Divine Decks, Tampa

Authors

  • Zakriya Rabani, MFA University of Florida BFA University of South Florida MFA

Abstract

Divine Decks, Tampa incorporates skateboards donated to the Boards for Bros Headquarters: The Skate Park of Tampa (SPoT), which attracts skaters from around the world.  This project has a book published that incorporates 100 skateboards that have been at least twice donated. Once to Boards for Bros, who in turn donated to me. What kind of information would surface if all the “dead” skateboards could be collected and reused?

I believe that skateboards can be a model or reference, that they have the ability to show us symbols created by their owners, representing human or social behavior. Each deck has an abundance of information, there have been marks made, gouges, scratches, cracks, splinters, water damage and more. Even the griptape(top) and graphics(bottom) are covered with carefully placed stickers, drawings and graffiti, making every deck more unique. We as people all have our own marks, scars, fears, memories, experiences that we can learn from. Skaters are people from all walks of life, they want to feel real moments. 

Holding the essences of over 300 souls, these skateboards are much more than just shaped wooden objects. It is a collective constructed at a monumental scale, a scale that helps convey the significance of these skateboards and their connection with people from all over the world, letting them know that, “Real liberation comes not from glossing over or repressing painful states of feeling, but only from experiencing them to the full.”-C.G. Jung, The Archetypes and the Collective Unconscious


Author Biography

Zakriya Rabani, MFA, University of Florida BFA University of South Florida MFA

Zakriya Rabani is a first generation human. Given a different last name than both of his parents he has grown as a Southwest Floridian with a misunderstanding of who he is. His influences consist of the relentless repetitive nature of the blue-green crashing waves, the push for strategic explosions of energy in the world of sport and competition, as well as an obsession of contending with present-day educational/institutional structures; whose systems have deeply effected his process for thinking. Rabani challenges the perception of structures, systems, patterns of man by using his own absurd experiences that fuel his artistic practice.

He believes that a soul-an immortal spiritual energy- can become dormant and die not properly tended to. Throughout his life as a student, athlete, artist, teacher and coach, he has matured an obsession to want to help others, (as well as himself) and harness what he sees as potential, striving to shed light on the unseen aptitude of people through the use of a formalist aesthetic. This stems from the issue Rabani has with the hierarchical structures that have been allowed to be solidified in such position that they tend to diminish the power of the people.

Exhibited in galleries, museums, and parks all throughout Florida, Georgia and New York, Rabani built his own version of a classroom, “Decks n’ Desks: A lesson in Flow” for a solo show in Gainesville, FL , then was selected for the Atlantic Center of the “Arts 26th Annual University Student Exhibition” curated by Luis Gispert in New Smyrna Beach, FL, Freeride Surf Shop in Gainesville, Fl sponsored an exclusive promo performance video for an outrageously sized skateboard that was part of Rabani’s Deck Series. Rabani has public work installed at Tattnall Square Park, Macon, Ga for their “Art in The Park Exhibition” and The Museum of Arts and Sciences Macon, Ga for their “Augmented” exhibition curated by Craig Coleman. Of recent note, Rabani has published his book, Divine Decks, Tampa, which is part of a long-term work he plans to establish around the United States.

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Published

2019-04-08

Issue

Vol. 10 (2019)

Section

Artwork and Photography

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