As snowboarders, we all know that boards should reflect the inherent truth - both in their construction and in the graphics that grace their exteriors. Which is why we’ve never been content with graphics that simply please the eye. Why wouldn’t we take it a step further?
Like many of us, snowboarders or otherwise, our design team has had Haring’s artwork gracing their walls for years. Arguably one of the most recognizable artists to emerge from the ‘80s NYC graffiti community, Keith Haring was a key figure in bringing street art to the masses - all while pushing for social advocacy.
It comes as no surprise, then, that many of our collaborators had strong ties to the Empire City. A New York native, Jake Burton Carpenter always held a deep pride and admiration for the landscape, community, and artists that shaped him.
Here’s a look at how Burton has melded the worlds of art and snowboarding over the years.
Keith Haring: Bridging Street Art and Snowboarding
Keith Haring (1958-90) was one of the most renowned of the young artists, filmmakers, performers and musicians whose work responded to urban street culture of the 1980s. Inspired by the graffiti artists whose marks covered the city's subway cars, Haring began to draw in white chalk over the black paper used to cover vacant advertising panels. As early as 1980, Haring began exhibiting in galleries and museums around the world, but continued to participate in public projects, including literacy campaigns and anti-AIDS initiatives.
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When Danny brought up incorporating it into a graphic, they went straight to digging. “It was really cool to be able to flip through the archives of Keith Haring’s work,” said Burton Designer Jack Tupper. "We provided Danny with a sheet of said artwork, and he went through and selected his favorites. Then we started to pull together the pieces. We went through many different comps, and we'd bounce each version off Danny.
Keith Haring's iconic style brought to snowboarding.
It’s tough to pick a favorite from Danny’s collaborative graphics over the years, but this one will always be a highlight.
Deep Thinker: A Tribute to Legends
The 2018 Deep Thinker - one of two pro models introduced with Danny Davis that season - was essentially a culmination of Burton history and iconic boarders. At face value, it’s a collab between two legends of snowboarding and skateboarding, respectively: Danny and Mark Gonzales, where the two of them worked closely to create something that was equally simple and random; clean and colorful.
But on a deeper level (pun intended) it also paid homage to two other Burton legends: Jeff Brushie and Michi Albin. Taking cues from Brushie’s iconic 1993 trout graphic and Albin’s 2002 also-Gonz-crafted “Burtin,” the Deeper Thinker was a fusion of art, history, and legendary Burton Team Riders and collaborators.
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The 2018 Deep Thinker snowboard.
The float and responsiveness of Directional Camber to a unique shape designed with Balanced Freeride Geometry and just a touch of taper ups the all-mountain abilities while keeping the freestyle performance of the Deep Thinker on full blast.
Other Notable Burton Art Collaborations
Burton has a rich history of collaborating with artists. Here are some other collaborations:
- STASH (2004): In 2004, we connected with legendary NYC street graffiti artist Josh “STASH” Franklin. Finding inspiration at a young age by observing subway graffiti on his way to school, STASH soon began picking up his own spray cans and leaving his own mark on those same said trains. And by the young age of 17, he was exhibiting art alongside the legendary Keith Haring and Jean-Michel Basquiat. What made this deck even more unique - aside from STASH’s art - was the introduction of our Infinite Ride technology, a proprietary process that could allow us to “break-in” boards during the construction process.
- Thomas Campbell (2007): Back in 2007, we set out to design a board that could transform the mountain into one giant terrain park. Essentially a hybrid of our timeless, freeride-focused Fish and the equally timeless, freestyle-focused Custom, the Malolo was born. An iconic artist from the early ‘90s, we knew Thomas Campbell was the perfect creative to dream up the board graphics. With the majority of his work taking cues from the same snow, skate, and music cultures that inspired Burton since day one, our shared reverence is what ultimately brought us together. So, when we asked him to craft up something for the Malolo, his vision was directly driven from the ethos of those aforementioned communities we admired - resulting in an original design that was painted, collaged, and literally stitched together.
- Andy Warhol: Ask anyone who wasn’t born under a rock - there’s no denying the influence Andy Warhol had on American art and culture. So, to have his work gracing one of snowboarding’s most influential boards was a big moment for us here at Burton. As the preeminent American artist of the 20th century, Warhol challenged the entire world to see art differently. By working directly with the Andy Warhol Foundation, we sought to celebrate his sophisticated sense of design, revolutionary artwork, and non-conformist spirit - all qualities that we’ve carried with us since day one. Although the graphics were unique to each size in this run, we’re particular to the 158 Knives.
- Futura (2009): 2009’s Vapor was yet another exemplary example-a partnership with NYC-bred graffiti artist Futura. With Burton designers admitting to losing countless hours of sleep, sweat, and tears over the Vapor’s groundbreaking lightweight design, we knew that this innovative design was deserving of some equally innovative art direction. One of many products we would collaborate on with Futura, this board in particular became a personal favorite and go-to rig for the legendary Burton Team Rider Kevin Pearce. An NYC artist who chopped his teeth on the same streets and subways as his peers in the 70s and 80s, Futura really took off when he began creating backdrops for the seminal British punk band, The Clash, on their 1981 European tour.
- Chase Hall: When we started working with the legendary Selema Masekela to develop a new, directional shape that was accessible to as many riders as possible, we also knew we needed to do something really special for the graphics. Selema knew exactly who was fit for the job: NYC-based painter Chase Hall. Focusing on exploring the complexities of biracial identity, and often portraying Black faces in unfamiliar places, Chase’s journey into art was influenced by his love for snowboard graphics in the late ‘90s and ‘00s. The specific artwork on this limited edition Alekesam is from a painting titled "Portrait of a Cowboy," referencing the histories of Black cowboys and American history.
- Jeff Koons (2017): According to longtime Burton employee and our resident archivist, Todd “TK” Kohlman, this might very well account for the most time ever spent on bringing a board to life. “The 2017 Philosopher took multiple rounds to produce,” he said. “But worth every minute.” Known for his iconic sculptures and floral works, Koons’ art often centers around transcendence - a theme he wanted to bring to life with the Philosopher. As a result, it took over two years to develop as we worked together to create the application process needed for its signature reflective properties.
While performance should always be paramount in the role of a snowboard, we’ll forever take pride in how snowboard graphics look, too.
Burton Deep Thinker Snowboard Review
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