Top of Mason, is professional skater Walker Ryan’s new, self-published first novel. We’re looking forward to reading it, here’s what Walker says:
“I like to think that this is the first novel set in the world of modern professional skateboarding. But it isn’t really about skateboarding. It’s an adventure story about a guy trying to get over a break up—intersecting the worlds of skateboarding, contemporary celebrity, and homelessness—all the while dealing with a late-twenties identity crisis. All the characters are fictional, but it’s inspired by my love for San Francisco and my appreciation for the many unique individuals I’ve met through skateboarding.”
The cover was designed by Sebo Walker and $1 from the sale of each book is going to Glide in San Francisco offering meals and shelter services to those in need. To get a copy of Top of Mason, check the Old Friends site. For an interview with Walker by Michael Sieben check out Thrasher.
It’s actually a “duo solo” show for former snowboarder and Gucci Ghoster Trevor Andrew and Britain’s Phillip Colbert at Modern Art Museum Shanghai. Titled Neo Golden Age the show features a whole mess of bright colors, huge sculptures, large paintings, and installations of all kinds, according to a story on The Up Coming.
Neo Golden Age will be the pair’s largest solo show to date as they return to Shanghai. Utilising a wide array of forms, the maximalist space sparks a dialogue between the intertwined motifs of Colbert’s Lobster Land and Andrew’s The Real Big Deal. Packed with monumental lobsters, inflatable cacti and factory-like settings, Neo Golden Age engages with a unique, immersive presentation method, inviting viewers to step into a world of amplified pop culture and consumerism.
Modern art, dog. Modern art. Half the genius is in the explanation, right? Check it out.
You have to be happy for James Jabbia, right? He borrows a logo, opens a shop, puts the logo on a bunch of stuff and builds a multi-billion dollar fashion house out of it. Pure marketing at its most fluid, frictionless, and fun. Amazing.
The question, however, is what is VF Corp getting for all this money? A large collection of often red and white collabs, a formerly rabid fan base, and the elimination of a minor competitor? Yes, but they’re also getting Jabbia who will reportedly stay on with the brand as it continues to be headquartered in NYC.
VF Corp CEO Steve Rendle has. . .
. . .described the acquisition of Supreme as validation of the company’s strategy to evolve VF Corp’s brand portfolio in line with the market opportunities driving the apparel and footwear sector. At the same time the company can leverage its scale to sustain Supreme’s long-term growth and expand its global footprint. This will open up revenue growth of 8-10% over the coming five years believes Roe.
So there’s that, plus close to $500 million to add to annual VF sales. VF has been a good steward for Vans, so it’s very possible they will do the same with Supreme. The biggest question of all is will Supreme’s loyal fan base go along with artificially constrained product drops from a mega-corp that could just as easily make an unlimited supply of each item. Only time will tell.
Vans is promoting creativity as mental health during the pandemic with their second annual Vans Checkerboard Day on November 19, 2020. Join in and Vans will donate $1 million to 10 charities.
“We’ve spent much of the year apart. And it’s been tough. But despite the isolation, both physically and psychologically, we are and always will be a Vans Family, forever connected by creativity,” says Doug Palladini, Vans Global Brand President. “A recent study by Complex showed that in the U.S. alone, half of today’s youth are more stressed and anxious now than before COVID-19 started. Through the power of creativity, our mission for Vans Checkerboard Day 2020 will be to show that smaller acts of expression can make a big impact on our personal and collective well-being.”
For all the official details on exactly how you can get involved, please follow the jump.
Artist/photographer Ari Marcopoulos has a new collection of photos out from Dash Book in two editions, one titled Polaroids 92- 95 (NY), and the other Polaroids 92- 95 (CA). Here are the details:
The artist Ari Marcopoulos came upon the Polaroids reproduced in this volume and its’ companion, Polaroids 92- 95 (CA), while moving studios in 2018. Only a few have ever been published before, and the decorated box that housed them, long forgotten. They depict an iconic period of skating from the early nineties with the same ease, grace and affection for his subjects that Marcopoulos is known for. Shot mainly at the Brooklyn Banks in New York it features some of the best known skaters of their generation including Justin Pierce, Harold Hunter, Maurice Key and Jeff Pang, amongst others. [The CA book ] Shot mainly in San Francisco as well as Santa Rosa and at Max Schaaf’s Ramp in Oakland it features some of the best known skaters of their generation including Julien Stranger, Ethan Fowler, and Bob Burnquist amongst others.
“As time has passed there are many names that I remember but some unfortunately I can no longer recall. These images are a result of a collaboration and understanding between the subjects and the observer. I want to thank everyone that appears in them.” AM.
Signed copies of both books can be pre-ordered from Dash Books for $35 each.
We’ve collected a monster page full of all the news that is news. We’d like to apologize in advance for all the COVID-19 stories. Personally, we been skipping the news lately as an act of self preservation, but please feel free to dive in. Hope you’re all safe and well. Really.
Thomas Campbell is one of our favorite skateboarding, surfing, artist people and we wanted to have his talk with Tommy Guerrero logged right here for future reference (like for the part about how Thomas introduced Larry Clark to Harmony Korine). If you didn’t already enjoy this on ThrasherMagazine.com, then by all means click play and watch them right here, right now.
Top of Mason, is professional skater Walker Ryan’s new, self-published first novel. We’re looking forward to reading it, here’s what Walker says:
Vans is promoting creativity as mental health during the pandemic with their second annual 
