ELINA GRAHAM
The rough scrape of polyurethane wheels rolling over pavement echoed down 2nd Street, as a trio of skateboarders cruised towards 111 Minna Gallery on the opening night of the “SKATE” exhibit.
Over 400 skateboard decks were on display between the gallery’s two showrooms, each serving as a canvas for artistic creation. “The skate deck is a common ground between […] the artists in the show […] as opposed to a canvas or a piece of paper, a skate deck is something that’s very specific,” said David Young V, an artist and curator at 111 Minna. “Everyone’s able to approach the topic [with] their own unique vision.”
“The [show features] a combination of Bay Area and LA artists, with a few Europeans too. Generally it’s [composed of] artists within our community with backgrounds in street art, murals, skateboarding, graffiti, lowbrow art, so [“SKATE”] totally ties in with [111 Minna’s] theme of underground art culture,” he said.
Irene Hernandez-Feiks, the exhibit’s curator, worked with over 300 artists to produce “SKATE.” “I feel like sometimes people look at skaters like they’re […] bums, but it’s such a cool culture and they support the arts and fashion so much. [This exhibit] is just a celebration and recognition of skate culture, I wanted to pay respects to the culture and to so many artists […] involved in [that] universe,” she said, standing tall in chunky buckled platforms, hints of gold flashing off her stacks of oversized rings and bracelets.
The crowd was a vibrant blend of ages and aesthetics, where a woman wearing red latex dominatrix-style heeled boots stood side by side with a teenager in a thrashed Dickies hoodie. Sketchpad-wielding artists perched on the stage’s couches, capturing the scene unfolding below them, as attendees poured in to examine the hundreds of decks mounted to the walls.
Many of the decks were painted, including Analy Nakat’s intricately detailed piece “Emerald Serenity,” featuring a scale-covered sea creature with webbed hands and a human face, surrounded by fish and a gracefully coiled eel. “I am obsessed with the oceans and all creatures. I like to mash up humans and critters to show my love for the planet and the infinite respect and wonder I have for the magic that is the world we live in,” said Nakat, a skateboarder and artist originally from Lebanon. “I hope through my work, people will respect Mother Nature and connect with her even more.”
Ajani Burke, a first time visitor at 111 Minna, was particularly drawn to the Lee “Scratch” Perry series painted by Racquel Jones. “I’m Jamaican and [Perry] is like a Jamaican icon for reggae dub music. I actually met him in person when I was back home, we had this really life changing conversation. He’s a weird guy, very nonconforming in so many ways in a very conservative country, and so I think [the series is] very inspiring,” Burke said.
Burke continued, explaining his self-imposed goal to consume more art. “I think we live in a kind of situation that takes us away from the community. We’re very individualized in the Western world, and art allows […] for more empathy, more passion, romance and love for life. I think it’s good to feel the heartbeat of your city and see what people are into. People are very open to conversations at a gallery, and you get to see how someone else has perceived something maybe very differently from you.”
Mounted nearby was Tanya Herrera’s pyrographic work, showcasing the range of techniques artists used for their decks. Herrera’s serpentine deck, entitled “Year of the Wood Snake 2025,” showcases her aptitude for pyrography, an ancient artistic technique in which designs are burned into a surface using a a metal-tipped pen and an electric current.
“I chose that concept based on the animal that is chosen for this Lunar New Year as well as the [fact that the] opening of the show falls on the day before my birthday. So I wanted to not only commemorate the Lunar Year, but also my personal new year,” said Herrera, a former skateboarder.
“Skateboarding culture and art culture in California in general is very widely loved on an international level, and for San Francisco, it is very much part of the fabric of the city. Although [in] San Francisco, skateboarding and art are synonymous with each other, it takes shows like “SKATE” to reinvigorate that energy and keep it alive,” she said. “Skateboarding culture isn’t necessarily always regarded highly, especially amongst people who disregard it as destructive, and delinquent. For me, the grittiness of it, the chaos, the difficulty and the joy of completing the tricks as well as the community of skateboarders supporting each other is one of the most beautiful things I can be a part of [as] a Bay Area native.”
“Haters will say otherwise, but really they are just missing out on something that puts SF on the map for people around the world. Skateboarding should always be celebrated and we should feel fortunate to partake in whatever capacity we can,” said Herrera.
111 Minna has been operating for over thirty years, winning SF Chamber of Commerce’s Small Business of the Year Award in 2018 and SF Weekly’s Best Art Gallery Award in 2019. Located down the street from SF’s Museum of Modern Art, 111 Minna often gives a platform to up and coming artists.
“I’ve been finding that as I’ve spent more time in the city, these smaller galleries and pop-ups [are] a lot more enjoyable. I think because a lot of the artists here are like 9 to 5 artists, versus in the bigger museums,” said attendee Shiv Srivastava, who also explained how she sees art as being under attack right now, on top of the risk of censorship that artists face.
“I think for me, because SF is such a tech city and generative AI [is] talked about a lot, especially for art, it’s cool to see people actually still making stuff with their hands and seeing the effort and how much more that means to all the people that are here for that reason, versus just seeing another AI art online,” added Archana Neupane, whose favorite piece was Rachel Znerold’s “Golden Gate Skate.” The acrylic-painted work shows a figure skating by Golden Gate Bridge against the background of a blush-colored sunset, which Neupane characterized as a “classic SF concept.”
Supporting local artists was a reoccuring motivation among attendees. Joy Kaslin and Hanan Sinada showed up, skateboard in hand for Kaslin, to see their friend Debra Dee’s piece, entitled “Worn Leather Frayed Silk Bow.” “As someone who was born and raised in SF, I’ve seen a lot of smaller galleries and institutions go away because of bigger, more established or corporate organizations taking that space, so it’s so vital that our local artists have a space like this,” said Sinada, a skater of ten years. The pair even formed a group for female skateboarders to meet and skate around the city together.
Alternating upbeat electronic tracks with Amy Winehouse ballads and Ginuwine songs, the DJs kept energy levels high from their booth, stationed underneath a projection of skate clips. “Every set I play is intentional,” said DIRTYHERTZ, also known as Reza Ebrahimi, one of the event’s featured DJs. “I come ready for anything, because I know that music can shift a mood, open hearts, and bring people into sync. For me, it’s not just about playing tracks—it’s about creating an experience. I’m here to elevate, connect, and excite the space through music and sound.” Outside the gallery, Irish pop-punk rock band The Hooks jammed out, drawing curious onlookers into the alley where they could contribute to the art by doodling on a quarter pipe.
“When you skate, everything becomes your playground. Normal rules of how your environment and the structures in it work vanish, and a whole new world opens itself up. A trip to the store or your route to work becomes an adventure,” said Artemisia Farris, whose work “feels like flying” was on display. “The first crossover between art and skating that comes to mind to me is between skaters and graffiti writers.”
“I used to think maybe it was just because you can get away fast on your board if you paint, but now I think it is more about how the values of each align: being free, breaking rules, making noise and taking up space, expressing yourself, doing things in a different way. Which also applies, I think, to all other types of art as well. I think practicing art and practicing skating have a lot in common. You have to let go of the fear of what others might think of you — being different, or making a mistake.”
“I personally feel that SF has an inexplicable magic that lends itself to both [skating and art],” they concluded. “Something in the hills, the incredible beauty, and the rich history of influential subcultures makes a fertile ground for the growth of both, intertwined.”
“SKATE” is on display at 111 Minna Gallery through June 19.
Editor-in-Chief: Jordan Premmer; Managing Editor: Jordan DelFiugo; Chief of Copy: Sophia McCrackin; Scene Editor: Elina Graham; Opinion Editor: Dakota Duran
