Following last year's successful ‘Through the eyes of a skater’ event at Centrala, Ruebun, Japhet, and Darren revealed its return for a second edition. The venue remains the same, but with new artists and films.
On Saturday, 19 August 2023, the second installment of the ‘Through the eyes of the skater’ exhibition took place at Birmingham's Centrala space, this time revamped and titled ‘I can’t stop thinkin bout you!’
Hosted by Darren, Japhet and Reubenand supported by Ideal Birmingham,BourneBrook DIY, Birmingham Skate Spaces,, Casino Skateboardsand Og Distributions.
I had a conversation with Reuben, one of the event's founders, who mentioned,“The original idea came from Darren wanting to premiere his skate video at Centrala. At that time, Japhet was organizing art exhibitions, so we thought it would be efficient to combine both. More ideas and inspiration followed, I suppose. The event's name (I can’t stop thinkin ‘bout you!) was Darren's idea, inspired by one of Callum's pieces from last year's exhibition. The previous year's name (Through the eyes of the skater) was our attempt to show the perspective of a skateboarder in Birmingham, dealing with challenging architecture.”
This year brought together artists, filmmakers, and photographers showcasing their work. Everything on display was from the West Midlands, featuring local skaters from the Birmingham area, including artists likeGÌselle Alicia, Lewis Davies, Ivan, Shaun Boyle, Tactical Spuckler, Alice, Callum SidlauskusReuben and Japhet.
Photographers such asRaj Sami and Wig Worland. Films from Wolftown Skateboards,, Steak Tapes, This Is BirminghamCasino Skateboards,Spread Eagle Sports and Leisure. and Silhouette Films.
There were also previously unseen photos of Birmingham skating from the 1990s and 2000s by Wig Worland and Kris Ludford.
The event was free, but T-shirts and tote bags were sold to raise funds for future events. The merchandise artwork was created by artist Callum Sidlauskus.
It was great to see the entire skate community unite, from professional riders like Marcus Palmer to skateboard enthusiasts like Holly and me. Skaters from across the Midlands gathered in Digbeth to celebrate Birmingham's skate scene. Various skate collectives were present, including Wolftown, the SkateHut team, and the This is Birmingham Crew.
I posed another question to Reuben about what it's like to be part of the Birmingham community and if he thinks it's growing. Reuben responded,“It's definitely growing. I believe the core of it is having like-minded people around who share the same goals.”
My final question was about his plans for the coming year and if there will be more of these events. Reuben replied,“There will be another event next year, on a larger scale, and hopefully we will collaborate with more people. As for the future, I believe anything is possible.”
The exhibition was hosted for one night only at Centrala space in Digbeth. Centrala is a publicly funded gallery and the sole supporter of Central and European art and artists outside of London. Their mission is inclusive: they are strong advocates for social integration, bringing together diverse audiences to share, explore, debate, and connect with high-quality artists and events.
Interview with Darren Whitcombe (Founder)
Could you please introduce yourself?
Yeah, I’m Darren.
How did you come up with the idea for the event?
I attended the Bournbrook DIY skate night at the Mocking Bird Cinema in early summer 2022 and was really inspired by what I experienced. A few days later, I discussed it with Reuben, and we both felt the urge to organize an event in the city center where we could showcase films, artwork, and music. Before I knew it, we were holding our first event at Centrala.
Where did the name ‘silhouette’ originate? And what is the story behind it?
I really liked the sound of the word, and the more I repeated it, the more I appreciated it. There's so much that can be done with it; it can be anything you want, adaptable, evolving, etc.
Who and what have been your sources of inspiration in filming?
I draw inspiration from Chris Emery’s Wolftown videos. He has a very strong vision, and I think that's evident in his work. I'm also inspired by the Magenta videos, like Just Cruise 2, and the Sour videos. When I watched Sour Solution 2 and saw Simon Isaksson skating to ABBA’s Dancing Queen, I thought to myself, anything is possible.
Is there anyone you would like to acknowledge?
Absolutely, the entire Bournbrook team for initiating something extraordinary during the lockdown just as Eastside was being torn down, the timing was perfect.
