Why is that where there is skateboarding, there is an undeniable creative spirit brewing?
In my limited experience and knowledge of the history of the sport and culture, much of what I understand about skateboarding is that it is rooted in alternative, anti-establishment, and Do-It-Yourself cultures, ultimately a common part of counterculture. It’s easy to associate the creative spirit of skateboarding to these ideas, but I believe that it’s not only the ‘otherness’ that makes it a prominent creative force.
This was the question I had in mind as soon as we received the confirmation that PURVEYR will be going to Bangkok for the Vans Half Cab 30th Anniversary that includes a whole weekend of skateboarding and an exclusive interview with a pillar of the global skateboarding community, Steve Caballero.
“Skateboarding has taught me a lot about myself. It taught me perseverance, dedication, loyalty and hard work. It’s taught me that you have to fail to succeed, which is important in a world where many are afraid of failing. It made me more courageous to overcome fears and do things that I believe are nearly impossible to do,” Steve shared when asked why should a person today expose himself/herself to skateboarding.
Creativity thrives through the courage in trying despite the possibility of failure. Being around skateboarders and skateboarding during that weekend — amidst flipping boards, flying bodies, rich youthful energy and determination — it was easy to see what Steve was talking about. There were a lot of tricks landed in the Baan Preduce skatepark, but so much more were missed. No one really cared though. The most important realization I had was that the sport and community do not only celebrate successful tricks but also welcome mistakes, and even laud courageous failed attempts.
So while a big part of the creativity that skateboarding evokes lie in its vibrant culture and style, its creative spirit is also deep-rooted in its ability to enable and allow people to explore freely, fail substantially and express themselves without inhibition.
To relive the energy that weekend, here’s a photo gallery showing our experience in Bangkok for Vans Half Cab 30th Anniversary.
The Vans Thailand and Baan Preduce team brought and toured the whole crew — Vans skateboarders, media, and Steve Caballero — around Bangkok.
After the tour, Steve Caballero had a meet-and-greet and a skate demo with the Vans skaters.
On the last day of the event, there were workshops and lots of skateboarding. Here are a few photos from the hundreds of tricks thrown.
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