Art Inspired by Skate Culture

Street art and skate culture have long gone hand in hand, with renowned artists like Yayoi Kusama and Eddie Martinez reproducing some of their most famous works on the undersides of skateboards. Beginning as a fringe trend in 1970s skate parks, customized skate decks now fetch record highs at auction—Sotheby’s recently sold a collection of 248 skate decks to a single collector for $800,000. Below, discover works that celebrate the interconnection between skate culture and fine art, from photographs of Venice Beach youth culture to artist-designed skate decks released by legendary skatewear label Supreme.