The art of skateboarding

The world of skateboarding has been dragged up from the underground and into the mainstream art world, thanks to an exhibition of skateboard art.

The jumps and tricks skateboarders work hard to perfect are works of art in themselves.  Now a new exhibition is proving their boards are just as artistic.

In the exhibition called "Board Art" skateboards are the canvases for more than 60 artworks created by an array of people connected to the skating scene.

“For some I think it provides the opportunity for them to see art they may not necessarily view.  Also it elevates skateboarding art to a higher level by exhibiting it in a gallery scenario,” says curator Dylan Taylor

Musician Chris Knox created a piece he has called Flipper, and there is another board covered in more than 1000 pencil tips.

“Ever since it's inception it's been a heavily graphic culture one that's really promoted people creatively and it's usually creative individuals who are drawn to the sport,” says Dylan.

The show is also a tribute to just how vibrant and rich the skating culture is and has wrenched it from the underground into the world of mainstream art.

Perhaps the exhibitions biggest achievement is getting skateboards away from the skate parks and into an art gallery, bringing the art world to a whole new audience.

And boarders say the exhibition is helping to shatter the negative skater stereotypes.

“A lot of skateboarders of today are artists and musicians.  Skateboarding itself is art and it's always challenging what is the mainstream and skateboarders I believe are one step ahead of everyone else,” says James Allen, from Higher Ground.