Decoding the Visual Language of the ’90s and Early 2000s

Subversive graphics. Fisheye video footage. Hand-drawn logos. The skateboarding aesthetics we recognize today originated from a specific time and place: the West Coast of the United States during the late 20th century. A testament to DIY culture, the visual language of skateboarding was borne out of necessity, impulse and imagination. Whether it's the location of a trick, grainy video editing or customized footwear, every choice formed part of a larger optical narrative that has become one of the most inspirational forces in contemporary culture.

In the early ’90s, the action sports industry—based predominantly in Southern California—shrank, but new technologies emerged, creating a visual push and pull in skateboard graphics. Leaning into repurposed and often subverted corporate logos, album covers and obscure references, skateboarding moved beyond the tropes of the past. With the emergence of slick-bottom decks, photography could be incorporated and sublimated for the first time, opening new visual potential, especially when coupled with artwork made by skaters for skaters.