The first monograph and visual survey to explore the singular odyssey of
John Severson, who revolutionized pop culture's vision of surfing and surf culture through his prolific artistic output that transverses decades and disciplines,
through ephemera, painting, photography, film, and publishing.
Southern California, 1960. John Severson founded SURFER, the first magazine to celebrate and revolutionize the art and sport of surfing. Surfing's most influential artist, John Severson has altered the perception, obsession and fascination of surfing in Pop culture. For over six decades, from surfing's seminal first painting Seal Beach Locals, to the riot and mise-en-scene of his pioneering films–– Surf Safari, Surf Fever and Big Wednesday, through the creation of SURFER, Severson has shaped the image and iconography of surfing sending seismic vibrations into the soul of surf culture.
John Severson's Surf is the first monograph and visual survey to explore his singular odyssey through ephemera, painting, photography, film, and publishing. This volume includes contributions by surf icons, the Hawaiian tube rider Gerry Lopez and the former editor of SURFER Drew Kampion. John Severson's Surf is a trip to the birth of surf culture and a testament to our Ocean.
In the '50s John Severson (1933-2017) became the first person to create a large body
of art relating to the Hawaii-California surf culture. Since then he has
provided a steady output of oil paintings, watercolors, drawings, and
prints. In 1958, John used his art, photography, and surfing passion to
create a popular surf movie series. As a surfer, Severson was known for
riding big waves, and for his innovative performance style in big surf. In
1961, he won the Peru International Surfing Championships and was a
finalist in the U.S. and Hawaiian Championships.
With the founding of SURFER, John's art focused on the magazine and
graphics. His painting “Surf Bebop” was selected as the outstanding
cover painting of 1963 by Communication Arts.
His work has appeared in Life, Sports Illustrated, Paris Match, German
Stern, and others and was selected for a '60s Sports Illustrated Sport-In-Art show in New York.
John Severson was voted into the Surfing Hall of Fame in 1993, the Walk
of Fame at Huntington Beach in 1995, and given a lifetime achievement
award by the Surf Industry Manufacturers' Association as Waterman of
the Year in 1997.
Edited by Nathan Howe.
Foreword by Gerry Lopez, interview by Nathan Howe, afterword by Drew Kampion.
Graphic design by Nathan Howe.
Published with Puka Puka.
published in January 2015
English edition
24 x 31 cm (hardcover)
216 pages (200 ill.)
ISBN : 978-88-6208-326-3
EAN : 9788862083263
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