Stroll through Skatestock 2012

Dean Liscum

Saturday was Skatestock day at Lee and Joe Jamail skatepark. The one day festival is organized by PUSH (Public Use Skate Parks for Houston) and benefits the Morgan Moss foundation, which supplies photography equipment to Texas high schools in honor of it's namesake, an artist and photographer.




The 9-hour event was chock full of bands, DJs, artists, vendors, and of course all the skating you could stand.



I strolled through the festival on my way to the Pan Art Fair and here's some art and visuals that caught my eye.

Skate boarding and spray painting are complimentary and there was plenty of both on display.






The organizers set up panels for taggers to ply their trade. Some of them came from as far away as California.






Here's a nice bit of functional, geometric abstraction (I know.That's an oxy..., moron.)



Tools of the trade.



I haven't heard either candidate tout the economic benefits of tagging, but they're out there.



A number of local artists showed their support including Sketchy Neighbors



Tara Conley brought some sculptures.



Guerro Studios brought skate signage and Halloween-appropriate posters.




Jonathan Clark displayed his office supply sculptures.



Catfish had lines a-plenty for purchase.




Peace, love, skating, and of course Pan.

Pan Recommends for the week of August 2 through August 8

The Big Slide Show part 2 at Lawndale, Thursday, August 2, 6 pm. A bunch of artists from the Big Show stand up and awkwardly talk about their own work. Come hear Matt Adams, Caleb Churchill, Jessica Crute, Daniela Koontz, Liza Littlefield, Chad Maydwell, Tracey Meyer, Pen Morrison, Donna Perkins, Cary Reeder and Stephanie Toppin.

The Ai Weiwei documentary, Never Sorry, opens Friday, August 3rd at the Sundance Theater.  Should be awesome.

The Bridge Club performing Medium at Art Palace, Saturday, August 4, 6-8 pm. The Bridge Club killed with their performance Natural Resources at Lawndale in 2011, so we have high hopes for Medium.

Emily Sloan's Recreational Aesthetics: "Please Don't Tell My Parents" at Darke Gallery, Saturday, August 4, 2 to 4 pm. Virginia Billeaud Anderson writes, "I don’t know what it is, but Emily used the same title for the video she presented in the 2011 Big Show, in which her film character slapped a black man’s naked ass, and that outrageous work of art that made me decide it was worth being at Lawndale and tolerating the crowd and heat." Spanking? We're there!

Cornucopia Incorporated at Kallinen Contemporary, Saturday, August 4, 7-11 pm. Another overstuffed Randall Kallinen production (55 artists, at least!) down by the Ship Channel. Among the artists are Daniel Johnston, Solomon Kane, Norberto Clemente, Catfish Perez and many more!

What are you looking forward to next week? Tell us in the comments.