Alessandro Segalini

This conceptual artwork brings together my skateboard experience (about 1995–2002) with certain reflections on precision in terminology. In the skateboard culture is essential to be precise on all “tricks,” they are concepts — if you don’t know the name, you probably don’t get the idea, and often, if not always, the idea comes from making moves, from trying stuff. The concepts of writing by hand, vs. drawing letters, vs. setting text with prefabricated letters (fonts of type) is truly something moving across cultures and civilizations. I don’t see the reason why they are so special or confined within the art & design discipline, why it’s not being treated as, for example, gymnastics or physical education in schools. Exercises developing or displaying physical agility and coordination are essential for creativity — the process of having original ideas that have value. After drafting the words, I executed them as single-stroke brush writing. There is a sense of urgency behind this triptych. “2” instead of “to” is both functional (spacing) and suggestive a slang, “down to street” understanding.

Material: Black skateboard decks, exterior white latex paint, brush.

Note: The Plan B “Virtual Reality” video below is from 1993; it’s the favorite video of my years as skater, here cited for context.