Surf's up - (again) !

Hey - it's that time of year! Do you want to be looking at dreary black and white urban landscapes or pictures of sun, surf, and sport?

If you feel like the latter, there's a new book coming out covering a yet un-chronicled subsection of surf culture. In the 1980s while New York was witnessing the birth of the Hip Hop movement, Newport Beach was experiencing a counter culture of its own. At a small stretch of beach nicknamed “Echo Beach” a new look and style emerged in conjunction with the more bold and aggressive direction the sport was taking. Neon colors and pattern replaced the boho look of the 1970s. The Californification of the world was beginning.

Photographer Mike Moir was there recording the scene. And now in the publishing equivalent of a super-group Quiksilver and Chronicle Books will be releasing “The Eighties at Echo Beach,” written by Jamie Brisick, and designed by none other than frequent guest contributor to this blog, surf archivist, design superstar, and my good friend Tom Adler.

The book is not coming out until later this summer, but for those who can't wait, Partners & Spade are previewing the book and have a few advance copies at their Great Jones Street office/gallery. There's an opening tonight and the space is open to the public on weekends. There will also be a sneak peak at Adler and Danziger Projects' latest collaboration - a set of four new surf related graphic works about which more later.

P.S.

As so often happens, while Googling around on the subject I came across these pictures by surf photographer Chris Sardelis. Nice work.