LOVE + GUTS, a festival of skateboarding and art, arrives in Japan for the first time .
Love + Guts" is an art show launched in 2005 by Pat Noho, Steve Olson, and Lance Mountain, three legendary skaters who are indispensable in the history of skateboarding. The purpose of this exhibition is to provide an opportunity for skaters to showcase their unlimited creativity under the theme of "expressing skateboarding as an art form. So far, the show has been held in the U.S., Europe, Brazil, Chile, Australia, and New Zealand, and has fascinated local audiences. Such an art show will be held at theHerschel SupplyWith the support of the "KAITEKI" (Japan's first "KAITEKI"), the event has finally landed in Japan. This time, we report on the opening event held in Shizunami, Shizuoka, Japan.
Shizunami in Shizuoka Prefecture is known as one of the best surfing spots in Japan, attracting not only local surfers but also many surfers from outside the prefecture. The "bnb GALLERY," the venue for this event, suddenly appears in a quiet residential area a short walk from the beach.
What sets this gallery apart from others is that it has an impressive skate pool that is over 2 meters deep. It is probably difficult to find a gallery in the world where you can enjoy skateboarding and art at the same time.
In addition to the three organizers, Steve Alba, a member of SANTA CRUZ of Screaming Hands fame, and William Sharp, a photographer who has been photographing skateboats since the 1970s, came to Japan for this event. Artworks created by them are displayed in the gallery. The artwork that embodies the "DIY" mindset that is the essence of skateboarding was on display.
. and "Love and Guts" finally got underway. Pat Noho, one of the founders, began by addressing the visitors.
Steve Alba
Pat Noho.
Lance Mountain
Steve Olson
Shota Kubo.
It was time for the session that everyone had been waiting for. The audience cheered to the spectacular riding of these legends. Shota Kubo, whose father Shogo Kubo was featured in the documentary film "Dogtown & Z-Boys," which brought the skateboarding boom to the world in the 1970s, appeared as a guest rider and thrilled the audience.
Legends interacting with fans
Taku Takemura, curator of "Love and Guts" with Steve Olson
Steve Olson, Steve Alba, and Lance Mountain will also play with an improvised band.
It was impressive to see these legends enjoying their riding and interacting with their fans. . I could feel that skateboarding is a communication tool that transcends language.
The second half of the event featured a talk show with legendary skaters, Taku Takemura, who curated the event, and photographer Taro Hirano.
Many audience members gathered in the hall to hear the real voices of these legends, who are not often heard. After the talk show, there was time for a question-and-answer session, where they talked about how "Love and Guts" was launched, the Tokyo Olympics, the Japanese skating scene, and more.
The "Love and Guts" event was a great success, with pool riding by the skaters even after the event ended. Through the event, we were able to sense the relationship between skating and art that the legends advocate. Let's keep an eye on their future developments.
