articles
Washed Up
from volume 01 issue 06 // Aubrey Bramble
Washed Up
Words: Aubrey Bramble
Photos: Aubrey Bramble
Transitions Art Gallery at the Skatepark of Tampa exposed its more cultured side on a recent Friday evening, attracting an older crowd and showcasing some of the most ambitious and revitalizing art the Tampa Bay area has seen in quite some time. "Washed Up" was an exhibit erected by Michael Derewenko that not only drew its inspiration from a local landmark, but exploded the boundaries of visual art in a compelling display of originality.
The exhibit revolved around found art in its most brutal of forms: recovered skateboard corpses from the depths of the Hillsborough River, laid to rest over the years by unlucky skateboarders tempting their fate on a popular waterfront handrail at the Tampa Convention Center. Covered in barnacle growth and other less easily identified organic matter, these individually tattered and warped skateboard skeletons hovered menacingly above the crowd, anchored to the ceiling with steel airplane wire. Highlighted by dangling spotlights which were themselves crudely attached to snaking strands of electrical wire, the aesthetic channeled the ghosts of deep-sea angler fish, tempting the onlookers with their mesmerizing yet dangerous bioluminescent bulbs.
The event was sponsored by Stella Artois and Red Bull, which lent a decidedly more mature ambience to the space. Gone were the ear-splitting rock bands and shadowy interior, the misfit teenage crowds, and the parking lot camp-outs. In their place: discerning art aficionados, soothing beats from DJ Mega, and free alcoholic beverages for those of us 21 years of age and older.
Sadly, there was little explanation accompanying the skateboard remnants and photos of the excavation. Had I not previously been exposed to the background of the event, I would have had a difficult time gleaning the unusual significance behind the objects. Still, the show was enjoyable and decidedly innovative. I would like to see more art of this nature in the future, that not only pushes the envelope, but celebrates the character of the Tampa Bay area and its indigenous subcultures.
Words: Aubrey Bramble
Photos: Aubrey Bramble
Transitions Art Gallery at the Skatepark of Tampa exposed its more cultured side on a recent Friday evening, attracting an older crowd and showcasing some of the most ambitious and revitalizing art the Tampa Bay area has seen in quite some time. "Washed Up" was an exhibit erected by Michael Derewenko that not only drew its inspiration from a local landmark, but exploded the boundaries of visual art in a compelling display of originality.
The exhibit revolved around found art in its most brutal of forms: recovered skateboard corpses from the depths of the Hillsborough River, laid to rest over the years by unlucky skateboarders tempting their fate on a popular waterfront handrail at the Tampa Convention Center. Covered in barnacle growth and other less easily identified organic matter, these individually tattered and warped skateboard skeletons hovered menacingly above the crowd, anchored to the ceiling with steel airplane wire. Highlighted by dangling spotlights which were themselves crudely attached to snaking strands of electrical wire, the aesthetic channeled the ghosts of deep-sea angler fish, tempting the onlookers with their mesmerizing yet dangerous bioluminescent bulbs.
The event was sponsored by Stella Artois and Red Bull, which lent a decidedly more mature ambience to the space. Gone were the ear-splitting rock bands and shadowy interior, the misfit teenage crowds, and the parking lot camp-outs. In their place: discerning art aficionados, soothing beats from DJ Mega, and free alcoholic beverages for those of us 21 years of age and older.
Sadly, there was little explanation accompanying the skateboard remnants and photos of the excavation. Had I not previously been exposed to the background of the event, I would have had a difficult time gleaning the unusual significance behind the objects. Still, the show was enjoyable and decidedly innovative. I would like to see more art of this nature in the future, that not only pushes the envelope, but celebrates the character of the Tampa Bay area and its indigenous subcultures.
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