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The Art of Surfing
The Art
of Surfing Surfing may be considered as one of the greatest
athletic feats known to man. It may also be considered
one of the worlds greatest forms of art.
Surfing
relates with other arts and artists currently and throughout
history . As time goes on it may prove to be one of
the most advanced forms of movement , creativity and
self expression ever known. gIf one seeks a point of
physical beginning for the movements of the human body,
there is a clue in the undulating motion of the ocean
wavesh Isadora Duncan circa 1925.
Cultures
and civilizations are defined through the arts they
have created and produced. Painting, poetry, music and
dance go beyond intellectual pursuit, personifying emotion,
desire, self expression and every characteristic of
human existence. When comparing surfing to other forms
of art some believe surfing is the primary art form
of high status, after all surfingfs origins were spawned
with royal beginnings of kings and queens.
In surfing
all the elements of art are present. Begin with the
surfboard itself . All surfboard shapes today originated
from master sculptors we call shapers. It takes years
for a shaper to master proportioning, flow, and control
of symetry. Shaping surfboards is a high form of sculpting.
Great surfboard shapers and designers are as creative
and colorful as the Rembrandts and De Vinci's of the
art world, helping to define yesterday, today and tomorrowfs
cultures . In addition to invoking visual appeal, a
surfboard also performs as a medium in which the universal
dance of surfing is performed.
As John
Orr of the North Shore Surf Band sings gDance on the
water --- boogie on your board.h Many consider surfing
the ultimate dance to participate in or view. Isadora
Duncan was to modern dance what Duke Kahanamoku was
to modern surfing. They both shared something in common
that went beyond their respective mediums. Both drew
on inspiration that came from nature, specifically the
ocean and the rhythm of the waves. In fact Isadora was
the first American to develop and label a concept of
natural breathing which she identified with the ebb
and flow of ocean waves. She rejected the conventions
of classical ballet instead basing her technique on
natural rhythms and movements preferring to dance bare
foot.
Always unrestrained
by rule and custom she exemplified self expression from
the very beginning , not unlike many of today's surfers.
She earned notoriety for her liberated unconventionality.
Just as the dance of surfing, her work was spontaneous
expression in motion. Her emphasis on free dance made
her the precursor of modern dance.
Isadora
became an inspiration to a wide range of avant-garde
artists just as surfers have influenced artists from
every genre Examples such as literary giants Jack Kerouac,
and Mark Twain, the legendary author who was inspired
by surfers and actually experienced surfing for himself
illustrated this point.
The list
doesn'tft stop there , musicians like the Beach Boys,
Jimi Hendrix , Jack Johnson , also poets, painters,
martial artists, sculptors and dancers have all been
and will continue to be influenced , inspired and motivated
by the ocean and surfing. Surfing contains elements
of every art form and some consider it a supreme example
of creativity, imagination and self expression. For
poetry and song, a symphony of rhythm rhymes and sounds
are all present. For painting and film every color ,
drama and emotion is expressed, and for dance movement
there is no equal.
What ever
station we are at in life, we can all benefit from being
exposed to the mysterious, exciting , and wonderful
world of art we live in. Art does have spiritual connotations,
as Isadora Duncan said g Art without religion is mere
merchandise. g And as Bob Marley related, gHe who
feels it knows ith
In the world
of art, the spirit of surfing is alive and thriving
from Del Mar and throughout the rest of the world. The
vast contributions from surfing to culture and the art
world will be discovered and enjoyed for years to come.
The ultimite art may just be the art of surfing. See
you in the surf.
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