Mark Gonzales - (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

Named the "Most Influential Skateboarder of All Time" by Transworld Skateboarding, Mark Gonzales aka The Gonz is one of the most recognizable names in skateboarding, art, and street style. Born in California in 1968, Gonzales entered the skateboarding world at age 13, and by 16, was featured on the cover of Thrasher magazine. Widely revered since then as the inventor of street skating, Gonzales has remained one of the most prolific innovators in both skateboarding and contemporary art.

Part skate photography, part intimate portrait, this is a bold collection of work straight from the mind of the artist, as seen through Sem Rubio's iconic photography. After working together for over a decade, Rubio and Gonzales have created an impressive archive that became the seed for this stunning monograph.
Hailed for a sense of fearlessness and creativity, Gonzales has always had a way of changing the game, whether through his inventive skateboarding or his creative art and writing. His long-standing collaborations with brands including Adidas, Supreme, Thrasher, RETROSUPERFUTURE, JanSport, and Études, gathered together for the first time in this volume, showcase a rebellious vision that has cemented his place in both skateboard and pop culture history.

This indispensable volume gathers new, personal insights into legendary tricks and collaborations. It is a verbal and visual testimony of his many worlds. Specially-commissioned interviews with Spike Jonze, Hiroshi Fujiwara, KAWS, Ed Templeton, Tommy Guerrero, Tony Hawk, Blondey McCoy, Gus Van Sant and more are peppered throughout the book, making this a truly kaleidoscopic portrait of the ever-evolving, revolutionary artist.

Review Quotes

"Renowned book publisher Rizzoli is releasing the first-ever book on the life and times of skate icon Mark Gonzales, and it sounds brilliant." --MONSTER CHILDREN

"If anyone from skateboarding should have a book, it's Mark Gonzales. Fortunately, this is [now] happening." --SKATE NEWSWIRE

"The fun of making, the fun of designing, the fun of fooling around like a child. Hardly anybody embodies skateboarding like [Mark Gonzales]...and now the Spanish photographer Sem Rubio has dedicated a book to him." --SOLO SKATE MAG

About the Author

Mark Gonzales, also known as "The Gonz", is an American professional skateboarder and artist. He is known as a pioneer of modern street skateboarding and was named the "Most Influential Skateboarder of All Time" by Transworld Skateboarding magazine. Sem Rubio cut his teeth as an artist by becoming one of the world's foremost skateboard photographers. He is based in Blanes, Catalunya. Hiroshi Fujiwara is a Japanese musician, producer, and designer. Tom Sachs is an American contemporary artist. Gus Van Sant is an award-winning American filmmaker.