Creating a Safe Space:
Salad Days x Marriage Group Art Show
Public perception is that skateboarding is a solo exercise. Sure, they acknowledge that teams exist, but they don’t consider the group surrounding each rider. Whether that be fellow riders hyping someone to commit to a trick, or the filmer there to capture it all. And though skaters may not have a dugout or locker room, we do have one important place where ideas are shared and the community comes together—the Skate Shop.
One local hub situated in Echo Park is the infamous Marriage Skate Shop. Standing out above so many others, Marriage looks like someone created an art expo clubhouse, with handcrafted creations and boards from all eras hung up above rows of popular modern merchandise and a hell of a magazine library. But on Friday, 01/31/2025, the shop decided to make some space along their wall of boards for a good cause.
Teaming up with Salad Days of Skateboarding, they held a benefit art show for those affected by the LA fires that swept across multiple areas back in January, causing many to lose their homes. Guests were encouraged to donate boards and other skate gear to the back counter before gazing at their impromptu gallery, which showcased photos and artwork from icons like Atiba Jefferson and Jerry Hsu. All pieces were available for purchase with proceeds going to the Altadena Teen Boys & Girls Fire Recovery.
A successful event, hordes of people gathered to admire the work, with crowds of people even spilling out onto the night-glistened sidewalk. One woman even donated some wine, digging into her brown bag and spiking a bottle down into the ice before searching for a corkscrew to unleash the rosé beast. Tino Razo was even kind enough to speak about the prints he donated, which were originally featured in his book, Party in the Back. He explained the abandoned house’s backyard pool he captured was first discovered by Spanky during a hike, quickly sending word to Tino for him to investigate further with the help of Google Maps.
In the age of social media, where the comment sections are a war zone of words, it is comforting to see the community always come together to help anyone in need. Or, at the very least, needs a board. With January feeling endless, gathering in a safe space, grabbing drinks, and seeing familiar faces felt normal, and thus healing. And for that alone, we should be thankful that skateboarding does have skate shops. Something to remember, not just this month’s Skate Shop Day (February 15th), but any and every day.
Many thanks to Marriage and Salad Days of Skateboarding for their dedication to the community.
Alatedena Teen Boys Fire Recovery:
https://www.instagram.com/altadenaboys/
