Wausau Community Ramping Up Support for Local Teenage Artists and Skateboarders
200 Local Artists Bring Street Culture Alive With SK8ART Exhibit and Skateboarding Event in Downtown Wausau
After sending out a call to action in February to the area high schools, Boys and Girls Club and alternative school artists, 200 teenagers signed up to participate in SK8ART. The buzz hit a new high as each student received a free skateboard deck as a blank canvas to create their art for the SK8ART opening exhibit on May 16th in Gallery 402, located at 402 Third Street in the mezzanine at Van Dalfsen’s, downtown Wausau. Over the past months, SK8ART has allowed local skateboarders and artists to express their creativity that has been emerging from the streets of their own community, joining their passion for art and skateboarding to showcase not only the art of the sport, but the art of the deck itself.
Teachers, parents and community members alike are supporting the local artists as their art deadline is May 2nd. Wausau East art teacher Joel Pataconi shares that SK8ART is the talk of the school, “It’s unbelievable how much excitement the skate deck project has generated. I’ve seldom seen my students this engaged and personally ‘plugged in.’ This event casts skateboarding in a positive light, reaches out to kids who are often overlooked and recognizes skate culture as a legitimate art form and sport.”
The 200 decks will be juried by a group of local artists, downtown shop owners and a Wausau police liaison. The 40-50 decks chosen by the jury will be displayed in Gallery 402. The opening night exhibit will coincide with Downtown Wausau’s gallery walk, Exhibitour, from 6pm-8pm. Gallery 402 also is sponsoring a temporary skateboard park on the 400 Block to kick off the evening’s opening exhibit. Dwellers and its owner Jason Garvey will be providing the temporary skateboard park for skateboarders to showcase their ‘art.’
Curator Tasha Tatro is expecting over 800 guests to support the local artists for the opening night exhibit. “SK8ART proves that the art of skateboarding reaches beyond the tricks of the trade. Gallery 402 is proud to create an opportunity for local artists and the community as a whole.” Efforts like this enable Wausau to continue to provide artistic venues that before now, only larger cities offered. SK8ART will be exhibited through July 18th, 2008.
Gallery 402 houses the largest private collection of Pop Surrealist Art in the Midwest. The modern genre is created by 21st Century artists making political, satirical and humorous statements through their art. Otherwise known as low-brow or underground art, the Pop Surrealist collection is all originals and the public is welcome to enjoy this phenomenal collection. The gallery also offers a library of reference material.
You are welcome to meet Curator Tasha Tatro and have your questions answered on Friday, May 2nd from 12noon until 6pm in Gallery 402. Please call Gallery 402 to let us know what time works best for you, 715.845.2300.