzzi • @dominicpetruzzi model • hannah kirkelie • @hannahkirkelie hair & makeup • beth carter • @bethcartermua
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john florence • photo • servais
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The 2015-2016 season celebrated the 31st Annual Quiksilver in Memory of Eddie Aikau Big-Wave event. And on February 25th, 2016, with the official El Niño season in full-effect, the Eddie was on. For the first time in seven years, and only the ninth time in the contest’s 31-year lifespan, the 2016 “Eddie” went down as the biggest in the event’s history. The Eddie is Hawaii’s original and most coveted big-wave event, and the 28 invitees ranged from 22-year-old Koa Rothman to Eddie’s younger brother, 66-year-old Clyde Aikau. With over 25,000 spectators lining every inch of viewing real estate at Waimea Bay, and the millions at home glued to the computer, the eight-hour affair offered more than a few spectacular rides and wipeouts for some all-day, mind-blowing entertainment. With the passing of Hawaii’s big-wave surf legend Brock Little only a week prior, the pristine conditions and XXL size swell, there were many references being thrown around that the day was “Brock’s Swell,” as emotions and energy were still on overload from his recent loss to cancer. Armed with boards nearing 11 feet in length and surf ranging up to the 60-foot mark, all 28 competitors took turns in eight, hour-long heats with potential scoring on offer for the their top four rides throughout the entire event. All in all there were 141 waves ridden during the event, with the single highest score going to event veteran Ross Clarke-Jones who scored 96 out of 100. But it was the consistency and youthfulness of Hawaii’s golden boy, John John Florence, who would ultimately take home the $75,000 first-place prize purse, but more importantly the honor of being called the champion at the world’s most prestigious big-wave surf event. The Quiksilver In Memory of Eddie Aikau really captures the soul of what any surf event should aspire to be like. It’s the epitome of the brotherhood of surfing, with everyone looking out for one another, pushing each other to their waveriding limits. Respect should also be given to the world famous Hawaii Water Patrol, whose safety support and assistance assured that every surfer returned home to their families safe and sound that night. Who knows when Mother Nature will allow the Eddie to run again, but one thing is for sure: the 2016 Eddie is gonna be remembered for a long, long time. RESULTS 1st • John John Florence 2nd • Ross Clarke-Jones 3rd • Shane Dorian 4th • Jamie Mitchell 5th • Kelly Slater
THE STORY OF EDDIE AIKAU Eddie Aikau was the first official lifeguard at Waimea Bay, on Oahu’s North Shore, and at the same time developed a reputation as one of the best bigwave riders in the world. Partnering with his younger brother/lifeguard Clyde, the pair never lost a life on their watch. Eddie surfed every major swell to come through the North Shore from 1967 to 1978. He attained a rank of 12th in the world on the early IPS pro surfing rankings. His best contest result was a win in the 1977 Duke Kahanamoku Invitational Surfing Championship. Aikau was among a handful selected to join the cultural expedition of the Polynesian voyaging canoe Hokule’a, which set sail from Magic Island, Oahu, bound for Tahiti, on March 16, 1978. Hokule’a soon encountered treacherous seas outside the Hawaiian Islands and the canoe capsized. After a wild night adrift, Aikau set off on his paddleboard on March 17 in search of help for his stranded crewmembers. He was never seen again. The ensuing search for Aikau was the largest air-sea search in Hawaiian history.
What was your childhood like, and how did you start your artistic career? From an early age, I liked to draw and I was good at crafts. As a child, I made comics, and in adolescence I drew with Rotring pens and other old-fashioned ink pens. I was also good at watercolor, and in middle school I entered many youth design competitions promoted by neighborhood newspapers, companies and cultural entities. Among my awards were a bike, art courses, airfare, trips abroad and cash prizes. This encouraged me to do more and to improve my technique. During the time I attended the School of
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Architecture and Urbanism at the University of S達o Paulo, I continued to submit works to competitions. This is how, at the age of 25, I had the honor of participating as a Brazilian artist in the 21st S達o Paulo International Biennale. It was also around this time that I decided to leave the country in search of adventure. I moved to Tokyo, where by day I worked in an architectural firm, and by night and on weekends, devoted time to my art. I was young and eager, and worked 60- to 70-hour weeks. Thus began my career as an artist.
What is the process behind the creation of a painting? Before I start anything on a blank canvas, I spend some time thinking about and researching content. I read texts, watch movies, and visit sites to get a better sense of what I am to depict. Following this, I complete a visual search: I take inspiration from media materials, images online, photos, publications, and of course my own memory and imagination. I also like to look at old paintings and learn much from both Oriental and Occidental works. In this way, I layer thoughts to create my image.
What would you tell youth who want to pursue an artistic career? Anything you want to do well in this world will not be easy to do. Easy success is usually synonymous with ephemerality. To be a professional artist is to work hard to hone one’s ideas and technique. Do not believe too strongly in what teachers have to say. They may serve as reference, but it is crucial that creativity is born within you. Too much information often ends up hindering the development of the natural instinct. Get up early and focus on your work for at least 40 hours a week. It may sound like a heavy load, but that still leaves about 80 hours a week for relaxing, dating and other diversions. Visiting the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam, I was struck by the sheer quantity of works that Mr. Gogh painted. To reach the numbers
he did, he must have completed roughly a painting a week for every week of his adult years. It’s also important to keep up a habit of studying (foreign languages, computing, business management, etc.) and to keep yourself updated in other fields. Being an artist is like being part of any other profession. It’s unrealistic to expect divine inspiration to hit at regular intervals and make your career for you. Ultimately, it is the amount of work you put in that will see you through. Living outside your country of origin is certainly a good learning experience, but don’t kid yourself: life as an artist is difficult anywhere in the world. Outside your homeland, it may be even more so because you will have to compete with local artists.
interview • grant hatfield You have a unique perspective on the surfing culture as a participant, observer, team manager and photographer. What are the moments that inspire you to pick up your camera and shoot while on a trip? Are there particular things that consistently catch your eye? For me, it’s just recognizing moments that contain beauty or hold emotion, and it happens around us everyday. I love shooting the in-between moments, quick gestures or instances with a little charisma. I always romanticize the tours professional skateboarders go on – they’re epic road trips. Moments you love, hate, are annoyed by, make you sad, there’s plenty of curveballs that can hit you on the road. And that’s when these moments happen, while you’re dealing.
Your upcoming show at Paul Loya Gallery has an interesting title. How did you come up with “Peregrines” to describe this body of work? Growing up surfing in Southern California, I spent a lot of time going up and down the coast on quick surf trips, usually crashing at friends’ houses, meeting new people, being exposed to art and different culture. That’s what makes the surfing and skateboarding communities so special is the fact that by doing an activity you’re part of a huge family. You can span the earth, meet people that do the same things as you, and be welcomed into their world, crash on their couch, and get to experience their world. I realized that surfers are Peregrines. Most people will immediately think of the Peregrine Falcon, which are found all over
the world from the arctic to tropical environments, just like surfers... Traveling all over this planet to experience new waves and the foreign lands they’re home to. Is it true that you printed all of your black-and-white photos in your own personal dark room? Why not do it the easy way and send it to a lab for prints? I did print all the black-and-whites for this show. Shooting film is a process. It’s not as immediate as digital photography, but that’s why I enjoy it. When shooting film, you aren’t constantly looking down at the screen on your camera. You shoot a photo and continue on. That’s something I really like about analog photography; it keeps you in the present. It’s also extremely satisfying to be able to shoot a photo and make a print yourself. It’s great to see the process from start to finish.
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noosa
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Out of all of the photographers I know you have the most gear. If you had to narrow your arsenal down to one camera which one would it be and why? I think acquiring camera gear is kind of a disease. It’s fun to use new equipment, lenses, or cameras you don’t get to shoot with a lot. So there’s always this want for new equipment. If I could only use one camera for the rest of my life, I would probably use my Leica M6 rangefinder. They’re compact and easy to tote around over your shoulder. Another nice feature (aside from great glass) is that they’re super quiet, so candid photos become much easier to snap. Who influences you in the respective surf and street photography worlds? There are so many in both of those worlds... surf culture photographers that have impacted me would be Art Brewer, LeRoy Grannis, Jeff Divine, John Witzig, Thomas Campbell and
robin
George Greenough. Richard Graham has amazing images; he was one of the founders of Surfing Magazine (along with Grannis). He captured a lot of environmental portraits that are spectacular. That’s a lot of that kind of photography that I find interest in, what’s happening out of the water, and how certain people exist on land. Craig Stecyk is without a doubt a massive influence as well. Warren Bolster did amazing work; I believe his image was used on Ride’s iconic debut album Nowhere. In the street world, Bruce Davidson, Bill Burke, Joseph Sterling, Jim Goldberg, Joseph Szabo, Lee Friedlander... There are so many
people that make great images. The list could go on forever. Your last zine from Deadbeat Club, Spotlight On Your Shadow, came out in 2014. Can we expect anything new from you coming down the pipe in 2016? I have a few things in the works at the moment, but nothing solid enough to go in depth on. I’ve spent the last couple of months shooting and working on the prints for Peregrines. That’s been my main focus. I’m really excited for this show to come together.
interview • liz rice mccray This month we had the pleasure of interviewing Yoshimitsu Umekawa, a photographer who lives and works in Tokyo. Yoshimitsu Umekawa was a pleasure to interview, and you can check out more of his photos at www.umekawayoshimitsu.com. Thank you Yoshimitsu Umekawa for taking the time to answer our questions. It appears your interest and inclination toward photography started at a young age. How did you get started taking photos? I frequently went to a gallery in Tokyo when I was 19
culture magazines or music, was getting smaller because of the economic problems in Japan, especially the economic downturn precipitated by the Lehman Brothers bankruptcy in 2008. And now the commercial art, which chooses safer options like coping from overseas, is less interesting.
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to 20 years old, and I got to help some workshops of a French photographer who is a famous surrealism artist, Irina Ionesco, to do her work in Japan. Then, I traveled by myself to Paris to show my works to French photographers, the late Jeanloup Sieff and Irina Ionesco, who are famous in the fashion and the documentary fields, and I got a chance to take some photos. That was the time that I started to face photography seriously. How long were you a freelance photographer before
similar things somewhere, made with my art.
In 2012 I started to do my own work, free in Japan as a collection and a poster, and overseas I made public my “Incarnations Series” I am working on through magazines as media. I still do works in the commercial field, but from 2012 I mainly did my works based on my concept, thinking separately from the commercial works.
What do you call these colorful, apocalyptic, trippy photos? How do you create the swirling “mushroom cloud?” I named them “Incarnations.” I drop inks in a water tank. It starts with the simple action technically. Then, I’m adding lighting skills that I have built up over many years. When lighting, I use colored filters on the strobe, which means I put colors when shooting, not when doing with PC. Taking many shots, I pick up some I like, and retouching and digital developing, which is my work process.
The reason why I still have to do works in the commercial field is cultural problems in Japan. Social status of art and artists is still considered extremely low. Selling pieces as artwork does not happen often and it is not possible for professionals to live a life without relying on commission works from the commercial field. Frankly speaking, it needs to work for other people. It can be sold as clothes and products, which people see
Was the mushroom cloud your intention? Will you tell us about the series? The series of Incarnations was born by chance when I took shots in 2012 for making data of commercial work. Through the series, with photos, I composed an illustrated book of monsters I drew in my childhood. These photos, piece by piece, have characters. The series reminds some people of atomic bombs or
you started focusing on creating your own art? In 1999, I started to work as a freelance photographer. I brought my works to editors and art directors in culture or music magazines to have them look at it. Getting gradually my works known by people, in 2002 to 2003, I had more works of covers of magazines and music CD jackets. In 2007 to 2008, I had done many, which I thought was over my capacity. Since then, however, I went away from “commercial art.” Back then the commercial art in Japan was more interesting than “fine art,” but the power of the media, such as interesting
Fukushima disaster but that was not my intention. As long as I work in Japan, I think those facts affect me, which is not a little. I felt intuitively, when the series was born in 2012, that it would be the most important work of mine. I believe that one from my instinct is better than one from an idea with trial and error. One element of your photographs that affect me greatly is your use of light. How do you create that play of light in your mind? When lighting, I use 4 strobes maximum. It’s done experimentally with the lighting that I don’t use in shooting for a human figure. Sometimes it’s done as expected, and sometimes not, but I enjoy myself with all my works. What size are these photographs? 100 cm x 100 cm, or smaller in the past group exhibitions that I had. It is the largest size that can be printed with a photographic paper, which I think is the
best. In the U.S., I think it is 180 cm. I want to do a big solo exhibition with such a big size. I like the bigger prints that a wall can be covered with. How has your photography evolved, and are you going in new directs now? Step by step I have walked forward on the photography road. A small cut in a magazine first and then a bit bigger one as a full page, and then a cover, and then… I have been affected by some artists in Japan and abroad that I love and respect and I learned from them. Tomoo Gokita, he is one of them, and he is a
good friend of mine for 15 years. We sometimes go out for a drink. I will start to do sculpture work because I want to visualize 3D parts that are not possible to express in photography. And I want to show my works with bigger size, like a wall covered to the public in San Francisco! Offering my art works or doing events, anything I can collaborate with you, I would love to do. Do you have any upcoming projects you can share with us? I am sorry, no, I don’t. Actually, I now need places that I show my series Incarnations to the public, which
means solo exhibitions. For that, I seek galleries or agents overseas, as I am an artist who doesn’t belong to any galleries now. And sponsors that offer budgets for the bigger size photos with framed. I think it’s time that I move my work base from Japan to abroad. Anyway, what I want the most now is that I show my works with bigger size to the public in solo exhibitions in the U.S. Where can people check out your photography? Instagram is now where you can check out most of my works, @yoshimitsu_umekawa. Website and Facebook are also where you can see, www.umekawayoshimitsu.com and facebook.com/YoshimitsuUmekawa. It’s basically all on the Internet.
ellis ericson
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interview • delon isaacs Yeah, Gooch Man! How are things? How was Japan and your big photo exhibition over there? Were there a lot of big smiles and peace signs and Japanese birds or what? Yo! Good, busy. I’m loving it though. I’m in Sapporo right now shooting a pretty big job out here with a bunch of snowboarders. It’s super different. The exhibition went super well; great turnout, family and friends came along to see my latest body of work, which was rad. I think I was throwing more peace signs and smiles; my face was hurting the following morning, haha. You’ve taken a very unique and interesting position with surf photography, so where did this all start? When did you first pick up a camera and when did it kind of just stick? I just freeze moments I see, in the ocean and out. I never did it to be different, or I at least never thought I could ever make a living out of this to support myself. I firstly started out photographing skateboarding at 14 at my local skate park, just shooting friends most afternoons after school and it grew on me until I swapped to photographing surfing when I was 16, I think. I still shoot a lot of skating when I can.
josh kerr
Do you remember the fist photo you sold? Yes. It’s super funny, it was one of the first days I ever shot surf and my local point break was absolutely smoking this day... The water was really brown from the summer rain we’d had all week. I stood on the rocks for hours and hours until I had filled my memory and headed home. There was this one photo that I always will remember. It was actually of one of my really good friends Harrison Roach who at the time I didn’t know. I sent it to him and he was stoked on it. I sent it onto an online surfing forecast site and they wanted to run it as their online magazine cover. I’m pretty sure I got $50 bucks but I couldn’t believe it.
wade goodall
ian cosenza
What’s the gear like? Have you solidly locked down all the equipment you need or are you constantly trying new cameras and mediums? I’m shooting digi and film. I’m trying to shoot 50/50 but work relies on urgency these days so I’m constantly finding myself shooting more digi than I wish to. I’ve just recently been picked up by Nikon to be an ambassador, which is cool. I’m trying out all of the newest bodies and lenses. A lot of photographers seem to get their big break having a good arsenal of test subject friends to photograph and kind of learn. Do you have a solid crew of subjects you’ve always shot? Of course. I still photograph them and they are the most enjoyable days photographing. Have you started developing a book, or have you made any zines or publications with your photos? Can people buy any prints of your photos right now? I’m in the middle of creating a coffee table book with Deus. I’m also trying to complete a bunch of personal projects like zines, books and exhibitions for this year. I think I have another seven exhibitions this year globally. But yeah, I sell a lot of prints on the side; it’s a good little business. julian wilson
Where is your favorite place to travel and take photos? I love Japan. There’s something about it here and that’s a huge reason why I’m living here now. Are there any other fields or different types of outlets of photography you would like to get more involved in – skate, fashion, parkour, etc.?
harrison roach
Plenty. I love journalism and documentarystyle photography. There’s a combination of emotion and realness brought visually into a photograph, which draws me into wanting to document situations that we are all oblivious to. What’s the rest of the year got in store for you? I’m off to Chile soon, then Morocco, Liberia and hopefully Russia (Siberia) and another handful of exhibitions and other solid jobs. This year has been quite a jump from last year.
husni ridhwan
photos • liam annis Established in 1630, Boston, Massachusetts, is now home to 7.6 million different people, and it is the location of over 100 different colleges in the greater Boston area. But what’s more attractive than all those young girls that roam the streets is the skate scene, and its accessibility to so many famous street spots. I say famous due to videos like PJ Ladd’s Wonderful Horrible Life, City People 1 & 2, Know The Ledge Vol 1 & 2, Eastern Standard Time and Thrasher Skate & Destroy, which showcase a great era of skating in the Boston streets. More recently Orchard’s Stone Soup and The RAW video have surfaced with recent street footage. For weekly random shit look up #eggsreport on Instagram for insight on the cloud of smoke along the Charles River. Boston holds a pretty core skate scene, with three different skate shops: Orchard, Concepts, and Max Hesh. There’s also the handful of plaza-like spots that represent the local talent. The city offers a pretty awesome downtown area starting with Eggs, Aquarium, Navy Yard, Window Sills, and Copley, which are all within a few miles. Even with so many spots filling downtown, the neighboring towns/cities that make up greater Boston give an even deeper bag of places to explore and get your tricks down. Do not sleep on such a place as Boston, or we will be aggressively waking you up until you cry with joy and the fear of missing out on one of the USA’s oldest respected cities. With videos being filmed left and right and the opening of New England’s largest outdoor skatepark, this is a place you will not be able to miss.
nate stuart • kick flip
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Dear Reader, Boston has four seasons: skating, skating, skating and no skating. For the three skatable seasons Boston is prime and has been for a long time. While getting our last nice days in, I asked my friend Ariel if he thought skating in Boston was better now or when we grew up. He believed we experienced the better parts of Boston, naming the lists of spots gone; he was persuasive with his argument: “Turtles, C-bowl, Boston City hospital, Somerville High, Rindge and Latin, Heavens and ZT Maximus.” The spots ranged from granite ledges at Rindge to the natural transitions of Boston City Hospital and Turtles to the 12-foot walls of the C-Bowl. ZT Maximus was the indoor source of retreat from many a New England winter. The memories provided by these spots are etched in generations of skaters. Skateboarding has changed the landscape of Boston like it has many cities, and for better or for worse we continue to prosper. As skateboarding evolves and grows so does Boston skating. Boston’s current scene is healthy. No cell phones are needed for locals to meet up – simply go to Eggs. Eggs was originally skate-stopped but an angel uncapped them all over a period of time. Local meet-up spots before Eggs were Aquarium or Windows, while Copley and Needles provided previous generations a chance to link up. Meet-up spots can be a vortex sucking you
ariel perl • 5050 over the water
brenndan manning • kick flip
jacob jackumauh • ollie
ed driscoll • b.s 180
in for an all-day event, but getting sucked into to skating granite ledges and flat ground for most is perfect. Bostonians are happy staying in the clouds where granite meets wood and metal along the River Charles. Those that seek more leave, but the average run-of-the-mill local yokel isn’t moving till the staties show up or it gets dark. Skateboarding and Boston did have a time lag concerning popularity up until now. As skateboarding became trendy and ever
tommy wisdom • ollie
shawn macmillan • switch krook
devin woelfel f.s 180 fakie 5-0 180 out
growing in the mainstream, the average Bostonian was concerned with local sports as the college kids started to accept skaters more and more. Now the number one dive bar in the city, Biddy Early’s, also is the skate bar. It was the luck of the Irish when skateboarding twins from Quincy took over their Father’s bar in the late 2000s. Girls go there on the weekends. Orchard’s art space hosts monthly art shows and parties, and girls go. Boston finally got a skatepark just this month; the Lynch Family Skatepark is finished. Converse recently
brian delaney • b.s krook
brian reid • f.s lip slide curt daley • bump 5-0
moved their entire operations into the city, buying and renovating a building on the Charles down from Eggs, and New Balance just built a brand new headquarters in the opposite direction. Additionally, Vans dropped cash to get the park finalized. These corporations are in skateboarding for the long haul, and so Boston will be housing them and their employees. Skateboarding has come a long way here in Boston.
emmet blieler • fastplant into bank
Staties and Boston PD are likely to take a little extra time to let you know about the skatepark. So do I agree with Ariel? The spots were fun, being an outsider was fun, but Eggs is fun too. Difficult question when you’re trying to enjoy the moment. I concluded at the time not to think too hard and just skate. -zeb weisman
Now skateboarding and Boston are friends; they might not double tap every post but they follow each other. You will still get kicked out of spots, but people just might take interest while it’s going on and support you. Who knows, maybe an attractive supporter will be at a party, but the
zeb weisman • switch krook
nick rudzinski • 5050 pop
MARILYN MINTER: PRETTY/DIRTY On view April 2 – July 10, 2016 Orange County Museum of Art, 850 San Clemente Drive, Newport Beach
interview • linda yablonsky
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Marilyn Minter is rarely alone in her studio, a capacious loft in a commercial building on the edge of Manhattan’s garment district. It’s humming on the bitter day in January when I arrive for lunch. Six assistants are at work on computers, or applying the first of many layers of paint to new works, or testing temporary tattoos for a new video, or preparing for a visit from a group of collectors. “This is why I can’t get any work done here,” Minter tells me. She’s not lamenting her success, which was a long time coming. She’s 66 years young and enjoying it. She paints at the country
house she shares with Bill Miller, a retired stockbroker and her husband since 1991. “He’s the love of my life,” she says. This is all very different from the late 1980s, when Minter was a pariah in the art world and working alone in her SoHo studio. That’s where I first saw the striking photographs she took of her mother in 1969 and never exhibited in New York. In 1995, they anchored an evening of readings that I organized for The Drawing Center. Since then, nothing has been the same for either one of us.
Marilyn Minter, Orange Crush, 2009; Collection of John and Amy Phelan
You’ve said that you grew up with an alcoholic, pill-popping mother. She was a drug addict. Alcohol made her sick, but she still got drunk whenever she went out. She was always on drugs – pills, mostly. Did that somehow influence your becoming an artist? I started making art practically as soon as I could walk. I remember drawing Brownies – baby Girl Scouts – with two other girls. I could draw better than they could and whoa! That was the first time I could do anything better than other people. When did you start showing in New York? I started with Gracie Mansion in collaboration with Christof Kohlhofer. We did two shows of image sandwiches – he would paint on top of me. This was 1984 and ‘86. We were both high as kites. Tell me about the porn paintings you showed in New York at Max Protech. They’re quite explicit. And they border on photorealism. Yeah, with enamel though. And I let it drip. They were what got me kicked out of the art world. Nobody bought them. I got excoriated in the press, because I was a pro-sex feminist, a traitor to feminism. This was in 1989-1992, the middle of political correctness. I had seen the Mike Kelley show at Metro Pictures, the stuffed animals. I thought it was brilliant. I thought that if a woman artist had done it no one would give her the time of day. And I thought, “What is the subject matter that women never do? Porn.” But it had to be hardcore porn, I thought, “You gotta do cum shots in the face. See what happens. Does it change the meaning?” I believed that no one had politically correct fantasies. I’m surprised that people objected, because you were taking control of a territory dominated by men. Duh! I’ll give you the reviews! I was just excoriated, a traitor to feminism. The gallery closed the show a week early. They were embarrassed. It was a nightmare. I had some defenders – Larry Clark and Jack Pierson and Cady Noland. And you. You put me in that show at The Drawing Center. But that wasn’t until 1995 and it was only for one night. I know, but that changed everything. Because of that, Postmasters [Gallery in Manhattan’s Tribeca neighborhood] showed the whole body of that work and all of a sudden people had to rethink, because if you come from dysfunction you can be taken seriously as an artist. Before that, I was a party girl from the ‘80s and then, all of a sudden I’m successful. Then I do this hardcore porn and then I’m this party girl again, and supporting the patriarchy. This is how the world saw me until I showed photos of my mother. It’s such a cliché. Sometimes you can tell instantly when something is important, but it can take 20 years or more to understand how it works in the context of everything else. Art from the ‘70s or ‘80s can look very powerful now. Isn’t it interesting? Because we’re not looking at it so emotionally, so we can now see the art for what it is. So people may call your porn paintings boring again, because it’s all over the Internet and so everyday that it’s almost a vernacular of painting. Exactly. You’re a pioneer, Marilyn. Well, that’s a great way to look at it. How does popular culture feed your creative process? It’s like food. I really believe in making art from the time I live in. I regurgitate it. I made the video, Green Pink Caviar, to put in movie theaters but only one did, Sunshine Cinema. That’s right around the time I had my second solo show with Salon 94, in 2006. ************************************************************************************
“I really believe in making art from the time I live in.”
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Marilyn Minter, Private Eye, 2013; Courtesy the artist and Regen Projects, Los Angeles
Marilyn Minter, Not in These Shoes, 2013; Collection of Jeanne Greenberg Rohatyn
The imagery you were making in the late ‘90s to the 2000s – the extreme close-ups and lurid colors – border on the grotesque. The way I was thinking about it was that if you get in close enough, you get rid of narrative. I was going for the least amount of information, yet still have lots of power. Multiple readings. Like when you pull your socks down and there are those lines in your legs. Things like that really interest me. Everyone knows about it but no one’s ever made an image of it. I notice these things. I notice graffiti. I notice what the ads look like underneath it. I notice that sweat makes people look sexier. I’ve always been fascinated by details. So I’m not telling people what to think but I still have content. Multiple meanings. Multiple reads. That’s all I’m interested in, metaphor and paradox. Do you still feel like a young artist? Yeah, I’ll never feel like I’ve got it made. It’ll never happen. And that’s okay. I feel like the constant marginalization was a healthy thing. It keeps me really hungry. ************************************************************************************ Linda Yablonsky covers the international art scene for Artforum, W, and T: The New York Times Style magazines, and is a frequent contributor to ARTnews, Interview, The Art Newspaper, and other publications. Based in New York, she is also the author of The Story of Junk: A Novel, as well as a number of critical essays on contemporary artists. The interview includes excerpts from the exhibition catalog published by Gregory R. Miller & Co. in association with the Contemporary Arts Museum Houston and the Museum of Contemporary Art Denver. Marilyn Minter: Pretty/Dirty is co-organized by the Contemporary Arts Museum Houston and the Museum of Contemporary Art Denver. The exhibition is co-curated by Bill Arning, Director of the Contemporary Arts Museum Houston, and Elissa Auther, Windgate Research Curator, Museum of Arts and Design, New York, and the Bard Graduate Center. The exhibition is supported by generous grants from Gregory R. Miller & Co., Amy and John Phelan, Jeanne Greenburg/Salon 94, and Lizzie and Jonathan Tisch. The OCMA presentation is supported by Robin and Steve Kalota and Diane Stovall.
Marilyn Minter, Glazed, 2009; Collection of Jeanne Greenberg Rohatyn and Nicolas Rohatyn, New York
words • matt myers photos • stevie morissette The room smells of wet towels. There’s sand in your bed, in the sheets and between your toes but you don’t care. You’re still wearing your sunscreen from the day before, and in the distance you can hear the sound of a thundering shoreline. You don’t know what time it is but it’s still dark. Without warning, the lights turn on and you hear the sound of pounding pots and pans. Kekoa Bacalso, the former World Tour competitor and 2009 WSL Rookie of the Year, walks into the room and sarcastically says, “Good morning children, you ready for another day in paradise?” As the girls scamper away giggling, pots in hand. It’s day 9 of 12 at the Rip Curl Grom Camp, and all you want is your Saturday morning cartoons and your mom’s homemade French toast. Waking up in the dark and surfing from sunrise ‘til sunset takes its toll on anyone, even a spry grom. After a minute or two you realize where you are and what you’re trying to
accomplish. You snap out of your French toast daydream, realize the swell has jumped overnight and it’s time to get the wave of your life. Each January, Rip Curl sends its top junior prospects to the North Shore to participate in a training camp. This camp is designed to be a fast track to the steep learning curve that all aspiring professional surfers must endure to make the ‘big time.’ Think about it: to win a World Title you’ve got to be ready for Pipe; to keep a spot on the ‘CT you better be comfortable in those Hawaiian waters; and to even get a spot on tour via the WQS you better have Haleiwa and Sunset dialed. The North Shore is the proving grounds – it always has been and always will be. Why not get a jump-start and put your time in early? And that’s why Rip Curl has packed a house full of 11- to 16-year-olds pursuing their
wyatt mchale
cole alves
dreams. Veteran Kekoa “Bam Bam” Bacalso is leading the way, with the help of North Shore lifeguard Mikey Bruneau, who knows every secret to the Pipe lineup. Mason Ho even drops by the house to keep the kids on their toes. These groms are on the right track! Staying at Rockies has its perks; it’s a dream world for any surfer, offering perfect barreling peaks and rampy air sections. January exploded with the biggest and most consistent run of swells in years, forcing the crew to pack up the car and search for waves as the entire North Shore is barraged with massive closed-out surf. Search Tip: don’t have your board at the bottom of that board stack in Bam’s pick-up truck!
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luke gordon
brisa hennessy
Some of these groms have been here and done this before. Take Luke Gordon, the 16-year-old out of Pawley’s Island, South Carolina; Luke is in his third year at the camp and has come a long way from his early days visiting Hawaii. Luke’s biggest lessons this year were: “How to ditch my board properly so it doesn’t break, as well as you don’t have to sit wide at Pipe to be safe.” Wise words from a kid who snapped three of his five-board quiver in half. The ongoing competition between the groms was over who would get the “Wave of the Trip” award. Every day the crew would watch their video clips and someone was awarded “Wave of the Day,” but the biggest bragging rights went to North Shore local, 14-year-old Wyatt McHale for his unbelievable backdoor pit, complete with a white-water car crash exit. Wyatt pulled through a section only the top pros in the world would be able to escape and somehow dodged the lip and flew out on the other side. A few of the groms were North Shore rookies. Leilani
diego ferri
sean woods
robert grillho
leilani mcgonagle
crosby colapinto
McGonagle of Costa Rica and Sean Woods out of Malibu showed up straight into 8- to 10-foot surf and decided they wanted to surf wild and unruly second-reef Pipe on their first day of the trip. Just surviving the paddle out was victory in itself. Being able to watch Pipe from the lineup first-hand is like nothing else. Some of the hardest chargers of the trip were San Clemente’s Crosby Colapinto and Carlsbad’s Alyssa Spencer. Crosby easily won the daily wipeout award for his hard-charging efforts. The kid isn’t afraid to turn on a bomb or pull into a closeout, an attribute that will lead him into some incredible visions in his future. Twelve-year-old Alyssa, on the other hand, caught the wave of her life on a big morning at Sunset. Unfortunately for Alyssa, the trip came with highs and lows, as an unforeseen ditched surfboard from some kooky old guy almost took her head off, leaving her with a handful of stitches across her hairline. Most impressive was that she took it all with a smile. The rest of the crew included stand-out Hawaiian junior Brisa Hennessy, who during the camp took her first ever WSL Pro-
Junior event win in firing conditions at Sunset Beach. Brisa thanked her growing confidence on surfing bigger boards for getting the win. Cole Alves took the short trip over from Maui and had a helluva time working on his pig-dog. While surfing Pipe, Cole found himself pinned to the bottom and fearing that the next wave would land on him. Luckily his fear didn’t come true and he continued charging day in and day out. The camp’s two youngest were Oahu natives, 11-year-old Diego Ferri and 12-year-old Robert Grillho III. Being able to hang with the older kids helped raise their level of surfing. Heck, just staying at the house for a week without their parents was a good way to grow up quick. These two were standouts and will be leading the Hawaii charge for decades to come. All in all, these groms learned the power of Aloha, what it means to respect the locals, and the importance of a big friendly shaka. Sure, it’s important to know which palm tree to lineup with at Pipe when a second-reef set is showing its teeth, but even more importantly, grom camp is about learning life’s lessons, one step at a time.
alyssa spencer
jeremy leabres • kick flip f.s blunt
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interview • delon isaacs From the look of the skaters you photograph you must live in the LBC. Have you lived there for a while? What’s your special connection to where you live? I’ve been living in Long Beach the past six or seven years but I grew up in Cypress, California, so I have been in this zone my whole life. When did you decide you wanted to get into shooting skate photos and photography in general? I was taking a photo class in high school and it was right around the time my friends started getting ridiculously good at skating, so it was kind of a no-brainer. Do you remember the first skate photo you had published in a magazine? Who was the skater, what was the trick and what was the mag? Of course! It was a sequence of Dyson Ramones doing a wallride trick at that bank spot off the 60 Freeway for a Duff’s shoe ad. Thanks, Dave! What would be a dream skate trip to go on for you? Aleks Lewandowski and I always talk about trying to do a Pollack trip to Poland. Do you have a specific posse you run with and photograph, or do you kind of float all over the place with the skaters you shoot? Since I don’t really have a staff job anywhere I have to float around and hustle shooting freelance, but I skate with the Tum Yeto guys a lot here in Long Beach and also skate with the Deathwish team as much as possible too. Who’s your hands-down favorite person to shoot? It’s impossible not to have a good sesh with Daniel Lutheran. Is skate photography something you do full-time? What can we catch you doing with in your off time? I try to go out and shoot photos at least five days a week and for sure the whole weekend. I have been working one day a week at Bionic Records in Cypress for the past five or six years, so you can catch me there every Tuesday.
danny way x lincoln ueda
greyson fletcher • f.s ollie
amos • f.s slash
lewis marnell • switch heel dan lu • blunt slide
cole wilson • f.s smith grind
jon dickson • kick flip board slide
spanky • f.s air
t spliff
interview • cody rosenthal
Frank Knab smells bad and snowboards good. He doesn’t have a house or any responsibilities at all. He lives the life that every snowboarder dreams about but wouldn’t be able to actually handle. With little or no financial backing from his sponsors he continues to snowboard, split board, no board, skateboard and not shower literally everyday of his life. I recently got to spend a week with him at Baldface in Nelson, BC. The first morning when I was struggling to make it to breakfast before 8 a.m., Frank had already hiked a run and rode it by himself. We then rode the entire day. After returning, he hiked to Craig Kelly’s Cross to pay tribute and take a final run for the day. Afterwards he drank till 2 a.m. and passed out barefoot in all of his outerwear. I walked him to a random open bed that night to put him to sleep somewhere that didn’t require getting his boots back on his rotting feet. He refused to go to bed because he wanted to know what the date was. I don’t think Frank has ever cared what the date was since I’ve known him. Maybe his subconscious was concerned with something other than snowboarding. But I bet he just wanted to know how many more days he had in the snowboard paradise we were temporarily residing in. Either way, he loves snowboarding more than anyone I have ever met in my entire life and he is really fucking talented. If you see this man buy his smelly used gear so that he can continue his journey and we can all live vicariously through him. photo • sean logan
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Where are you at right now? What’s your living situation? I’m in my camper behind Wave Rave in Mammoth Lakes, CA, at the moment. I live in a camper; it’s on the bed of my truck. I have a bed and a sink that I don’t use. The table folds down into a guest bed. I built a fridge outside in the snow bank too. Where do you use the restroom? The snow bank is good for the bathroom or there are some woods back here. My routine is pretty much wake up, drive to the hill and take a shit up there. Then I’ll get some breakfast and coffee and go ride. How often do you park up at the mountain? I usually park up there when it’s snowing and it’s gonna be a pow-day. I come down to town whenever it’s not snowing to hang out or party. So because you ride for Mammoth Mountain they let you plug in your camper up there? Yeah, I park at the Mammoth Mountain Inn; I just unplug one of the lights up there and then plug in the camper. It works out pretty good. I wake up and go right to shredding, don’t have to drive or deal with any bullshit. And Glen Plake lives up there too right? Yeah, Glen has an RV with his face and name and sponsors on it; it’s like a semi truck.
photo • westenbarger
photo • peter morning Does he ever invite you in to hang out? Naw, I’ve always tried to check out his pad. We chat and stuff but I don’t think he really likes snowboarders that much. I like his “dick mentality” and I’m just trying to hang out with him because he’s an old-school badass skier. I guess he can be a dick but it’s his right.
Yeah, in a heartbeat, dude. I’ve never even seen or had $5,000 in my life. I was honestly gonna say like 100 bucks.
What do you think he would say if he saw your spread eagle photo from Baldface. Would he be down for you? Dude, he would be so hyped! Next time I see him I’m gonna show him. He might even let me in his RV. I’m trying to go on a tour with him in the backcountry and get to know him a little better.
Okay I’ll work on that. But moving on, do you ever worry about anything? Fuck I don’t know… not really. If I were doing something gnarly I would worry about death. But I guess when you’re doing something gnarly you don’t really think about death, so no. No worries man.
How much would I have to pay you to shave your hair into a mohawk like his? I don’t even think I could do that. He has way different hair than I do.
Do you have any bills? Well I paid off my truck last year. I bought a new snowmobile so I just have a payment for that. I don’t have a credit card so I get credit for paying that. So that’s it, snowmobile payment, gas and food.
But how much? How bout $5,000?
photo • peter morning
Okay I’ll PayPal you $100 right now. No, now that you said $5,000 you can’t offer me $100.
I heard you applied for a job at McDonalds? Yeah, but I still haven’t got the call back. I tried to go in for a follow-up and they didn’t understand what I was trying to say and gave me another application. But that place is sick to work for; they get like $15 per hour and benefits. I hope I get it but it’s probably not gonna happen. Damn, good luck man. But on the other side of the health spectrum you’ve been split boarding a lot. What’s the longest journey you’ve been on recently? I just split boarded from June Lake to Mammoth Lakes, which is like 6 miles as the crow flies. But we stopped and rode all the bowls along the way so I think it ended up being 15 miles one way. That’s a long ass day. How did you get into split boarding? Well, basically it was after I broke my leg super bad in 2014 and I couldn’t really snowboard so I started split boarding a lot to get strong.
photo • todd robertson
photo • peter morning
photo • peter morning
photo • westenbarger
Take me through how that injury happened? I was getting a burrito from this Mexican food spot in Buffalo, NY, called Mighty Taco. I actually got a Nacho Buffito, they call it. I was going back to work from my lunch break carrying my skateboard eating my burrito and I got hit by a car. The car was going like 45 mph and I flew about 90-feet they said. And what exactly were your injuries? I broke my leg, my tibia and fibula. I had surgery and had a rod put in there. I also had an artery brain bleed, fractured my skull in three places, broke my nose, both my sinus cavities in my face, lacerated my spleen, ruptured my liver, collapsed a lung, broke a rib and a plethora of other things. That’s a lot of serious injuries. How long did it take to recover from all of that? I actually started snowboarding that next season but I wasn’t feeling very good. My leg was hurting a lot, so I started split boarding instead of normal snowboarding. I started getting strong that way.
photo • peter morning
That’s insane. Are you 100% now? Fuck yeah; I’m like 400% dude. I’m definitely stronger than I ever was before. And I’m all bionic now; my leg probably isn’t breaking again.
photo • sean logan
I’m impressed you came out on top after that ordeal. Do you have influences in life and/or snowboarding that helped you get through that? Or just in general? My friends, just riding with my friends helps push me in general. So we just got back from Baldface on an Electric trip. How was your experience? Baldface is the sickest fucking place ever! Would you stay there for the rest of your life? I tried to. They told me they weren’t hyped on hiring Americans. Some kinda visa shit or something. That place is so insane, I would love to work there. What’s a “Scoobie Snack” and how was riding after taking one? I think it’s a bunch of hippy shit, I can’t say for sure. It’s all ground up “stuff” but I was laughing harder than I have ever laughed in my life, riding the best powder runs ever. It’s unexplainable really. What’s your advice for someone trying to live the carefree “Frank Lifestyle”? Pretty much you gotta snowboard and do whatever you can to snowboard. I just got some prizes from winning a mini-pipe contest in Mammoth and I’m selling them online right now.
photo • peter morning
photo • sean log Just sell what you can to live. Sell your shit and get money, it’s fucking awesome. Just live in a camper and don’t take showers.
Yeah, let’s count that. Well, then I shower at least a couple times a week.
How often do you actually shower because I know you didn’t shower our whole Baldface trip? I don’t know, like maybe once or twice a month. Wait, what actually defines shower?
Okay, I’m gonna leave it at that. Any plans for the future? Camper life! I was gonna maybe try to go surfing but I don’t really like the ocean so I probably won’t.
I think it’s just running water on your body and cleansing yourself with soap of some kind. Well, I hot spring a bunch, does that mean I shower a bunch?
Sounds good, good luck with that. Any last words or anything? Shout-out to my friends: Jones Snowboards, Fatman Boardshop, Mammoth Mountain, Volcom, Electric and Wave Rave for letting me live at the shop.
events
Quiksilver teamed up with Jack’s Garage to open up a brand new Quiksilver store on Main Street in Huntington Beach this past month. As the hordes of people started to show up there was still tons of energy in the air from the Eddie, which just so happened to go down the exact same day – a good omen to say the least. In attendance were a great mix of HB locals, including but not limited to: Andy Verdone [Huntington Beach High Surf Coach], Wade Sharp, surf legend Peter Townend, shaper Tim Stamps, Quiksilver team riders Matty Passaquindici, Kade Matson, Griffin Colapinto, Keanu Igarashi and family and past Quik pro Todd Miller, as well as artist Ricky Blake and many, many others. Adult beverages were had, tunes were played and lobster rolls flowed all night long. At the end of the evening Kamila and the crew put together a great gift bag with Eddie swag and a Big Wave Riders of Hawaii book. People left with big smiles on their faces. Jamal, Bobby, and Ron [Jack’s Surfboards] were stoked… Big shout out to Myriam for making all the details come together and to Wellsy, Benny and Fuzz for getting the right crew there. Next time you happen to be in downtown HB, be sure to check out the new shop.
clockwise from top left • Levine & Ted Li • Quiksilver store front • Eric Thomas, Myriam Pille & Taylor Whisenand • Nick Kalionzes, Fuzzy & Kamila Pilwein • PT, Ricky Black & Benny Bigler • Chad Wells & Jason Bates • Jacks Girls • Dano • Marine Agnes, Kassandra Cassily & Mya Rivera • Quik mobile • The inside • Lippy, Todd Miller & Jye Townend • Jo Jo, Steve, Mick, Frances & Mindy Whelan • Dano Forte’s Juke Joint Freak Show
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WE ARE SHOP BUILT
@ COOGA_SUPACAT
PHOTO: PEDRO GOMES
SPRING 16 COLLECTION A C T I V E R I D E S H O P. C O M
PDFW: Performance, Drawing, Film and Writing. Last month at the new Slow Culture Gallery, now located in Chinatown, PDFW marked a new phase for the secret international art club that is DFW – a group of artists who formed some years ago in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania. With less focus on sponge painting and scratch-nsniff sticker books, the group presented works of performance, drawing, film and writing. Having the ability to attend the gallery a couple of different nights during the show’s first openings, we were instantly blown away with the variety of different types of mediums the show had to offer. This event included pieces from artists Ara Peterson, Rose Luardo, Isaac Lin, Ivete Lucas, Patrick Bresnan, Jessica Ciocci, Jacob Ciocci, Lily Quan, Dan Murphy, Ben Jones, Ken Kagami, Emilia Brintnall, Jesse Geller and Andrew Jefferey Wright.
events
No longer satisfied with photocopied, machine-quality zines, the DFW ZINE CONTINGENT are creating a Risographprinted zine, an enamel pin, and a limitededition shirt which all can be found at www.slowculture.com/pdfw-1. Or if you’re in LA, check out the gallery for yourself: Slow Culture, 943 N. Hill Street, LA. Made possible with generous support from: Obey & Vans
Photos • Jonathan Furlong • clockwise from top left • Slow Culture Gallery • DFW Artists & Friends • Barry McGee Installation • Gianni Gigliotti & Fred Guerrero • Katina & Jerry Hsu • Steve Lee & Steve Ternosky • Work by Ara Peterson • Exhibitors for the soft opening • Barry McGee • DFW Merch • Amanda Fairey & Adam Wallacavage • Liana Cornell • Andrew Jeffrey Wright & Shepard Fairey • Work by Isaac Lin (Centered Piece)
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words • ryan simmons
Day One Surf When I pulled into the Seaside Reef car park I saw 4-6 foot pumping NW swell with some crossed up SW swell. The format is everyone surfs two 30-minute heats and you get to keep your best two scores. So I got to surf Seaside pumping with Chuy Reyna and Ryan Divel. In the surfing division Timmy Reyes took the win with patented carving and slashing. Matt Shadbolt and Victor Done were standouts as was Chuy, who had an 8 and a 7.93 for his two keeper scores. Fun was had by all, as lots of heckling was going on by all the competitors. Justin Schwartz, Bud Freitas and Dave “Nelly” Nelson all reveled in a fun day of ripping at the reef. Timmy won $500 for his efforts and it was off to the course on Saturday for a round of golf.
events
Day Two Golf Bright and early, the first group went off the number one tee at Encinitas Ranch Golf Club. What a fine course. We played from the white tees this time just to make it more fun. The big, or should I say “huge,” greens are a tough proposition no matter what tees you’re playing from. Jack Newkirk from Santa Cruz went low, shooting a great round of 69 and taking Medalist (first) honors. Shadbolt, who finished 7th in surfing, put together a great one under par, 71, for a second-place finish in the golf division, putting pressure on the final group of Timmy Reyes, Chuy Reyna and myself. Without going over the whole round, ‘cause I could, we all played well and being 1-2-3 after the surf, it was up to us to win or lose. Standing on the 16th tee we all were at 6 over for the round and looking at the prize. The 17th hole was Timmy and Chuy’s undoing, as the water par 3 made them pay with double bogeys. And my par-par finish was enough for a 79, a tie for 5th in golf. I was able to snag the win away from Timmy and Shaddy who finished 2nd and 3rd overall, respectively. Fourth overall went to none other than Blair Marlin, who shot a nifty little 76. What a fun couple days and I know all the boys are looking forward to the second event in HB. Special thanks to the crew of Iron and Sand for an incredible event. For details on upcoming events visit www.ironandsandco.com. Overall Results: 1st Ryan Simmons $2,000 2nd Timmy Reyes $1,000 3rd Matt Shadbolt $600 4th Blair Marlin $400 Surf winner: Timmy Reyes $500 Golf winner: Jack Newkirk $500 Photos • Nelly/SPL • clockwise from top left • Timmy Reyes • Event founder Darin Booth with the four overall finalists • Bud Freitas • Matt Shadbolt • Dave Nelson • Blair Marlin • MC Darren Brilhart • Chuy Reyna • Darin Booth & Josh Hayes • Overall champ Ryan Simmons • Nelly can surf • Ryan Divel • Jason Collins • Bud Freitas
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SUPER COMFY
THE WORLD IS SUPER IN THE TOY BOARDSHORTS.
SURFBOARDS & APPAREL superbranded.com @super_brand facebook.com/SUPERbrand
words • fred van schie
In the first weekend of March the skateboard world went once again out to Tampa, Florida. What started 22 years ago in a dusty warehouse and some obstacles has grown into one of the biggest skateboard contests in the world. And even though over time the looks may have changed a little bit, the vibe is still the same. While you might not think of Tampa when you think about skateboarding, the Tampa Pro, and Tampa Am, have become a staple in skateboarding. Last year the Skatepark of Tampa partnered up with Street League, making Tampa Pro a part of the Street League competition series that was started by Rob Dyrdek. Before the partnership, doing well at Tampa Pro was good to get your name in the skateboarding history books, but now you can earn a spot in Street League, making it a lot more interesting for most to do well.
events
The contest is only on Saturday and Sunday but most pros roll into town a few days early to get used to the Florida humidity, skate the park before it’s packed and to check out the new course. Each year, before Tampa Am (Nov/Dec), the course is rebuilt, keeping it interesting year in, year out. With the level of skateboarding being so insanely high and still growing, it’s impossible to name a few people that killed the course. But one person that is skating non-stop from the second he shows up until he leaves (or gets hurt) is Ishod Wair. He showed up on Thursday night and just destroyed the course for a few hours. He skated again on Friday in the day, Saturday in the day and during his semi-final run on Sunday he injured his knee, forcing him to drop out. I almost forgot to mention he also skated the Converse Concrete Jam on Saturday night, which is a league in its own. On Sunday the semi-finals and finals took place. Anyone that has ever won a Tampa Pro in the past gets to go directly to the semi-finals, which saves them from the qualifying day on Saturday. This year Kyle Berard, Dennis Businitz, Greg Lutzka, Luan Oliveira and Nyjah Huston showed up automatically in the semi-finals. At the end of the afternoon it was tech wizard Shane O’Neill who claimed the top spot, closely followed by Carlos Ribeiro and then Tom Asta. The level of skateboarding that happens in this once dusty warehouse is insane, but that’s not the main attraction in my eyes. The vibe is the real magic. From the skaters in the contest, their mellow attitude towards each other, the audience, the MCs, the judges, the skatepark employees… everything, it just works. If you haven’t been to Tampa, I’m highly recommending planning a trip to Tampa Pro 2017. You won’t be disappointed. For more info, check out spottampa.com and look up #TampaPro on Twitter and Instagram for some cool content. Skateboarding uber alles!
Photos • Chris Ortiz • clockwise from top left • Shane O’Neill – bigspin • Carlos Ribeiro – backside over crooks • Tom Asta – kickflip to kgrind • Cody McEntire – switch backside lip • David Loy – gap frontside lip • Ishod Wair – frontside boneless • Max Kruglov – feeble • Steven Pinerro – frontside blunt • Shane O’Neill – the champ • Ryan Decenzo – frontside transfer • Karsten Kleppan – lien air • Evan Smith – kgrind • David Gonzalez • Chris Gregsten – frontside nosegrind
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words • taylor cardinio
“If we’re not a community then we’re all strangers” was the theme of the TAVIK party that went down on March 25th in Costa Mesa. Emphasizing on bringing all walks of life together to enjoy a night of art, music and free drinks, the city did not disappoint. Local DJs and brand advocates Treo provided the sounds for the night while local brewing company, Towne Parke Brew, provided beers.
events
Beforehand, TAVIK claimed the event to be “another function for the people” but would soon find out that “function” was a gross understatement. Three hours into the event the doors closed due to reaching a 600-person maximum capacity; however, inside the event showed no signs of slowing down. Treo did what they do best and kept the dance floor messy, while the open bar remained heavily bombarded throughout the night. Familiar and foreign faces cruised around the space shaking hands, cheers-ing drinks and having a good old-fashioned hell of a time. It’s exactly what TAVIK wanted the party to be about, community. Thanks to all who showed up, and be on the lookout for the next TAVIK function.
Photos • Taylor Cardinio (676plustax) & Juan Duque • Mackenzie Colgan, Rikki Barton & Kayla Colgan • Juan Duque wallto-floor art • Summer Betti & Tiffany Bondoc • 600+ at max capacity • Spencer Regan • Juan Duque install • put your hands up • palm trees and Xerox machines • packed house • TREO’s Spencer Regan, Ace Bushong & Trevor Haremaker • a generation of digital warfare • Jess Rodde, Rylan Vonesh & Jack Wenborn • shadow puppets • K-Slesh & Chase McClure
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interview • max ritter photo • rhyan santos / mu$ty boyz
music
We email bullied The Frights from San Diego with a few questions about a whale’s vagina, I mean their hometown, San Diego… What’s the best show you’ve ever seen at home? Who and where? Mikey: Best show I’ve ever seen in San Diego was Brian Wilson at Humphrey’s. That was actually the best concert I’ve seen anywhere ever. But it was in San Diego so it works.
Marc: Soma. It’s like our second home.
Richard: The Backstreet Boys at the Sports Arena in 2000. That was my first concert and nothing since has compared.
Richard: Sombrero in Carmel Mountain and Lucha Libre (the Surfin’ Cali B in particular) are my all-time favorites.
Marc: Mayors of Sexytown at SOMA back in 2010. The best ska band to ever exist. I have no shame.
Marc: Also gonna give love for Roberto’s in Torrey Pines. Besides that, Rodrigo’s in PQ.
What’s your favorite venue to play at home? Where and Why? Mikey: Soma, it gets a lot of shit but it’s the best. I don’t care.
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Richard: Soma for me too. The shows we’ve played there have been the craziest by far.
What’s your best Mexi joint in SD? Mikey: My favorite Mexican place in San Diego is Jalapenos in Carmel Mountain or Roberto’s in Torrey Pines. The California Burrito is the best.
Which band or bands from home most influenced you to want to play music? The “I want to do that!” moment… Richard: The only San Diego band we listen to is P.O.D. As far as we’re concerned, they’re also
the only band to ever come out of our city. Mikey: The band that made me want to start this band was definitely Slightly Stoopid. I was a total fan boy. Slightly Stoopid was my first tattoo, rock ‘n’ roll. What’s the first thing you do when you go back to SD from a long tour? Mikey: Get some decent Mexican food, go to the beach, sleep, really basic San Diego stuff, wow. Richard: Same. I live most comfortably as a SoCal stereotype. It’s been too long. Marc: Add onto my giant CALI LOVE back tat, 10 years in the making. Kids these days! The Frights new album entitled You Are Going To Hate This is out now on Dangerbird Records! It’s bananas, have a listen.
photo & review • max ritter
The Wayfarer Costa Mesa, CA Saturday March 5th, 2016 Our pals The Futures League have been working on some new music for some time now, and this photo is from a few weeks back when they played a show to celebrate the release of their new single “Sandy.” These dudes are wild and they can’t keep the chicks off the stage. Man, I dunno what to say... In other news, frontman Jon Arman also acquired a new boat by trade straight out of Miami Vice. If you see it at the Dana Point Harbor parked at Turks throw him double shakas. I am not going to lie, I am just jealous.
reviews • max ritter
Tribe Called Quest Midnight Marauders Jive Staple. ‘93. RIP. Screw Diabetes.
Pinact Stand Still and Rot Kanine Why I try not to stand still. English band. Two piece. Loud. Big Muffy. Like it!
Heavy Hawaii My Man Self-Released How are those fades? Dedicate this song to Joey our mental editor. My man! New single by Heavy Hawaii ft. pretty lead vocals by Kirsten Gundel. Kind of reminds of the band Cults.
Tory Lanez Acting Like I Don’t Know Swimming in that Spotify pool today and exploring. Would you call this chill-wave trap? He has some newer songs but I like this old one with Shlohmo. Trump called, said the wall just got 10 feet higher. Keep acting up!
reviews • delon isaacs
Explosions in the Sky The Wilderness The Wilderness marks Explosions in the Sky’s sixth full-length album, and it’s the first non-soundtrack album since 2011’s Take Care, Take Care, Take Care. The album through its entirety has a very big sound and is tremendously emotional from song one to song nine. I can’t help but feel like I’m on some fucked up majestic quest full of crazy highs and lows every time I listen to it. If you’re looking for an album to turn your brain off to then look no further than Explosions in the Sky’s band camp the start of this month. The Goon Sax Up to Anything Chapter Music; 2016 I drank Goon in Australia; I threw it up. It’s practically just box wine like we have here in the States, only grosser and is usually drank by the youths in Australia because it’s so cheap. The Goon Sax are a catchy teenage indie-pop trio from Brisbane, and they are beyond anything cheap. They’re like an Australia Pastels just way sadder, and I mean sad in terms of emotion, as these kids have a ton of emotion. You can order their new album Up To Anything from Amoeba Music starting today. Fake Boyfriend Mercy EP Sad Cactus; 2016 I’m a sucker for girl bands. I think I’m just a sucker for girls in general, but whatever, I really enjoyed listening to Fake Boyfriend’s Debut EP Mercy. It’s pretty freakin’ tuff. This female trio from Philly merges huge post-punk sounds with lighter indie rock, giving us a creative, naughty-but-nice sound. Little did I know, but before the members joined Fake Boyfriend each girl had played a different instrument than they originally played, which I think does something pretty special with this new sound. Yung Lean Warlord Yung Gud; 2016 So tight, sooo fucking tight. Our Swedish Internet rap sensation Yung Lean is back with his second full-length album titled Warlord. There’s something super contagious with Yung Lean. Every time I hear one of his songs I instantly put my thizz face on and pretend to be holding a gun. Warlord still holds down and maintains the sad-boy style Yung Lean is best known for; however, this album reveals a musical evolution with a dark and heavier production with less auto-tuned vocals. Pretty sure Yung Lean has some tour dates in the States early this month so check him out!
photo • ortiz
groms
Age: 12 Hometown: Anaheim, CA Sponsors: Pocket Pistols, Volcom, Vans, Independent Trucks, Bones Wheels, Bronson, SoCal Skateshop & Black River Ramps Favorite Skaters: Grant Taylor, Greyson Fletcher, Louie Lopez, Alex Crysberg, Pedro Barros & Raven Tershy
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