“On my way to Barcelona to infiltrate as a double agent: working for a big multinational as an artist and at the same time working as photojournalist for this almighty underground skateboard magazine. Self-portrait taken inside the train bathroom. Fuck airports and their tight-ass regulations. In the train I can bring a pair of big scissors, a knife, a skateboard and lots and lots of liquids.” – Fernando Elvira
Captions and photos by Fernando Elvira (except the ones of him skating and creating.)
I became friends with Alfred, the security guard. He ended up being the subject of my mural. An artist should easily interact with both the working class and the elite class, that´s the beauty of his profession. To access the elite class, jet-set exclusiveness, is not an easy feat. But if you do it you will definitely materialize cash flowage and luxurious lifestyles into your otherwise mediocre existence (like I am the best example to talk about that). In any case, don´t ever forget to stay close to the blue collar people because they are always more photogenic.
Alfred Fermín carries the picture of his mother-in-law (WTF?) and his girlfriend in his wallet. He says “brodel” instead of “brother” or “amol” instead of “amor”. He goes to the gym five times a week and smokes cigarettes to compensate for feeling too good. Never before was a security guard so loved by artists and skaters alike.
Ezequiel is an argentinian grafitti artist, borderline genius musician (his tunes are strangely addictive) and also a Vice agent. I am helping him to quit Monster, a nasty beverage. Next to him and from the Canary Islands: pro artist Txemy Basualto and his sister. All of them fantastic persons.
Skateboard barrier sexually enhanced by the art of Adrián Blanca. Artist, father of 4 children, skateshop owner and bona fide troublemaker. Also a person who likes to say “te quiero decir” and “¿si o no?” with rather assiduity.
Ben Raemers, from the United Kingdom, looks like a pivot-to-fakie. I showed to him this photo and he simply said “yep, that´s me” and walked away. Somebody has to tell him that showing your underwear is an outdated, dead trend (unless you wear it on top of your pants, a futuristic fad that is coming very soon).
Kenny Anderson checking his digital souvenirs while the ramp builders pose for the smallest camera in the premises. The french crew and the spanish crew ate in different areas all the time. Maybe is an ancient rivalry or just a language thing. I don´t really care because I am basque, therefore, above all those considerations.
Basque videographer, Fossil (a nickname) documenting Tom Remillard´s frontal pivot on the cement wallride. Those clouds were constantly threatening to ruin he whole extravaganza. He filmed me tagging outside the house of J. Mariscal, Spain´s most famous (a polite way to say overrated) graphic designer. Gora Euskadi!
The skateboard celebrities have arrived: Pontus Alv and Ewan Bowman. They were doing a piece for Thrasher, a skateboard magazine made by gringos muy locos y peligrosos.
Pontus Alv skates barriers like he invented them. We used to be good friends, but since he has his own skateboard company (Polar skateboards) he turns down my artworks and barely returns my emails. Thing is, I am all about unconditional love these days, therefore, impervious to rejection.
Again, Pontus. Backside tailslide while legendary lensman Rhino sets up his shit. Those cranes in the background are so rad. I proposed to the organizers to hang a giant robot made out of freight containers from one of the cranes. They politely declined…”for security reasons”.
This picture was taken by Agustina Rodriguez. I thought I could do the entire panel with markers but the harsh wooden surface swiftly proved me wrong. One of the drawings features 2 persons. One saying: “you better do it, I don´t know how to draw” and the other replying: “I don´t know how to draw either, but that does not stop me from drawing”.
French worker Camel and local hero Ramón taking out my piece form the freight container. Self-promotion is what you get when you hire an artist to do an article but you pay him peanuts.
The organizers invited Ruben Sanchez to paint a mural. Only thing he was in Dubai. But, hey, no problem. Big budget productions are like this. He told me “I can sniff tortilla, is the food already here?”…Maybe the spray chemicals have got his nasal functions impaired. Ruben is a good lad and wears Cons to his job position.
Construction worker and long-time Barcelona local, Luc Prozaut, kickflipped the gap with a clean-cut, shaven new look. He also runs La Santa (www.lasantaskateboarding.com), a skate school.
Enrique Lorenzo was in the house. Last time I saw him was 20 freaking years ago. I have no idea who are those guys behind him, too many hipsters got my mind dizzy. There was free booze and hotdogs for everyone. They said there was also veggie burgers, but I think it was just a rumor because nobody saw them. Next time let´s be original and have Alfred the Security Guard with a huge machete opening green coconuts for everyone. Money won´t be a problem.
The line-up. I don´t know why they put me second in the artist list if I have been working way longer than any of the other guys. The list should be made either by alphabetic order or by experience order. A bruised-ego rant is what you get when you hire an artist to do an article for barely any dinero…but hold on one second…I have already said that!
Tom Remillard skated with so much confidence. It seemed they kept him underfeed and strapped for awhile and then released him into the circus arena. He physically looked a little bit like that famous portuguese striker of Real Mandril. Thrasher agent Ewan filmed and guy with expensive camera photographed. It´s all relative. Big equipment is also big weight to carry around. I met some runners form Denmark who did 1200km in 28 days with just 2 pants and 2 shirts. They say they were also going to run from the airport to their home.
“El Catalizador” Javier Mendizabal taking measurements that, of course, are totally bollocks. He made those hands with skateboard griptape (gracefully provided by FTC skate shop, Barcelona). By the way, I am working right now on a project called LEE-HA!, a new spanish griptape company, so here, some advertisement you didn´t see coming.
Adrian Blanca got paid by square foot while the rest of artists had a fixed rate. That´s why he was getting there so early and was always the last one to leave the premises. But karma is a bitch and he broke couple of bones the last day. All of the previous statements are bullshit except the injury part, so get well soon, buddy.
Txemy Basualto´s graffiti piece rising above all madness. If we could work there for an entire month we would put Guggenheim Museum to shame.
Skater and aritst, Octavio Barrera moving around artworks. The other guy is an intern or maybe an important executive disguised as a cool guy.
The Port of Barcelona is so massive.The location of the event viewed from Montjuic. Barcelona es bona si la bolsa sona. Nunca mejor dicho.
The author. It’s not what you do, but how you do it. Thanks Christian Rosillo for this photo and thanks Converse and Vice for the royal treatment we received. I mean it.
STAY YOUNG AT HEART, 4EVER.
To check out a full web exclusive Confusion Magazine interview with Fernando Elvira, click it.
To see or buy the $UCK-¢E$$ or BU$T skateboard deck Fernando designed for Confusion, click this.
And if you want to follow Fernando Elivra’s blog, do it.