Surf Craft: Design and the Culture of Board Riding
- ISBN-10
- 0262027607
- ISBN-13
- 9780262027601
- Category
- Design
- Pages
- 193
- Language
- English
- Published
- 2014-07-18
- Publisher
- MIT Press
- Author
- Richard Kenvin
Description
The evolution of the surfboard, from traditional Hawaiian folk designs to masterpieces of mathematical engineering to mass-produced fiberglass. Surfboards were once made of wood and shaped by hand, objects of both cultural and recreational significance. Today most surfboards are mass-produced with fiberglass and a stew of petrochemicals, moving (or floating) billboards for athletes and their brands, emphasizing the commercial rather than the cultural. Surf Craft maps this evolution, examining surfboard design and craft with 150 color images and an insightful text. From the ancient Hawaiian alaia, the traditional board of the common people, to the unadorned boards designed with mathematical precision (but built by hand) by Bob Simmons, to the store-bought longboards popularized by the 1959 surf-exploitation movie Gidget, board design reflects both aesthetics and history. The decline of traditional alaia board riding is not only an example of a lost art but also a metaphor for the disintegration of traditional culture after the Republic of Hawaii was overthrown and annexed in the 1890s. In his text, Richard Kenvin looks at the craft and design of surfboards from a historical and cultural perspective. He views board design as an exemplary model of mingei, or art of the people, and the craft philosophy of Soetsu Yanagi. Yanagi believed that a design's true beauty and purpose are revealed when it is put to its intended use. In its purest form, the craft of board building, along with the act of surfing itself, exemplifies mingei. Surf Craft pays particular attention to Bob Simmons's boards, which are striking examples of this kind of functional design, mirroring the work of postwar modern California designers. Surf Craft is published in conjunction with an exhibition at San Diego's Mingei International Museum.
Get the book
Similar books
-
Designing Type: Second Edition
By Karen ChengCentaur • Monotype Bruce Rogers with punchcutter Robert Wiebking Bembo • Monotype Frank Hinman Pierpont, ... Kai Bernau and Susana Carvalho Bodoni • Monotype Originating designer Giambattista Bodoni; adapted for Monotype by Sol Hess.
-
The Art of Looking Sideways
By Alan FletcherA primer in visual intelligence and an exploration of the workings of the eye, the hand, the brain and the imagination is comprised of an inexhaustible mine of anecdotes, quotations, images, trivia, oddities, serious science, jokes and ...
-
Hollywood Intuition: It's What Separates Fashion Victims from Fashion Victors!
By Karen Salmansohn, Jaye HershThis July will see the launch of "Hollywood Intuition"-Hersh'sexciting line of accessories for the fashionista on a budget.Accompanying the splash debut of this exclusive accessoriesline, Hollywood Intuition the book, offers in print for ...
-
Arne Jacobsen: Compact Design Portfolio
By Christopher Mount, Arne Jacobsen, Marisa BartolucciArne Jacobsen's furniture, such as his classic Ant Chair and Egg Chair, have become world-famous exemplars of Danish modern design. This book includes some of his most significant work, with an overview from established design writers.
-
Digital Textile Printing
By Susan Carden... here–here, here Awaken project here Bankes, H. here Banks, J. here Barber, E. here Barrett, E. here batik here, here–here, here Beckow, S. here Beddard, H. here Bell, Thomas here, here Benjamin, W. here–here, here, here–here Biggs, ...
-
Functional Clothing Design: From Sportswear to Spacesuits
By Susan M. Watkins, Lucy DunneDaniels, G. 1952. “The 'Average Man'?” Contract AF1860030, Report #0302010. Wright-Patterson AFB: Air Force Aerospace Medical Research Lab. de Bono, E. 1985. Lateral Thinking. New York: Viking Penguin. ———. 1999. Six Thinking Hats.
-
Camp: Notes on Fashion
By Andrew Bolton, Karen Van Godtsenhoven, Amanda GarfinkelII/7–II/8 Sontag, “Notes on 'Camp,'” p. 518, Note 8 pp. II/9–II/11 Sontag, “Notes on 'Camp,'” p. 528, Note 49 pp. II/12–II/13 Sontag, “Notes on 'Camp,'” p. 527, Note 45 pp. II/14–II/17 Mark Booth, Camp (London: Cameron Books, 1983), p.
-
Druids, Celts, and Romans: The Founders of Europe
By James Francis Smith, Sean JudyAuthor James Francis Smith Smith's 350-page narrative-history illustrates the Celts deference of women as leaders and warriors to that exhibited by Rome.
-
Reader's Companion: A Book Lover's Guide to the Most Important Books in Every Field of Knowledge as Chosen by the...
By Fred Bratman, Scott LewisPoliticians, historians, movie stars, religious figures, and authors offer suggestions for the finest books in a wide range of fields and reveal those titles that have most affected their lives,...
-
Design Your Life: The Pleasures and Perils of Everyday Things
By Ellen Lupton, Julia LuptonUse this book to gain control over your environment and tap into the power of design to communicate with friends, family, and the world.