Skateboard City - The City as Playground
Skateboard City was a large-scale exhibition about skateboarding culture in relation to the city: original, creative and do it yourself. Exhibited at the Van Eesteren Museum in 2023.
Skateboard City is a large-scale exhibition about skateboarding culture in relation to the city: original, creative and do it yourself. Skateboarders have a unique view of the city. While some city residents see walls and fences as obstacles, skateboarders see them as a challenge. The city is one big playground for a skateboarder. This idea is at the heart of the Skateboard City exhibition.
Skateboarding originated in California in the 1960s when surfers mounted roller skate wheels under their boards and went surfing on land; that's how skateboarding was born. At the end of the 1970s, it also became popular in the Netherlands and skateboarding developed into the professional and widely practiced sport it is today.
The Skateboard City exhibition shows original archival footage of Amsterdam skateboarders, movies, photos, music, models, maps and a skateboard disaster. Extra attention is paid to the relationship between skateboarding and architecture. This is highlighted in various design projects with work by Maurer United, OMA, SCALA+MANA and Bureau B+B, among others.
On presentation of your skateboard, you could go in and skateboard at the ramp for free every Thursday and Friday afternoon.
Peripheral program
In collaboration with Skateboard School Amsterdam, Cinema de Vlugt and Meervaart studio, a diverse side program was offered for young people.
Skateboard School Amsterdam
With the Skateboard School Amsterdam, the museum organized free skateboarding lessons for young people from the age of 7. The lessons were suitable for anyone who wanted to learn how to skateboard. The Skateboard School provided skateboards, helmets and protection. Before or after the trial lesson, you can visit the Skateboard City exhibition at the museum.
Cinema de Vlugt movie night
Skateboard and video culture go hand in hand, which is why it offered Van Eesteren a movie night at the cinema twice with Cinema de Vlugt. Prior to the film, visitors were first able to visit the Skateboard City exhibition, then they could go to the movies. Two classics were shown: Mid 90s and Minding the Gap.
GRAVEL
Together with Meervaart Studio, FOAM and Boothuis, six young Amsterdam photographers: Jody, Isabelle, Lieke, Ford, Gabriëlla & Isabel created the GRIND photo exhibition. In the exhibition, they show their view of the Amsterdam skateboarding scene. With photographer Anie Louws, they went out into town and made a photo series about skateboarding culture. The photos were added to the Skateboard City exhibition and part of the photo series was on display at restaurant Boothuis on the Sloterplas throughout the summer.
