Exhibit Overview
This exhibition was a re-configuration of the Museum’s most well attended show in its history, Surf Culture: The Art History of Surfing. This exhibition was presented at the Museum in summer 2002 and then traveled the U.S. and Australia to four other venues. Originally, the exhibition at Laguna Art Museum covered all three floors, or nearly 8,000 square feet. The reinstallation was a smaller version presented in one of the large galleries on the main floor of the museum.
Surf Culture examined the history of modern surfboard design from 1900 to the present, linking that history to the development of the Pacific Rim culture and technology. The myths of surfing, put forth through such adjunct activities and products as skateboarding, surf photography, film, clothing, and music are explored for their socio/economic impact. In addition, past, present, and future links between surfing and art are explored through works of art by surfers and artists influenced by surfing, such as Craig Kauffman, Billy Al Bengston, and Robert Irwin, who have achieved prominence and recognition either in the art world or in popular culture.





Subscribe To Our Newsletter
Receive news about collections, exhibitions, events, and more.