Faster, Lighter, and Stronger: The New Tricked-Out Surfboards

On 5 December 2005, a day now known as “Black Monday” in the surfboard industry, the major manufacturer of the foam “blanks” that form the board's core, Clark Foam, shut its doors, ending an almost 44 year monopoly on the market. No one knows exactly why owner Grubby Clark ceased production (he cites increasing regulations and pressure from the EPA, who denied the claims), but …

Superette: Nike Air 180 Billboard

One of many events taking place worldwide to celebrate nearly 30 years of Nike Air technology, Swiss-based artist Peter Kienzle (aka Superette) was one of four artists tasked to create billboards celebrating watershed moments in Nike design history for the launch of Berlin's Air Max 360 lab on 26 January 2006. Kienzle, having previously worked in Germany, represented the home country (the other artists were …

Jacob Williams: Nightmare of the Haunted Buddha

Brooklyn-based artist Jacob Williams' day-glo psychedelia already looks like a trip through a Disneyland ride on drugs, which makes Tim Regan's recent video piece (created to announce the opening reception for Williams' solo installation "Nightmare of the Haunted Buddha") a natural fit. Set to a dramatic Psycho-esque soundtrack, the animation sets Williams' mountains, wild-haired women, and panthers in motion, which nicely establishes the tone for …