Opening day is well visited as commission pays tribute to iconic Malibu surf culture
The City of Malibu Arts Commission and the robust Malibu art community have paid tribute to the city’s iconic surf culture with this year’s “Shifting Tides” art exhibition at Malibu City Gallery in City Hall.
The gallery kicked off its month-long display with a free opening reception on Sunday, July 16, that welcomed an impressive crowd of residents, artists, and art enthusiasts. Guests enjoyed works from over 30 artists, including mostly Malibu locals, but also artists from around Southern California.
Guests also were treated to a live musical performance from A Call 2Peace and complimentary food and beverages from Urbane Cafe.
The reception began with a welcoming speech from Malibu Arts Commission Chairman Fireball Tim Lawrence, as he praised the guests for their support of local artists.
“I have really enjoyed watching this evolve and grow in a way I couldn’t even expect. The excitement and energy level is tremendous,” Lawrence said. “I want to applaud all of you, not just our artists, but all of you who come out to support them.”
Lawrence said the Malibu-inspired gallery highlights the beauty of the city’s beaches, explores the city’s surf history, and provokes conversation on the importance of ocean conservation.
“I think all of us here can share in our love for Malibu and our oceans,” he said. “It’s tremendous how important it is for us as a culture to keep the oceans clean, and it starts with us making our own beds, and making sure our lives are where we want them to be and we can get inspired by coming to see work like this.”
Lawrence said the surf and art communities are similar in that they are both vehicles of expression.
“You can learn to use a pencil, but it doesn’t teach you how to write an amazing story,” he said. “Once you learn how to surf, then you develop your style, you begin to learn tricks, you use it as a form of expression, very much like a sort of art. Each time you ride a wave, you have your canvas, each wave, the canvas is different.”
He said Malibu has historically embraced art and surf, and in turn, creatives who have mastered and innovated their crafts have helped influence Malibu’s identity.
Julia Holland, vice chair of the Malibu Arts Commission, said Malibu’s natural beauty has fostered generations of inspired artists, and these artists have created beautiful work in homage to all that the city offers.
“The people living here are influenced by living amongst all this beauty,” Holland said. “We are compelled to create and to express, it’s a part of who we are.”
Robert Scopinich, a fine art painter, said art has helped play a critical role in capturing the identity of Malibu and its surf culture. His piece “Summertime Blues,” an oil painting on canvas, gives gallery guests a unique view of a wave crashing by a pier from a vantage point hovering over the ocean.
“Other than the act of riding the wave, art is the most important aspect after that,” Scopinich said. “The art characterizes the experience of riding the wave in an unselfish way. Over the decades, artists have captured the beautiful images that made the magazines and publications that had driven the culture forward.”
Scopinich work can be found at Indabu.com.
Declan Bates, an abstract painter, said his work could be difficult to describe, but is a form of expression that Malibu has inspired.
“Malibu is a beautiful place that’s very different from other surf towns around the world,” Bates said. “It creates a space that really makes you reflect on where you are and it allows you to create freely.”
Bates’ work can be found on instagram at @declan_bates.
Andy Bonder, a woodwork artist, explained that the city’s natural beauty inspires him to reclaim locally discarded wood and breathe new life into it, proudly display his work for others, and ultimately grow and maintain an appreciation for the local natural beauty and resources with those who enjoy his work.
He said his woodwork draws inspiration from the ocean, and he was proud to display two pieces, one resembling the ocean’s corral and another resembling a whale.
“I’m a Pisces, and I need to be close to the water all the time,” Bonder said. “If I’m far from the water, I won’t feel comfortable. In my work here, you’ll see that I want to make a connection through nature with the wood and the ocean.”
Bonder’s work can be found on Instagram at @wood_abstyle.
The Malibu Arts Commission enjoyed an enthusiastic turnout that was designed to celebrate artists and create exposure for them.
“We’re both artists and it’s very rare that you have a gallery of artists run by artists,” Lawrence said, referring to himself and Holland. “Usually it’s gallery owners with a business model. We’re not here to make money, we’re here to make money for the artists. If we can help them sell, or spread the word for them, that’s our goal.”
Artists like Bonder said it was an honor to have their work displayed among the work of other unique and talented artists.
“I didn’t know what to expect from today; I couldn’t even dream it to be like this or expect all these people,” he said. “I’ve been surprised with how many people have been interested in the pieces and have asked about my art — I’ve really liked it.”
