September Issue
1a Mostra International da Arte e Cultura Surf
"The Expo solidified surf art as a true form of artistic expression. It also gave people outside the surf culture an idea of what this lifestyle means to all of us" Wolfgang Bloch
Read Complete Story...
1st International Exhibition of Surf Art and Culture
By Oswaldo Pepe
This pioneering event in Brazil brought together all that is most representative of the cultural production of surfing.
The first International Exposition of Surf Art and Culture was the first movement in Latin America to bring together surfing, art and entertainment in a single event. Held between the 23rd and 29th of July, at the Bienal Pavilion (one of the foremost museums in Brazil, designed by architect Oscar Niemeyer) in Sao Paulo, the exposition brought together works by artists from various parts of the world who transformed this sport into a way of life. As well as getting to know a little more about Brazilian surf art, the approximately 25 thousand visitors enjoyed a series of attractions including film festivals, documentaries, exhibitions of photography, visual arts (sculptures, paintings, objects), graphic arts, literature and an exposition of surfboards.
A summary of the main cultural productions put forward in the history of surfing, set in a scenario specially developed for the event, the Curator for which was Rosaldo Cavalcanti, surfer and journalist. " This Exposition shows that surfing is more than just a sport, it's also a form of expression, a way of life that is characterized by the breaking of paradigms and influence on the behavior of different generations."
The close to 200 surfboards at the expo, show the evolution of the equipment, from its origins to the present day. Surfboards by Dick Brewer, Gerry Lopez and Herbie Fletcher highlighted the surfboard exposition. Photography was well represented, bringing together around 400 images produced by great names of surf Photography including Art Brewer, John Severson, Craig Stecyk, Jamie Brisick, Jeff Divine Leroy Grannis and Bud Browne and also Brazilian photographers Alberto Sodre, Aleko, Beto Paes Leme, Nilton Barbosa and others.
Visual arts included paintings, etchings and sculptures, bringing together artists like John Severson, Rick Griffin, Bill Ogden, Mike Salisbury, Wolfgang Bloch, Kevin Short, Koji Toyoda, David LLoyd, Andy Davis and others.Cinematographic productions, documentaries and experimental videos were also a major attraction at the exposition, including Surf Adventures, Step into Liquid, Dog Town, Billabong Odyssey and Blue Crush.
International guests included Randy Rarick, Dick Brewer, Craig Stecyk, Mike Salisbury, Will Pennartz, Joe Tabler, Wolfgang Bloch, as well as authorities like the governor of Sao Paulo, Mr. Geraldo Alckmin. The people that went were able to see that surfing is much more than just a sport and that Brazil has its own merits in its cultural identity, in surfing, in the arts and for its initiative and attitude. After all is said and done, we managed to achieve our main objective: that of demonstrating that surfing, throughout the world, can grow by the way of the arts, outside the sphere of manufacture/competition
