Publishing house Phaidon has partnered with the Design Museum in London to present Skateboard, a multimedia project that explores the evolution of skateboard design from the ‘50s to today. The venture includes a book and an exhibition, both curated by American industrial designer Jonathan Olivares, and was executed in collaboration with Converse, a brand ingrained in the sports’ inception.
The curation explores the cultural peaks of skateboarding through analysis of over 100 significant decks, following notable design changes and historical turning points. In this marriage of counterculture and aesthetics, the skateboard is positioned as a social symbol and an artistic object. Across six themes, organized chronologically by decade, Skateboard studies the material, design, and events that defined skateboarding as a sport and subculture. From the 1963 Skee-Skate to modern decks, the skateboard’s drastic metamorphosis continues with new shapes and technical designs being introduced.
Converse, which has been represented by skateboarders for over 75 years, leaned on its heritage and members of its global skate team to build and support the book and exhibit. The initiative, which exists at the cross-section of creativity and skateboarding, platforms voices at this intersection and bridges audiences. From the sidewalk surfing of the ‘50s to professional skateboarding at the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics, the collection is a testament to the sport’s enduring impact and influence.
Skateboard, the book, is available for $59.95 USD at Phaidon, and the exhibition will be showing from October 20, 2023 to June 2, 2024 at the Design Museum.
the Design Museum
224-238 Kensington High St
London W8 6AG, United Kingdom
