Against the Grain: Skate Culture & The Camera is an exhibition celebrating visual skateboard media and taking place from the 7th to 22nd of July at a venue so trendy that it doesn’t even have a name, but can be found on 49-50 Poland Street in Soho. The exhibition will include Mike O’Meally‘s recent coverage of the Palace crew, previously unseen photos from Glen E. Friedman and Spike Jonze and much more in the way of visual treats from some of the most lauded lensmen in skateboarding including J. Grant Brittain, Dobie Campbell, Wig Worland, Atiba Jefferson, Skin Phillips and Tobin Yelland.
“Against the Grain: Skate Culture and the Camera celebrates the phenomena of skateboarding with the key photographers and filmmakers who have documented its evolution through the past 50 years and helped define the movement.
The exhibition includes previously unseen photography from the archives of Oscar-winning director Spike Jonze, and Glen E. Friedman – the man who has been coined by Russell Simmons as defining the imagery of hip hop. Also internationally celebrated photographer Mike O’Meally’s recent photography of London’s Palace Skate Team and images from the archive of Transworld Skateboard Magazine editor and former adidas skate team manager Skin Phillips.
Brought together for the first time, this important historical review spans more than five decades and highlights skate culture’s vast influence through photography and film. Launching in London in July, the exhibition will tour to North America during 2019 and Tokyo in 2020 for the Olympics, when skateboarding will be in the included for the first time.
On Friday 6 July there will be a press preview from 4-6pm with the exhibition curators and a number of the participating photographers and filmmakers. This will be followed by the private view from 6-9pm. You are welcome to attend either/both.”
